Corruption Is Bipartisan... And It Must Be Cleaned Up Or The Country Is Doomed

Two of Congress' most corrupt members

A few days ago we looked at a quote by President Franklin Roosevelt:

“The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it comes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism-- ownership of government by an individual, by a group."

And there have been many ways private power has exerted itself to "own" government. Bribery and corruption are built into the American political system. Legislators get to police themselves and they pass legislation that allows for blatant bribery and corruption. One of the most upright men to have served in the Senate in our lifetimes, is Russ Feingold and yesterday he outraged his own Beltway allies when his PAC, Progressives United, pointed out something no one was unaware of inside the Beltway but something they try to keep the voters from ever finding out about. Three mainstays of Beltway corruption-- aside from The Republican Party, Inc.-- are House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), embattled Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Joe Lieberman (CT). One the Republican side of the aisle he pointed to equally criminal Senate Minority Leader Miss McConnell (KY), Rob Portman (OH) and Darrell Issa (CA), the richest member of Congress, who got his start jacking automobiles and can always be counted on to be very larcency-oriented.

Not the way to make friends in high places as he's, presumably, about to embark on a bid to win another term in the Senate. As Newt Gingrich inches closer to being the next right-wing darling to be drummed out of his party's nominating circus, Russ Feingold sent out the following letter to his supporters:

In American government, corruption thrives through secrecy.

People and corporations shouldn't be allowed to make behind-the-scenes contributions to sway elections while at the same time applying for contracts with the federal government. It is a corrupt loophole that too many lawmakers and corporations want to keep open.

That's why members of Progressives United have made thousands of calls to President Obama supporting an executive order to bring political contributions by companies with federal contracts into the light-- and it's gaining steam.

But not surprisingly, corporate interests in Congress want to keep this process in the dark. Sadly, but predictably, it's not just Republicans. Some Democrats are joining Republicans in pressing to keep the cycle of political money and federal contracts hidden.

Incredibly, they're claiming that transparency will somehow lead to more corruption. I spent nearly two decades in the Senate, and I can tell you: that's just baloney.

This culture of corporate influence and corruption is precisely what we as Progressives United want to change. So we've decided to take on those legislators who are unwilling to stand up to corporate power, and we're naming names.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-CT; Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-MO; Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-KY; Sen. Rob Portman, R-OH; Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-MD; and Rep. Darrell Issa, R-CA.

These are some of the legislators claiming that if contractors are forced to disclose their political contributions, contracts will start going to the highest contributor.

Here's why that's baloney: Legislators already know who's greasing their palms.

The contractors know where their contributions are going.

The only party who doesn't know where the money is going is us, the public.

If we make contributions public, we can hold legislators and contractors accountable. We can shine the bright light of transparency on the whole practice of awarding government contracts, so the American people can truly see what is going on.

Let's start by holding the defenders of corruption accountable to their constituents right now.

It's the people's money-- our money-- that the federal government uses to pay these contractors. So you and I have a right to know who these contractors and their lobbyists are trying to elect with our money-- and if they're getting more contracts in exchange.

This is a big opportunity to take action, and we need to seize it.

The front page of Russ' website features recent articles dealing with corruption and ethics abuses in the Supreme Court, state courts, and the SEC. One last related matter: although the vote that would have ended wasteful oil subsidies and Big Oil tax loopholes-- about $4 billion worth-- failed primarily on a party-line vote last night, the 3 Democats who voted with the Republicans take massive bribes from Big Oil:

Mary Landrieu (LA)- $800,844, the most of any Democrat
Mark Begich (AK)- $139,805
Ben Nelson (NE)- $228,485

And just in case any Republicans were thinking of bending to the public will, Big Oil held an energy industry breakfast fundraiser hosted by Indiana corporate shill Dick Lugar just hours before the vote. The watch dog group Public Campaign pointed out that the senators "that blocked a vote on legislation to end taxpayer subsidies to oil companies have received five times more in campaign contributions from oil and gas interests than those who voted to begin debate" and the 52 enators who participated in the filibuster have received $370,664, on average, from Big Oil. I guess this is the kind of thing that gets Russ so angry. It should get all of us angry.