[sparkscoffee] Re: Favors and Loot for Sale
- From: "schalestock@xxxxxxxx" <schalestock@xxxxxxxx>
- To: sparkscoffee@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 10:23:56 GMT
RR Well stated. The Founders were brilliant, very well educated men and
understood that the fundamentals of the human condition were unchanging.
History has proved them right. JS
---------- Original Message ----------
From: "" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> (Redacted sender "Sblumen123@xxxxxxx"
for DMARC)
To: sparkscoffee@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [sparkscoffee] Re: Favors and Loot for Sale
Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2014 13:03:48 -0400
RRThe usual hook, line and sinker capitalist, anti socialist clap trap about
big government ruining ourcountry. Comrade B In a message dated 9/9/2014
11:16:23 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, ristad@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:The Founding
Fathers were not unaware that "times change." But in the whirlwind of life they
saw that reason and experience could and had demonstrated that there were
unchanging qualities to the human condition, grounded in the fundamental
political idea of individual rights.
They understood the various mantles that tyranny could take on –
including the cloak of false benevolence in the form of compulsory
redistribution of wealth. They established a constitutional order that was
meant to guard us from the plunder of violent and greedy men, while leaving
each of us that wide latitude of personal and economic freedom in which we
could find our own meanings for life, and adapt to new circumstances consistent
with our conscience and concerns.
This is what made America great. This is what made a country in which
individuals could say without embarrassment or conceit that they were "proud to
be Americans."
- See more at:
http://thedailybell.com/editorials/35634/Richard-Ebeling-Proud-to-be-an-American-What-Should-It-Mean/#sthash.120AKuSg.dpufBy
Walter E. WilliamsSeptember 9, 2014
During the 2012 presidential campaign, Barack Obama raised a little over $1
billion, while Mitt Romney raised a little under $1 billion. Congressional
candidates raised over $3.5 billion. In 2013, there were 12,341 registered
lobbyists and $3.2 billion was spent on lobbying. During the years the Clintons
have been in national politics, they’ve received at least $1.4 billion in
contributions, according to Time magazine and the Center for Responsive
Politics, making them “The First Family of Fundraising.”
Here are my questions to you: Why do people and organizations cough up billions
of dollars to line political coffers? One might answer that these groups and
individuals are simply extraordinarily civic-minded Americans who have a deep
and abiding interest in encouraging elected officials to live up to their oath
of office to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution. Another possible answer
is that the people who spend these billions of dollars on politicians just love
participating in the political process. If you believe either of these
explanations for coughing up billions for politicians, you’re probably a
candidate for psychiatric attention, a straitjacket and a padded cell.
A far better explanation for the billions going to the campaign coffers of
Washington politicians and lobbyists lies in the awesome government power and
control over business, property, employment and other areas of our lives.
Having such power, Washington politicians are in the position to grant special
privileges, extend favors, change laws and do other things that if done by a
private person would land him in jail.
The major component of congressional power is the use of the IRS to take the
earnings of one American to give to another.
The Dow Chemical Co. posted record lobbying expenditures last year, spending
over $12 million. Joined by Alcoa, who spent $3.5 million, Dow supports the
campaigns of congressmen who support natural gas export restrictions. Natural
gas is a raw material for both companies. They fear natural gas prices would
rise if export restrictions were lifted. Dow and other big users of natural gas
make charitable contributions to environmentalists who seek to limit natural
gas exploration. Natural gas export restrictions empower Russia’s
Vladimir Putin by making Europeans more dependent on Russian natural gas.
General Electric spends tens of millions of dollars lobbying. Part of their
agenda was to help get Congress to outlaw incandescent light bulbs so that they
could sell their more expensive compact fluorescent bulbs. It should come as no
surprise that General Electric is a contributor to global warmers who helped
convince Congress that incandescent bulbs were destroying the planet.
These are just two examples, among thousands, of the role of money in politics.
Most concerns about money in politics tend to focus on relatively trivial
matters such as the costs of running for office and interest-group influence on
Congress and the White House. The bedrock problem is the awesome power of
Congress. We Americans have asked, demanded and allowed congressmen to ignore
their oaths of office and ignore the constitutional limitations imposed on
them. The greater the congressional power to give handouts and grant favors and
make special privileges the greater the value of being able to influence
congressional decision-making. There’s no better influence than money.
-RR
____________________________________________________________
The End of the "Made-In-China" Era
The impossible (but real) technology that could make you impossibly
rich.
http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3131/541026d9e9dcc26d969c5st01vuc
Other related posts:
