Tag: Lobbyists

The Unscrupulousness Of AIPAC

It is no secret around here that I dearly hate AIPAC and what it has done to our political system….it has turned our elections into good and bad the good being whatever they tell the recipient of their money and in the meantime the country suffers from their sick influence….

After AIPAC failed to defeat El-Sayed in the Michigan Democratic Senate primary—after spending $32 million—it said that it remains committed to defeating El-Sayed and his “radical, anti-Israel” agenda in the general election. Which means it is poised to sink tens of millions of dollars in supporting Republican Mike Rogers. It also said that Haley Stevens, his opponent, had presented “an authentic Democratic agenda.” Meaning that El-Sayed did not? And they think that Mike Rogers, a MAGA Trump supporter, does compared with El-Sayed?

How can AIPAC say that El-Sayed does not present an authentic Democratic agenda when his socialist stance is much more in line with the principles stated in the Declaration of Independence than most centrist Democrats’? And making it sound like AIPAC cares about an authentic Democratic agenda is deceitful, when in the same breath they make clear that they will support Mike Rogers, a Trump lackey, in the general election.

AIPAC’s one-dimensional perspective is clearer now than ever. They will fight for the unequivocal U.S. support of Israel at any cost, even if it means having the Republicans and Trump remain in power and destroy our nation.

They are like the Evangelicals to whom there was nothing more important than the creation of a conservative judiciary that would reverse Roe v Wade and other liberal policies, such as LGBT rights, even at the cost of supporting perhaps the most Godless, misogynistic President that the United States has ever had and his MAGA allies. In both cases, they have made a bargain with the devil that will ultimately cost them their souls.

https://thefulcrum.us/governance-legislation/the-unscrupulousness-of-aipac-political-spending-u-s-policy

These fools will do anything to bolster support for Israel even if it means the destruction of the nation.

One can support Israel that is their prerogative but not at the cost of our country and our way of life.   Period!

This institution should be barred from dealing out influence….well not just them….the whole concept of lobbyists needs to be flushed down the crapper.   Period.

Thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

How Deep Is The Rot?

The ‘rot’ I refer to in this post is that of AIPAC and the Democrats.

Addressing a reported Israeli government-funded online influence campaign aimed at sabotaging the administration’s diplomatic efforts, a furious Vance accused “certain elements within the Israeli government” of actively trying to derail peace negotiations and manipulate American public opinion. He went so far as to target the operators behind the foreign-backed campaign, telling them directly to “go to hell.”

Yet, even as fierce criticism of Israel reaches the very apex of American politics, a profound, schizophrenic rupture divides Washington. While the American public, influential media personalities, and top-tier politicians are openly turning against Israel’s unbridled violence, the traditional power structures continue to toe the line.

This is explicitly evident in Congress, where establishment politicians remain busy acting as defense contractors for Tel Aviv. Lawmakers are quietly pushing forward with Section 219 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2027. Far from distancing the US from the ongoing regional bloodbath, this legislation aims to permanently integrate and synchronize the US and Israeli militaries under a joint “Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative.”

This institutional blind spot is why the entire alliance is beginning to look utterly ridiculous.

https://original.antiwar.com/ramzy-baroud/2026/07/28/is-it-just-about-aipacs-money-or-does-the-us-israel-rot-run-far-deeper/

The rot runs deep….AIPAC money speeds the rot….

But to me the silliest notion is that Israel is a democracy…that statement is laughable…

There are numerous myths espoused by Jewish and non-Jewish supporters of Israel that deny the violent displacement of Palestinians from Israel in 1948 as well as support for the belief that the June 1967 six-day war was preemptive. The worst of the mythologies deal with whether Palestinians left their homeland “voluntarily” in 1967—there was nothing voluntary about it. The myth heard most often, however, is cited by members of Congress—the contention that Israel is a democracy—indeed, the “only democracy in the Middle East.”

