McCain, Obama, and the Money Men
August 26, 2008 By: Martin Category: 2008 election, Barack Obama, Congress, Democrats, FCC, George W. Bush, John McCain, Republicans, blogosphere, corporatism, culture, journalism, law of the jungle, media, openness, outsourcing, populism, recommended reading, stupid things I read on the Internets, surveillance, technology
Last night at the Democratic National Convention, corporate sponsor AT&T held a party for “Blue Dog” Democrats that helped support the legislation guaranteeing the telecom immunity for its part in illegal spying on Americans. The idea that the Democratic party would accept sponsorship for its convention from this company after what they did is sick enough, but when a team of bloggers including Glenn Greenwald, Jane Hamsher, Matt Stoller, and John Amato tried to interview guests asking them why they were there and for whom, they got the Five-0 Treatment. Read the article and watch the video.
This is the latest example of the corruption that rests at the heart of our political process-the easy access moneyed interests have to candidates and their ability to make our representatives twist like leaves in the wind when the bucks come out.
Earlier this month Matt Taibbi delivered a scorching article detailing just how deeply corporate powers are lining the pockets of both Obama and McCain, playing both sides to ensure their aims are favored:
By now it should be clear what type of service Wall Street will
demand. The financial disaster dumped on us by eight years of Bush’s
mismanagement has left America with the prospect of short-term
solutions in the form of massive government bailouts, and long-term
solutions in the form of reform and regulation. A big chunk of the $1
billion in cash that will be spent on the presidential race this year
represents Wall Street’s desire to make sure that both candidates can
be counted on to make the short-term bailouts large and passionate, and
the reforms gentle and halfhearted. “They want to make sure there’s
socialism when they need it - bailouts - and capitalism when they need
that,” says Pollin.
--MORE-
Last night at the Democratic National Convention, corporate sponsor AT&T held a party for “Blue Dog” Democrats that helped support the legislation guaranteeing the telecom immunity for its part in illegal spying on Americans. The idea that the Democratic party would accept sponsorship for its convention from this company after what they did is sick enough, but when a team of bloggers including Glenn Greenwald, Jane Hamsher, Matt Stoller, and John Amato tried to interview guests asking them why they were there and for whom, they got the Five-0 Treatment. Read the article and watch the video.
This is the latest example of the corruption that rests at the heart of our political process-the easy access moneyed interests have to candidates and their ability to make our representatives twist like leaves in the wind when the bucks come out.
Earlier this month Matt Taibbi delivered a scorching article detailing just how deeply corporate powers are lining the pockets of both Obama and McCain, playing both sides to ensure their aims are favored:
By now it should be clear what type of service Wall Street will
demand. The financial disaster dumped on us by eight years of Bush’s
mismanagement has left America with the prospect of short-term
solutions in the form of massive government bailouts, and long-term
solutions in the form of reform and regulation. A big chunk of the $1
billion in cash that will be spent on the presidential race this year
represents Wall Street’s desire to make sure that both candidates can
be counted on to make the short-term bailouts large and passionate, and
the reforms gentle and halfhearted. “They want to make sure there’s
socialism when they need it - bailouts - and capitalism when they need
that,” says Pollin.
--MORE-