the American Lobbyist - the Real Power Brokers

Lobbyists: the Real Power Brokers .... We are witnessing the corporate destruction of capitalism in favor of a corporate state. The law can't save it because the laws are controlled by politicians many of whom are controlled in turn by these same business interests and campaign cash. For every honest Congressman Henry Waxman and Senator Paul Sarbanes, there are scores of Congressional and White House politicians huddling with business lobbyists to stifle prosecutions, reforms and investigations. *A Corporate State Who runs the world? There’s a reason why more and more protesters are showing up at the gatherings and offices of corporate lobby groups. Made up of the movers and shakers from large transnational corporations, these groups shape policy to serve their own interests in ways which go far beyond legitimate political input. Citizens are now playing catch-up, pointing out that these groups have no legitimacy to write the rules of global governance. *the Naked Lobbyist Tommy the Cork '22 was one of big government's first influence peddlers. His successors are among today's most powerful Washington lobbyists. reference ... *The Power Broker Paid lobbyists are hired by corporations, unions and a variety of other groups to represent their "special interests" on public issues in Washington. Maintaining the present distribution of government benefits (or else increasing them for their own interests) is always a priority with these wheeler-dealers. WASHINGTON, Apr 7 (IPS) - Special interest groups and lobbyists in Washington spent a whopping 13 billion dollars to influence decisions made by the White House, Congress and other U.S. federal agencies over the past eight years, a watchdog group said Thursday. The Washington-based Centre for Public Integrity said in a report that the money spent by lobbyists to entertain lawmakers at posh restaurants and throw fancy parties, among other tactics, had exceeded total financing for political campaigning. Our report reveals that each year since 1998 the amount spent to influence federal lawmakers is double the amount of money spent to elect them ... *Lobbyists Not Voters Hold Power - Credit Card Lobby (ever wonder why in the USA credit cards can charge up to 22% while in Europe & other places only 3%-5%) We Must Control Our Plundering Until After the Election The credit cards companies [and] the banking industry have a very powerful presence in Washington. Can you tell me what kind of influence they have? Congress has been afraid to deal with any kind of bad credit card company practices for years. Three years ago, they held a hearing on credit card practices, but they did nothing. Since then, Congress hasn't done anything about credit card companies' unfair practices because the credit card companies have enormous power and sway with the Congress. reference .... *Credit Card Lobby Has Power Over Entire Congress The Foreign Lobby Foreign nations such as India pick their lobbying firm with an eye to extracting maximum advantage in the areas of foreign aid and trade matters, including intellectual property rights. But whatever it is they want, the lobbying firms in Washington help their clients get it from the US legislature, the executive branch and the bureaucracy - from a trade concession to more aid, or help in dealing with another country. For instance, the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), studded with big-name Jewish politicians, diplomats and lawyers, is one of the pre-eminent foreign-policy lobbying groups. The two main items on AIPAC's current legislative agenda are foreign aid - Israel receives close to $5 billion in US aid annually - and passage of the Iran sanctions bill. Lobbying firms are also expected to deflect criticism against their client country, if and when the US Congress takes note, concerning violations of human rights or infraction of trade regulations and the like. Congressional indignation, after all, may lead to partial or total economic and financial sanctions. reference .... *Foreign Lobby Game Other References .... *the federal government "an arm of the corporations" *Audio Interview:Return of the State (protestors, power-brokers and the new global compromise) Stumble It!

the American Lobbyist - the Real Power Brokers

Lobbyists: the Real Power Brokers .... We are witnessing the corporate destruction of capitalism in favor of a corporate state. The law can't save it because the laws are controlled by politicians many of whom are controlled in turn by these same business interests and campaign cash. For every honest Congressman Henry Waxman and Senator Paul Sarbanes, there are scores of Congressional and White House politicians huddling with business lobbyists to stifle prosecutions, reforms and investigations. *A Corporate State Who runs the world? There’s a reason why more and more protesters are showing up at the gatherings and offices of corporate lobby groups. Made up of the movers and shakers from large transnational corporations, these groups shape policy to serve their own interests in ways which go far beyond legitimate political input. Citizens are now playing catch-up, pointing out that these groups have no legitimacy to write the rules of global governance. *the Naked Lobbyist Tommy the Cork '22 was one of big government's first influence peddlers. His successors are among today's most powerful Washington lobbyists. reference ... *The Power Broker Paid lobbyists are hired by corporations, unions and a variety of other groups to represent their "special interests" on public issues in Washington. Maintaining the present distribution of government benefits (or else increasing them for their own interests) is always a priority with these wheeler-dealers. WASHINGTON, Apr 7 (IPS) - Special interest groups and lobbyists in Washington spent a whopping 13 billion dollars to influence decisions made by the White House, Congress and other U.S. federal agencies over the past eight years, a watchdog group said Thursday. The Washington-based Centre for Public Integrity said in a report that the money spent by lobbyists to entertain lawmakers at posh restaurants and throw fancy parties, among other tactics, had exceeded total financing for political campaigning. Our report reveals that each year since 1998 the amount spent to influence federal lawmakers is double the amount of money spent to elect them ... *Lobbyists Not Voters Hold Power - Credit Card Lobby (ever wonder why in the USA credit cards can charge up to 22% while in Europe & other places only 3%-5%) We Must Control Our Plundering Until After the Election The credit cards companies [and] the banking industry have a very powerful presence in Washington. Can you tell me what kind of influence they have? Congress has been afraid to deal with any kind of bad credit card company practices for years. Three years ago, they held a hearing on credit card practices, but they did nothing. Since then, Congress hasn't done anything about credit card companies' unfair practices because the credit card companies have enormous power and sway with the Congress. reference .... *Credit Card Lobby Has Power Over Entire Congress The Foreign Lobby Foreign nations such as India pick their lobbying firm with an eye to extracting maximum advantage in the areas of foreign aid and trade matters, including intellectual property rights. But whatever it is they want, the lobbying firms in Washington help their clients get it from the US legislature, the executive branch and the bureaucracy - from a trade concession to more aid, or help in dealing with another country. For instance, the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), studded with big-name Jewish politicians, diplomats and lawyers, is one of the pre-eminent foreign-policy lobbying groups. The two main items on AIPAC's current legislative agenda are foreign aid - Israel receives close to $5 billion in US aid annually - and passage of the Iran sanctions bill. Lobbying firms are also expected to deflect criticism against their client country, if and when the US Congress takes note, concerning violations of human rights or infraction of trade regulations and the like. Congressional indignation, after all, may lead to partial or total economic and financial sanctions. reference .... *Foreign Lobby Game Other References .... *the federal government "an arm of the corporations" *Audio Interview:Return of the State (protestors, power-brokers and the new global compromise)