Israel was not a true democracy from the outset in 1948, since more than one-fifth of Israel’s citizens were subject to military rule based on Britain’s mandatory emergency regulations. These regulations denied Palestinians basic human and civil rights. Palestinians were subject to the rule of local Israeli military governors who were in a position to destroy their lives and their livelihood. Some of this pressure was alleviated in the late 1950s, only to worsen in the wake of the Six-Day War in 1967.

Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza never received equal treatment from any Israeli government. Israeli settlers in the West Bank who commit crimes are tried in Israeli courts, if they are tried at all, while Palestinians are tried in Israeli military courts. Currently, there are seven million Jews living in Israel and Palestine, and an equal number of Palestinians in the same space. The apartheid governments of Israel make it certain that there will not be equal rights, let alone true democracy, for both Jews and Palestinians.

https://www.counterpunch.org/2026/07/21/the-mythology-of-israeli-democracy/

The sooner the world faces reality the sooner this crap can end.

Oh sorry I digress….let’s return to the ‘rot’….

This rot has been in the GOP’s heart since the beginning….and now the Dems are just as rotten as the GOP, that is for the most part…..the coward that is the leader of the Dems, Jeffries is ass deep in the influence of Israel….

When House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries sent out a recent “dear colleague” letter, its second sentence cited “the position articulated by… pro-peace organizations like J Street.” The congressman and J Street were opposing an amendment to block $3.3 billion in military shipments and other aid to Israel.

Jeffries contended that the measure was “overly broad.” On the same day, using the same phrase “overly broad,” J Street issued a statement declaring that “we support Leader Jeffries’ decision to oppose the amendment.”

Both Jeffries and J Street respectfully noted that many members of Congress had understandable reasons to back the measure. The next day, July 15, a record 103 Democrats voted in favor of blocking weaponry to Israel.

While attempting to prevent a high number of yes votes, Jeffries and J Street had emphasized mutual agreement to validate a position that amounted to support for arming genocide.

After the House vote, J Street said that “we welcome House Democratic leadership taking a stronger stance on using U.S. leverage to pressure the Israeli government to change course.” But there are no credible reasons to believe that J Street or the “House Democratic leadership” are serious about using U.S. leverage to “change course” in ways that would really impede the genocidal state of Israel.

https://www.counterpunch.org/2026/07/28/how-hakeem-jeffries-and-j-street-teamed-up-for-arming-genocide/

This rot is starting to stink.

I will vote for anybody that wants Israel to be held accountable for the genocide they have committed.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Just What DC Needs

There are approximately 15oo lobbyists on K Street and now the DoD is trying to make it easier for more corrupting money to be available….

As it pushes for a record breaking $1.5 trillion defense budget, the Department of Defense wants lawmakers to water down restrictions on the infamous revolving door between the Pentagon and industry, inviting more undue influence from the defense sector.

The DoD’s legislative proposal, submitted to Congress for consideration in the FY 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), tosses out key lobbying restrictions introduced by the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in 2017. It remains unclear whether the proposal will be included in the base text of the Senate version of the NDAA, which has not been released.

The McCain restrictions prevented recently departed officials from lobbying the Defense Department or Armed Forces for two years following retirement. But the new DoD provision would only impose this two year “cooling off” period on former defense officials who want to lobby in the specific military agency or Pentagon office where they used to work.

The DoD claims it needs to do this because the limits now in place “may restrict the Department’s access to the knowledge and expertise of its former personnel” and thus could have an “adverse effect on [the department’s] recruitment and retention.”

As such the bill also eliminates McCain’s two-year cooling off requirement for “behind-the-scenes” activities, which include the “preparation and planning activities, research and other background work” that can support a company’s lobbying activities. The DoD asserts that measures restricting these behind the scenes lobbying efforts are difficult to enforce.

Ben Freeman, the director of the Quincy Institute’s Democratizing Foreign Policy Program, calls the Pentagon’s rationale a “cop-out.”

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/revolving-door-pentagon/

This admin will do anything to make the corruption more intense….

Personally I think the cooling off period should be at least 5 years with 10 being the best idea.

We have enough criminals with buckets of money for Congress and the admin….it is time to close that corrupting appendage of government down for all time.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

The Real Political Power

This is a look at the real political power in American elections…..AIPAC.

