Camille Paglia on Weiner, Democrats, Benghazi, and Hillary in 2016

[DumbAss Tanker]

Dow Chemical spent 12 million dollars last year on lobbying in DC.

But the politicians would have us believe that Dow simply supported the candidates with whom it agrees, not that it's buying influence.

Make corporate lobbying (of Congress and any other government officials) 100% transparent. Make it a painful and high criminal offense to hide, disguise, misrepresent, or "make mistakes" when it comes to lobbying and political contributions.

Make politicians publish specific reports of their time, expenses, gifts, and companions both on and "off" the clock.

I don't believe corporations are legally allowed to directly contribute to campaigns or candidates, what Citizens United did was allow them to donate to or otherwise promote specific issues. Even with an absolute ban on political speech by corporations and low absolute limits on personal contributions by their officers and employees, there would still be lobbying and actions by elected officials because of the sheer economic power they represent, and its effect in particular districts or states ("Well, Congressman, as a lobbyist I can't actually bind the XYZ Corporation, but if that legislation you were opposing goes through, we'll probably have to close out our 500-job service center in your district as we consolidate operations elsewhere...").

[Elspeth]

Well, it did come from the same people who told us that the guy who surrendered his law license rather than face disciplinary proceedings for lying on his application (Effectively, but not technically, becoming disbarred) and who thanks to a political favor got a part-time gig as an adjunct night school instructor was a "Law professor and Constitutional scholar."

He surrendered his law license?

[DumbAss Tanker]

He surrendered his law license?

Not really, it's kind of an 'Inside baseball' joke on a popular internet urban legend. I believe his correct status is 'Voluntarily retired' from the Illinois bar.

[Elspeth]

Not really, it's kind of an 'Inside baseball' joke on a popular internet urban legend. I believe his correct status is 'Voluntarily retired' from the Illinois bar.

What's the legend and what's the truth? Just curious.

[DumbAss Tanker]

What's the legend and what's the truth? Just curious.

It's made the internet rounds many times, often in a very long-winded but professional-sounding form. Something to the effect that Barack surrendered his license rather than face a disciplinary commission inquiry (And possible disbarment) over false statements in his bar application, and likewise Michelle over her time at that hospital where she supposedly had a major role in shuffling off the non-lucrative (I.e. poor) patients to other hospitals (Which even if true, and I'm not saying there isn't anything to that or not, would have to pretty much involve a felony conviction to reach out and touch her law license, since she wasn't actually employed as a lawyer there). As I understand it, the truth is he voluntarily retired his license when he went off to the Senate, and she went on (Voluntary) inactive status at some point also.

If you Google 'Obama law license' you'll come up with all sorts of debunkers for this one.

[Eupher]

Dow Chemical spent 12 million dollars last year on lobbying in DC.

But the politicians would have us believe that Dow simply supported the candidates with whom it agrees, not that it's buying influence.

Make corporate lobbying (of Congress and any other government officials) 100% transparent. Make it a painful and high criminal offense to hide, disguise, misrepresent, or "make mistakes" when it comes to lobbying and political contributions.

Make politicians publish specific reports of their time, expenses, gifts, and companions both on and "off" the clock.

Every year I have to have training within my company to assure them that I understand the laws and restrictions under which I have to live because of the REMOTE possibility I actually might need to rub elbows with a politician.

Ain't gonna happen, but there you go.

Here's the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 and its "technical corrections" follow-up Act of 1998:

http://lobbyingdisclosure.house.gov/...lda_guide.html

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/Lo...re_Act/TOC.htm

And here's the "Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007"

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill...raryofcongress

How many laws do we need to regulate lobbyists, those who might possibly rub elbows with a politician (like me, but don't), congresscritters, and senators? Not to mention cabinet secretaries and other high federal government officials?

You'll note I didn't bother with the boatload of state and local laws.

[Odysseus]

Dow Chemical spent 12 million dollars last year on lobbying in DC.

But the politicians would have us believe that Dow simply supported the candidates with whom it agrees, not that it's buying influence.

Make corporate lobbying (of Congress and any other government officials) 100% transparent. Make it a painful and high criminal offense to hide, disguise, misrepresent, or "make mistakes" when it comes to lobbying and political contributions.

Make politicians publish specific reports of their time, expenses, gifts, and companions both on and "off" the clock.

You miss the point. If congress wasn't in the business of deciding winners and losers, Dow chemical wouldn't care who was in office. Instead of punishing the people who are, at best, trying to protect themselves from clueless bureaucrats or, at worst, seeking to use the federal regulatory leviathan to give them an unearned advantate in the market place, how about scaling back the powers of the federal government to those enumerated in the Constitution and eliminate the need/temptation to lobby?

[djones520]

We need a strongman for two terms to right some of the wrongs. That probably includes installing adult supervision in California and Michigan.

Michigan has had one for the last 3 years. You should hear the bitching and moaning their doing about our Governor.

[SaintLouieWoman]

Dow Chemical spent 12 million dollars last year on lobbying in DC.

But the politicians would have us believe that Dow simply supported the candidates with whom it agrees, not that it's buying influence.

Make corporate lobbying (of Congress and any other government officials) 100% transparent. Make it a painful and high criminal offense to hide, disguise, misrepresent, or "make mistakes" when it comes to lobbying and political contributions.

Make politicians publish specific reports of their time, expenses, gifts, and companions both on and "off" the clock.

They should make those higher up the government feeding chain follow the requirements placed on those in the lower grades. I spent almost 30 years selling office equipment to federal and municipal governments.

Most of the feds wouldn't accept even a coke out of our coke machine, but would accept a cup of coffee out of a styrofoam cup if they came to the office for a demo of equipment. On occasion I would have sandwiches brought into the office for them, so they could use their lunch hours to view the equipment.

The head of purchasing for the City of St Louis was so scrupulous that we couldn't give any Christmas gifts (knew better to do anything but mail a Christmas card to my long time fed customers with a picture of my dogs by the Christmas tree). The only thing that I gave to the city was perhaps a basket of cookies or other food items that could be shared by everyone, not just the buyers. I was so proud that kept the city copier contact for almost 10 years, never giving them anything but good service from my company.

I chose to have the gov't people as my clients, because there were no under the table dealings. I just plain old enjoyed my contacts, who became friends over the years.

If only the higher ups would follow the same code of ethics.