"Corruption Comes at a Cost"
From Jesse at DCCC:
Corruption Has a CostFebruary 24, 2006No, I am not a Democrat. ;)
• Corruption Comes at a Cost• The Pombo Whirlwind Continues - With Your Help• The Republican Pre-9/11 Mindset• News From the Blog
Corruption Comes at a Cost
A new report released this week from Democrats on the House Rules Committee, led by Rep. Louise Slaughter, hits the nail on the head.
Entitled "America for Sale: The Cost of Republican Corruption," examines the real world implications of the Republican scandals unfolding every day. The report documents the ways in which Republican corruption has infiltrated a multitude of political arenas ranging from healthcare to education to national security.
Republican members of Congress are reaping the benefits that their special-interest friends have to offer while simultaneously putting the American people at a loss. Rather than representing their constituents, they are instead representing the "highest bidder."
Despite billions of dollars that have thus far been spent on Homeland Security, the 9/11 Commission repeatedly questions the utility of these funds. Airport security is deemed insufficient, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction has not been stymied, and the United States government has been given a failing grade for its overall security by the Commission. As the report documents, the Republicans seem to have been cherry picking national defense contractors with one standard - will this contractor support the Republican Party?
The Government Accountability Office has questioned whether the 250 billion dollars for the Iraq war has been put to its best use. Despite this astronomical amount, there is a lack of sufficient, safe supplies. Among other problems, military Humvees do not offer adequate means of transportation, and the drinking water delivered to the soldiers is grossly contaminated
Another pressing issue is America's source of energy. The rising energy costs are putting a great amount of stress on American families across the nation, but energy companies have racked up excessive profits. And we're to believe that the millions of dollars in campaign contributions given to Republicans are a mere coincidence.
There are other salient issues that are affecting Americans on a day-to-day basis. Millions of Americans have essentially been left to fend for themselves after the passage of Medicare Part D. By intertwining private insurance companies with red tape, the federal government has once again chosen its own best interest - political support from large private insurance companies - over the basic needs of its citizens.
Lastly, the circumstance surrounding America's higher education is dismal. It too is entangled with the Republican's special interests. The Republicans are vehemently fighting against direct loans because it eliminates the need for financial institutions that offer a great amount of political support from this organization. Overall, if the Republicans are able to continue their pay-to-play gambit, the constituents' interests will be represented less and less. More and more, only lobbyists and wealthy special interest groups are being represented in what is supposed to be "the People's House." As long as the Republican culture of corruption continues, the remedies to the problems facing American families.
The American Chronicle published the key specific findings of the report...
|