A PAC that has buckets of cash to influence our elected officials in favor of everything Israel.

 

https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/defending-aipac

 

This PAC should be broken down for what it is…..foreign money in our system for the influence of corrupt politicians.

I believe that AIPAC is too influential and has its tentacles in all aspects of our government…..this can no longer be acceptable.

Any thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Yet Another Great Idea

From time to time the Congress comes up wityh some excellent ideas….sadly they are just that…ideas….they usual;ly go by the wayside…but at least some try to do what is necessary.

Awhile back I figured that there was about 100+ lobbyist per members of Congress and all have buckets of cash….time for that to change….I would be okay with shutting down “K” Street immediately but that would be a dream not a reality.

There is at least someone trying to put these a/holes away….

Congress members would be permanently banned from becoming lobbyists after they leave office under a new bipartisan bill, first reported by CNBC.

The legislation would not only ban senators and U.S. House members from being registered lobbyists, but would also prevent then from being compensated for trying to influence lawmakers and staff on behalf of companies or groups — closing a loophole that would allow former lawmakers to lobby without being a registered lobbyist.

The effort, from Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla. and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., comes as a growing number of lawmakers are speaking out against profiting from their elected positions. Numerous bipartisan bills have been introduced this Congress to ban things like members owning and trading stocks, or banning themselves from betting on prediction markets.

The new bill, which is unlikely to become law, would hold violators to a penalty of $50,000 per violation or up to five years in jail.

“Trust in our institutions is at an all-time low, and the revolving door between Capitol Hill and K Street is a big part of that,” Scott said in a statement to CNBC. “We need to restore the American people’s trust in their government, and that’s why I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to put government clearly back on the side of the people.”

(cnbc.com)

I can see Warren leading this drive…but Scott from Florida….the MAGA twat for Donny?

Does he realize what this bill would do?  If so why would he bite the hand that feeds the GOP?

I have always thought Scott was a bit off center and this does little to change my mind.

I wish them luck with this bill but I think they are just stabbing wildly in the dark.

Any thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Damn! I Agree Again!

Once again I find myself, not leaving a good taste in my mouth, with MTG on the political dominator, AIPAC.

My agreement with her is becoming disconcerting….

Just look at their power over Congress….and the White House…..Israel is being allowed to totally wipe out Gaza and has turned its thugs on the West Bank.

MTG has made a pronouncement…..

Far-right US Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene declared on Monday that she was “not controlled” by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the powerful pro-Israel lobby group, in a statement posted on X.

The Republican representative made the comment after expressing support for the release of Edan Alexander, a dual US-Israeli citizen and Israeli soldier, who was the latest captive to be freed from Gaza.

“This is wonderful news! Let’s also hope to see an end to that war,” Greene wrote, quoting former President Donald Trump’s announcement of the release during his visit to Saudi Arabia.

“I’m not controlled by big pharma, the military-industrial complex, or AIPAC. And I’m not suicidal nor depressed, and I never have been. I’m actually very happy and extremely healthy and I love my life,” she added.

The remark drew backlash online, with many pointing out that if she hadn’t been influenced by AIPAC, then her support for Israel’s brutal onslaught on Gaza was a matter of personal conviction.

“That’s kinda worse, since it means you’ve voted to fund Israel’s genocide out of conviction,” an X user replied, while others questioned why such a statement was necessary.

AIPAC has increasingly come under fire for targeting elected officials critical of Israel, especially those who opposed military aid or called for a ceasefire during Israel’s war on Gaza. The group launched an ad blitz last month against US senators who voted to block a multibillion-dollar arms package for Israel.

Since October 2023, Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 61,700 Palestinians and left the Gaza Strip in a state of humanitarian collapse. Aid agencies report that emergency supplies of food, fuel, and medicine have been blocked for over two months.

https://www.newarab.com/news/republican-marjorie-taylor-greene-says-not-controlled-aipac

AIPAC is a foreign entity that is buying our political system…..no way to justify their existence.  Period.

