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Eli commented on the blog post The Other Corruption
Buzz! I usually only get those kinds of glowing testimonials on my home blog…
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Eli commented on the blog post The Other Corruption
Well, there’s always going to be some kind of quid pro quo no matter what. If you vote in favor of the environment, environmentalists are going to contribute to your campaign, and environmental organizations will probably be happy to offer you a job fairly high in their food chain.
But I’m pretty sure that the size of the contributions and salary from an environmental agency (especially a non-greenwashing one) pale in comparison to what they could get from the corporate for-profit sector.
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Eli commented on the blog post The Other Corruption
Yep, I have the same difficulty. Although if there’s any group of American citizens who deserve to have their rights curtailed, it’s corrupt politicians.
Unfortunately, if non-corrupt politicians vote in favor of, say, green energy companies or universities or humanitarian organizations, they wouldn’t be able to work for any of those either. Irony.
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Eli commented on the blog post The Other Corruption
It’s the “new” part that I’m hung up on…
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Eli commented on the blog post The Other Corruption
And I’m using it to say that there is a choice, but a very very easy one.
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Eli commented on the blog post The Other Corruption
BLUETOE!!! What do you mean, “new dictate”?
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Eli commented on the blog post The Other Corruption
Absolutely they face a choice. My point was that it’s a choice between doing the right thing or just cashing in a little sooner than expected, and that it’s *not* a choice between doing the right thing and being unemployed.
So they either:
A) Do the right thing and lose their campaign support and employment prospects.
B) Play ball and get re-elected thanks to the generosity of their sugardaddies, or…
C) Play ball and get voted out, with a nice lucrative soft landing thanks to said sugardaddies.
So the only motivation to do the right thing is either conscience, or a burning desire to stay in office at all costs, while *also* believing that doing the wrong thing will be fatal to their re-election prospects.
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Eli commented on the blog post The Other Corruption
Yeah, I had a few ideas along those lines, and they’re all probably unconstitional, impractical, and/or gameable (“Why, I didn’t accept any money at all from ExxonMobil, they just happened to make a sizable donation to one of my charitable nonprofit organizations.”)
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Eli commented on the blog post The Other Corruption
Organizations, media, pundits in general, unelected government employees…
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Eli commented on the blog post The Other Corruption
I’m in favor of it, but not sure how that would actually work…
KELLY!
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Eli commented on the blog post The Other Corruption
1) I think it varies, but being forced to “settle” for seven figures a year is a pretty nice consolation prize.
2) Agree with that, I think the sweetheart deals they and their families get while they’re in office is the third major leg of the corruption stool.
3) I thought that’s what I said.
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Eli commented on the blog post The Other Corruption
Yep, that’s the fundamental roadblock: How do you get corrupt greedy assholes to dry up their gravy train?
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Eli commented on the blog post The Other Corruption
John Edwards? His bad behavior did not benefit corporations in any way other than ending his political career and essentially removing his Two Americas narrative from the national conversation forever, so he’s toast.
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Eli commented on the blog post The Other Corruption
Hiya, demi!
Obviously you’re not engaging in the right kind of bad behavior.
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Eli commented on the blog post Noooo Americans Elect Whyyyyy
All I’m saying is that if other countries are in worse decline than we are, doesn’t mean we’re not in decline. But our decline isn’t solely economic anyway.
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Eli commented on the blog post Noooo Americans Elect Whyyyyy
It was weird how much of his argument seemed to be that other countries are doing worse. I guess it’s the economics version of “We Suck Less” or something.
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Eli commented on the blog post Noooo Americans Elect Whyyyyy
But… but Young Ezra says we’re doing just fine!
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Eli commented on the blog post Noooo Americans Elect Whyyyyy
It’s not really secret enough to be a conspiracy. Rich people and corporations literally own the media, and only slightly less literally own the government.
The whole system is what Bill Black would call a “criminogenic environment” – it pays to be a corrupt politician, so that’s the kind of politicians we get.
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Eli commented on the blog post Noooo Americans Elect Whyyyyy
As much *unlike* that as possible…
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Eli commented on the blog post Noooo Americans Elect Whyyyyy
Perhaps we need some kind of draft…
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