The two leaders in the Republican U.S. House Majority Leader race claim that they are reformers; but let's take a look at a small portion of their money in politics life. Rep. John Boehner's Leadership PAC gave $242,822 to 53 Republican House candidates last year alone. Meanwhile, Rep. Roy Blunt's Leadership PAC gave 46 candidates contributions totalling $298,487.
Rep. Boehner's fundraising has helped provide the political cash to win re-election seven times, and has helped more vulnerable congressmen. His supporters say fund-raising and donating to fellow lawmakers is, for better or for worse, the only way to win and keep a congressional seat; for example, his annual "John Boehner Beach Party" fundraiser, in Washington DC, drew crowds in part for the novelty sunglasses and Beach Boys tunes. Naomi Seligman of the congressional watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, is more troubled by Blunt than Boehner. "We have concerns about (Boehner's) close ties to lobbyists," she said. "But the truth is, he's a lot better than Blunt. Anyone's better than Blunt."
Historically, and traditionally, congressional leadership positions in both of the major parties have gone to those who have had prodigious Leadership PACs, not those who have had ethical leadership qualities. We at Vote Out Incumbents for Democracy have had it with the neglect from our politicians-- we want challengers, new and serious candidates of sound ethics to replace corrupt incumbents this election year and following years.
Sources: Daytona (OH) Daily News, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics
d.a.n said at :
12:08 PM, 01 27 2006 | Permalink
It's hard (maybe impossible) to find any politicians any more that are not bought-and-paid-for. Government is FOR SALE. Politicians are concerned only with self gain. The incumbents' irresponsible behavior knows no bounds.
The incumbents seem to be doing everything possible to destroy the future and security of the nation, while trying to buy votes, bribe voters with the voters own tax-dollars, make the voters believe they should continue to support the incumbents, their party, and the clever, partisan-fueled, circular, Hegelian, frenzied pattern of thought and behavior that seduces and distracts the voters from the real, pressing problems that have the real potential to unravel society as we now know it.
d.a.n | January 27, 2006 12:08 PM
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David R. Remer said at :
4:10 PM, 01 27 2006 | Permalink
They are both leaders in corruption because they are both incumbents of long standing, fully emersed in the corrupt system created, developed, and finely honed by the decades of incumbents who know how to profit from public service. Kinda makes those two words 'public service' almost laughable.
David R. Remer | January 27, 2006 4:10 PM
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d.a.n said at :
11:30 AM, 01 31 2006 | Permalink
Incumbents have many unfair advantages, and that is why voters should vote out (or recall) all irresponsible incumbents, always, every election, until government is responsible too !
d.a.n | January 31, 2006 11:30 AM
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