Comments on: On Congressional Bribery

By: Sean A

Sean A — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:04:48 +0000

America, the great experiment in freedom, is over. Welcome to Brazil.

By: Mesa Econoguy

Mesa Econoguy — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 04:34:00 +0000

I completely apologize for my previous comment:

Nancy Pelosi is far too incompetent to garner any private enterprise notoriety.

By: Mesa Econoguy

Mesa Econoguy — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 04:20:44 +0000

Here’s an even clearer way: gimme free shit, or I’ll put you out of business. I’m thinking of a movie….hmmmm…… [minus the fee-based “protection” aspect]

By: rsm

rsm — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:59:35 +0000

I like the clear way you expressed that, I had similar thoughts after seeing an article on what it took to change one Ohio rep’s vote on the bill. Makes me queasy thinking of how things will look down the line as I keep thinking that these people don’t actually understand what money is, how it is made or the numbers they bandy about. When I read 1.5T health care bill, I blanch. I really don’t think they have any understanding of the scale of what they are talking about.

By: Not Sure

Not Sure — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 02:12:04 +0000

“There needs to be enough dissent in the districts whose delegates support these bills.”

-James H

I admire your optimism, but there was certainly plenty of dissent over bailouts for the banks/automakers/etc. and we all know how that turned out, don’t we?

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:30:19 +0000

Well James I live in one of those districts but my representatives and senators are so in the bag for both health care and cap and trade I might as well write Obama and ask him to veto his own legislation. I may have better chances at getting them to spend our money on trying to stop global warming on Mars first. You know as a test community. At least that way they can’t blame the chinese on ruining their efforts.

By: ColoComment

ColoComment — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:48:14 +0000

In addition to the financial cost of the bribes, there’s the fact that legislation passes, due to the “purchase” of sufficient votes, that would otherwise not be approved on its merits alone. Accordingly, the country gets annually gets a passle of regulation, welfare programs, and pork that is nothing more than a redistribution of wealth from those who produce to those who don’t, which is how congresspeople keep their seats for 30+ years.

That’s why the DeMints and the Coburns, and the Kyls stand out. They really do seem to be in it for a more altruistic purpose.

BTW, does anyone have DeMint’s new book “Saving Freedom” yet?

By: James H

James H — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:18:52 +0000

O has used his great powers to declare that the Earth shall not warm more than 2 degrees C, so let it be written, so let it be done. Congress must do whatever it takes to make sure that happens, money is no object. Now O has declared that everyone must have government health insurance, even those that prefer not to get insurance, so let it be written, so let it be done. Costs and pesky congress must not get in the way. “Nancy, Harry, you must carry this mission forward at all costs in order to secure your place in the promised land.”

Sorry, that’s a bit over-the-top, but it’s how it feels the country is being run. Some pundits predict that if these 2 measures can be defeated, O would then become a lame-duck before his first year in office was up, having used up his political capital. I wrote my congressional reps already, but they already agree on these issues. There needs to be enough dissent in the districts whose delegates support these bills.

By: silvermine

silvermine — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:17:36 +0000

Wow. I never thought of it that way. I mean, I hate the bribes and stuff, but never thought to compute what of our money they were spending to do it per vote. That makes me want to go throw up.