K Street bets on Harry Reid

Democracy and Power 114:  The Power Players 

Who actually controls the force of government? The politicians and interest groups control the American political process. As stated, the politician seeks power. Special interest groups – big business, small business, unions, education, seniors, and a multitude of others – seek favors: tax breaks, subsidies, exclusive legislation, etc.  Interest groups give enormous money to political campaigns, and receive gigantic benefits in return.

 

K Street bets on Harry Reid

Politico reports:  K Street has placed a big bet in the Nevada Senate race, putting a bundle of cash behind Harry Reid. 

How much have the lobbyists donated?

Federal Election Commission records show that Reid is blowing away Angle (his Republican challenger) in lobbyist money: Since the start of 2009, lobbyists and political action committees have bundled an additional $519,000 to Reid, while Angle has yet to report any similar donations.

Through the first quarter of 2010, Reid has raised nearly $640,000 from the lobbying industry, …

Who supplies the money? 

The money has come from lobbying firms representing virtually all sectors of the economy — ranging from telecommunications firms to chemical makers to major retailers such as the Home Depot.

During the most recent reporting period, Angle received only one corporate PAC contribution — $1,000 from the Bank of Cushing PAC, a committee representing an Oklahoma bank that has given to other GOP candidates. But Reid’s PAC contributions totaled more than $216,000 during that time period, including donations from interests ranging from the alcohol industry to Yahoo Inc.

Why, is obvious.  It is the villainous history of government power.  Benjamin Franklin knew the evils of the coercive power of government.  He sent this letter to America’s Constitutional Convention: 

There will always be a party for giving more to the rulers, that the rulers may be able in return to give more to them.  Hence as all history informs us, there has been in every State & Kingdom, a constant kind of warfare between the governing & governed:  the one striving to obtain more for its support, and the other to pay less.  And this has alone occasioned great convulsions, actual civil wars, ending either in dethroning of the Princes, or enslaving of the people. Generally indeed the ruling power carries its point, the revenues of princes constantly increasing, and we see that they are never satisfied, but always in want of more.

 The Democracy and Power Lesson:  

Democracy and Power 110:  Majority Leader of the Senate and the Speaker of the House have Enormous Power

 Why are the Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader of the Senate so important?  First, they appoint the committees.  Making sure they have majorities in all of the committees, they appoint more of their loyal party members.  In essence the majority party controls all legislation.

 Majority Leader Reid is the most important person in the Senate who ultimately decides the political and policy agenda of the Senate. 

 Special interest groups seeking special favors from the government are buying access to Harry Reid.  This is the corrupt state of America .  For sure, the special interest groups anticipate much greater returns than the amount sent to re-elect Reid.

 A great nation can not continue with this form of corruption.