AIPAC should be used to illustrate the evil of PACs….this influence has turned the Congress and the presidency into a group of subservient clowns.

I know it will not happen any time soon but the Lobbying industry needs to be shutdown and remove any influence from the decision making process.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Bribery Vs Lobbying

Since it became a major thing I have been telling anyone who would listen of the evils of “K” Street, the lobbyist central.

To me lobbyists, there is about 12000 lobbyists on K Street, that is about 22 lobbyists per every member of Congress and they all have buckets of money to give away for favorable rulings, is nothing more than bribery masked as campaign donations.

But what is what?

Bribery and lobbying are often conjoined in the public mind: Critics of lobbying suggest that it’s bribery in a suit. While both seek a favorable outcome, the two remain distinct practices. Bribery is considered an effort to buy power; paying to guarantee a certain result; lobbying is considered an effort to influence power, often by offering contributions.

One key difference is that bribery is considered illegal, while lobbying is not.

Lobbyists try to shape laws, legislation, and public policy to the benefit of the group or entity that employs them. Their campaigns (which are legal) can sometimes be public ones (or fed to the media to influence the public), but they more typically target politicians, elected officials, legislators, and government agency employees; the movers and shakers on Capitol Hill and in state capitals too.

Lobbyists—the term referring to both individuals and organizations—have existed as long as governments; they traditionally have been considered “information givers,” a valuable source of facts and data, though admittedly in support of their cause or industry. Lobbyists systematically build up support for their causes, over years and decades. Often, they fund a study, survey, or research that might sway a politician’s opinion or their constituency’s opinion.

…

In contrast, a bribe usually occurs on an individual level. And it is anything but public. A bribe giver usually gives an offer of money “under the table” in order to subvert standard processes. This could be paying a tax officer to clear reports with under-reported revenue or sending goods without an invoice.

The bribe may be in the form of a donation or favor in kind. A company’s purchase manager may award an order to a supplier in return for undue favor in the form of money, against his company’s policy of awarding orders based on criteria of quality and price. Public officers are offered bribes to enable evasion of taxes and the corresponding liabilities at an individual or company level.

However it’s done, a bribe—along with its cousin, the kickback—results in an unfair advantage for the bribe giver. Bribes may seem like small amounts compared to lobbying contributions, but therein lies the problem: They often cannot be accounted for.

https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0912/the-differences-between-bribery-and-lobbying.aspx

Sorry but they are the same thing…..only difference is one is a crime and the other has been sanctioned by the Supreme Court…..a bunch of political hacks that are just as easily swayed by cash as the Congress.

So where is the damn difference?

There is none!  Both get what the person offering wants….they have to pay to play….and the politicians get flush with cash and that is why they all want to stay for decades in Congress….the more influence they have the bigger the payouts.

Time for this to change…..all cash should go into an election fund and all politicians share in it equally.

Just my take on this conundrum.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Is It Bribery?

Did you know that there are 535 voting members of our Congress and about 22.5 lobbyists per member…all of which have suitcases full of cash waiting to give to our members?

Now that rings up an interesting thought…at least in my mind….is that cash given to the members of Congress a bribe?

First what constitutes bribery?

Bribery refers to the offering, giving, soliciting, or receiving of any item of value as a means of influencing the actions of an individual holding a public or legal duty. This type of action results in matters that should be handled objectively being handled in a manner best suiting the private interests of the decision maker. Bribery constitutes a crime and both the offeror and the recipient can be criminally charged.

Proof of bribery requires demonstrating a “quid pro quo” relationship in which the recipient directly alters behavior in exchange for the gift. Because the relationship does not occur directly enough, campaign donations from corporations or individuals to political candidates do not constitute bribery.  (Why the Hell not?)

I have made my thoughts on this corruption for years…..

Lobbyists–The New Anti-Christ

Lobbyists: Scourge Of The Hill

Why are these people given a pass on bribery charges?

Lobbyists are professional advocates that work to influence political decisions on behalf of individuals and organizations. This advocacy could lead to the proposal of new legislation, or the amendment of existing laws and regulations. However, a lobbyist is prohibited from paying a politician to secure his or her vote on these matters.

