9/11/99
The data for the table below was taken from the article titled ‘‘Paying to Play: How Masters of Washington’s Big Money Game Won in the 1999 Tax Bill’’. I just happen to think that it has more impact when all the numbers are visible at the same time, and when bribery and payoffs are called what they are instead of using euphemisms like ‘‘Campaign Contributions’’, ‘‘Political Donations’’, or ‘‘Soft Money.’’ The money used to bribe politicians by special interest groups is in no sense a contribution nor is it a donation. Those terms imply that there are no strings attached to the money, when in fact of course there are. I do not know to what level of detail the negotiations for political favors descends, but it is quite clear that favorable legislation is expected in return for the bribes otherwise the ‘‘contributions’’ would cease.
The companies paying the bribes can hardly be blamed for their actions. They make no secret of being in business for profit and are simply doing what is expected of them -- trying to make a profit. In fact, they receive almost a 1000 to 1 ‘‘Return On Investment’’ for the bribe money used to purchase legislative favors from congress. That's a good deal in anyone's book (unless you happen to be a taxpayer). The Congressmen themselves however, are quite another matter. They claim to be ‘‘Public Servants’’, and to have ethics and a duty to uphold the Constitution and to work for the benefit of the American people. Nothing could be further from the truth. Not only are they hypocrites and liars, they are also prostitutes (see 2nd definition above) who are exploiting the people by selling us out for political power and personal gain.
The Founding Fathers anticipated that the men who run the government, and particularly the Federal Government since it has certain powers over the states, are less than perfect. That is why they placed checks and balances into the Constitution. That is why they stated in:
Article II. Section. 4. ‘‘The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.’’
That is why they specifically enumerated the powers of congress, and added Amendments 9 and 10 to the Bill of Rights:
Amendment IX. ‘‘The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.’’
Amendment X. ‘‘The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. ’’
The one thing they apparently didn't count on however, is the apathy of the public that allows our politicians to completely ignore the Constitution. In any case, here are the Congressional Bribery Statistics. The Bribery Amounts are rounded off to the nearest tenth of a Million, and the Taxpayer Costs are rounded off to the nearest ten Million.
| ‘‘Term limits aren't enough. We need jail’’ |
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— P.J.O'Rourke |
| Organization | Bribery Dates | Bribe Amount | Payoff Date | Taxpayer Cost |
| Chemical, Iron & Steel, and Mfg. Ind. | Jan 1991 - June 1997 | $22.2 Million | 1997 - 2008 | $26,000 Million |
| National Foreign Trade Council | Jan 1995 - Dec 1998 | $23.1 Million | 2002 - 2010 | $24,000 Million |
| R&D Credit Coalition | Jan 1991 - June 1997 | $25.6 Million | 2000 - 2005 | $13,100 Million |
| Banking and Insurance Industry | Jan 1995 - Dec 1998 | $49.6 Million | 2000 - 2005 | $5,700 Million |
| Oil Industry | 1989 - 1999 | $22.0 Million | 2008 - 2010 | $1,600 Million |
| Restaurant and Hotel Industry | Jan 1995 - Dec 1998 | $4.3 Million | 2000 - 2010 | $4,000 Million |
| Defense Industry | Jan 1995 - Dec 1998 | $9.4 Million | 2000 - 2008 | $1,100 Million |
| Timber Industry | Jan 1991 - June 1997 | $2.7 Million | 2003 - 2009 | $280 Million |
| Oil, Chemical and Ins. Ind. | Jan 1991 - June 1997 | $24.8 Million | 1995 - 2000 | $10,000 Million |
| Broadcast Industry | Jan 1991 - June 1997 | $4.9 Million | 1996 - 1997 | $73,000 Million |
| Archer Daniels Midland and affiliates | Jan 1991 - June 1997 | $3.0 Million | 1997 - 2000 | $7,000 Million |
| Totals | $192 Million | $165,780 Million |
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Note: In case you're wondering why this page has a pinkish tinge to it, here are some answers:
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