Members of the lobbying industry have the task of representing clients — including corporations, trade groups and nonprofit organizations — and advocating on their behalf in the nation’s capital.

The relationship between lobbyists and lawmakers is complicated. On one hand, lobbyists pursue relationships with lawmakers in order to shape legislation so that it benefits clients who would be affected by new laws or regulations. On the other hand, lobbyists are frequently targeted by lawmakers as sources of campaign money, which the lobbyists feel beholden to give to improve their clients’ prospects of success.

Congresspeople make millions from people influencers….it is straight forward in my book…..

Corporations own this country and the lawmakers….so the people have very little power over the direction of this country….simply because they do not have the cash to get Congress to act on important issues that benefit the people of this country.

So is ‘lobbying’ a corrupt practice and is their ‘donation’ really just bribes hiding behind some obscure rule of thumb?

Cut any way you like to my mind it is simple….it is bribery and should be banned from the halls of Congress.

Any thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

 

Closing Thought–06Jul21

Oops! My bad!

A head honcho lobbyists at Exxon just revealed that he has 11 US Senators in his pocket and they will do as they are told in the law making process……

From an interview with Keith McCoy is a senior ExxonMobil lobbyist on Capitol Hill…

McCoy said he has 11 U.S. senators who are “crucial” in ExxonMobil’s efforts.

“Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Senator Joe Manchin, Senator Kyrsten Sinema, Senator Jon Tester, Senator Maggie Hassan, Senator John Barrasso, Senator John Cornyn, Senator Steve Daines, Senator Chris Coons, Senator Mark Kelly and Senator Marco Rubio,” were all cited.

He went on to explain that the last thing they want is to appear in a public hearing before Congress where the American people can see.

“We don’t want it to be us, to have these conversations, especially in a hearing. It’s getting our associations to step in and have those conversations and answer those tough questions and be for, the lack of a better term, the whipping boy for some of these members of congress,” McCoy confessed.

(rawstory.com)

There you have it…..I have always said that our elected officials care more about the cash they rake in than the country they have pledged to protect.

These gutless slugs are not alone….every major industry has an official in their pockets and controls the flow of issues in the Congress.

Time to shut down this pipeline and force the reps into working for the country and not some corporation.

Turn The Page!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

 

Dear Democrats–Great Idea But Laughable

I have often stated that I think Dems have great ideas they just suck at politics…..and a recent attempt by Progressives if Biden is elected is another of those great ideas I speak of but it is also goddam hilarious.

The Progressive want Biden to pledge to deny lobbyists and other sycophants places in the cabinet….

A group of progressive lawmakers, candidates, and organizations have collectively signed a letter urging Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden to eschew appointing corporate executives and lobbyists to his administration if he is elected, Politico reported Friday. 

According to Politico, signatories to the letter include Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), and New York congressional candidate Jamaal Bowman.

Groups that signed include Public Citizen, Communications Workers of America, Greenpeace USA, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee—which is closely associated with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Our Revolution, founded by supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

“One of the most important lessons of the Trump administration is the need to stop putting corporate officers and lobbyists in charge of our government,” the letter, which was delivered to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Friday morning, states.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/10/16/aoc-and-other-top-progressives-urge-biden-if-elected-deny-k-street-wall-street-execs

Let me reiterate….a great idea….but laughable.

Does anyone really think that Biden will ignore all those big dollar donors after he is elected?  Again damn laughable!

A great idea that is more theatrics than actual policy desires…..

I am all for getting “fat cats” out of the government but it is just a dream that they will ever be eliminated from the reins of power…..after all they do want something for all that cash they spread about like so much fertilizer.

Money is why you will never be in government….that is unless you sell what is left of your soul to the soulless….it is never about the service but rather the money and the influence.

I have let it be known what I think we should do with these sycophants…..https://lobotero.com/2020/09/22/arrest-the-lot-of-them/

Dems please stop cracking wise and focus on an actual Progressive agenda that will benefit the people….all the people.

Be Smart!

Learn Stuff!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”