Happy Birthday to me!!!
From The Sunday Times
July 13, 2008
President George W Bush lobbyist in ‘cash for access’ row
by Daniel Foggo
Click here for a brochure on Stephen Payne's company Worldwide Strategic Partners
A lobbyist with close ties to the White House is offering access to key figures in George W Bush’s administration in return for six-figure donations to the private library being set up to commemorate Bush’s presidency.
Stephen Payne, who claims to have raised more than $1m for the president’s Republican party in recent years, said he would arrange meetings with Dick Cheney, the vice-president, Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state, and other senior officials in return for a payment of $250,000 (£126,000) towards the library in Texas.
Payne, who has accompanied Bush and Cheney on several foreign trips, also said he would try to secure a meeting with the president himself.
The revelation confirms long-held suspicions that favours are being offered in return for donations to the libraries which outgoing presidents set up to house their archives and safeguard their political legacies.
Unlike campaign donations, there is no requirement to disclose the donors to the libraries, no limit on the amount that can be pledged and no restrictions on foreigners contributing.
So for one meeting, this 'consultant' gets paid $750,000, about a 1/3 of which he kicks back to the White House to influence their decisions. That's one meeting out of thousands that the White House conducts in order to fulfill their constitutional duties. Just imagine if we only had public servants doing public service, who were paid a decent wage and benefits for their work. Imagine if your actual need and benefit to the public interest determined your access to government leaders instead of your checkbook.
Something to remember when conservatives whine about the 'cost' of feeding starving kids or providing medical care to the sick; a fraction of the billions of dollars that they have to use to keep their crooked games running would wipe hunger, poverty and a good portion of disease from the country. More and more people are waking up to the fact that running businesses and governments honestly and faithfully is cheaper, easier, and doesn't lead to the horrific disasters we find ourselves in today. Of course it also makes it harder for a privileged few people to lie, cheat and steal power and resources from everyone else; I can understand why they and their apologists who don't want to give up their dirty toys, but I don't sympathize with it.
So thank you, Sunday Times for shedding the latest searchlight into the shadowy depths of corruption and greed. Sorry I didn't open this present until the day after. :^)
July 13, 2008
President George W Bush lobbyist in ‘cash for access’ row
by Daniel Foggo
Click here for a brochure on Stephen Payne's company Worldwide Strategic Partners
A lobbyist with close ties to the White House is offering access to key figures in George W Bush’s administration in return for six-figure donations to the private library being set up to commemorate Bush’s presidency.
Stephen Payne, who claims to have raised more than $1m for the president’s Republican party in recent years, said he would arrange meetings with Dick Cheney, the vice-president, Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state, and other senior officials in return for a payment of $250,000 (£126,000) towards the library in Texas.
Payne, who has accompanied Bush and Cheney on several foreign trips, also said he would try to secure a meeting with the president himself.
The revelation confirms long-held suspicions that favours are being offered in return for donations to the libraries which outgoing presidents set up to house their archives and safeguard their political legacies.
Unlike campaign donations, there is no requirement to disclose the donors to the libraries, no limit on the amount that can be pledged and no restrictions on foreigners contributing.
So for one meeting, this 'consultant' gets paid $750,000, about a 1/3 of which he kicks back to the White House to influence their decisions. That's one meeting out of thousands that the White House conducts in order to fulfill their constitutional duties. Just imagine if we only had public servants doing public service, who were paid a decent wage and benefits for their work. Imagine if your actual need and benefit to the public interest determined your access to government leaders instead of your checkbook.
Something to remember when conservatives whine about the 'cost' of feeding starving kids or providing medical care to the sick; a fraction of the billions of dollars that they have to use to keep their crooked games running would wipe hunger, poverty and a good portion of disease from the country. More and more people are waking up to the fact that running businesses and governments honestly and faithfully is cheaper, easier, and doesn't lead to the horrific disasters we find ourselves in today. Of course it also makes it harder for a privileged few people to lie, cheat and steal power and resources from everyone else; I can understand why they and their apologists who don't want to give up their dirty toys, but I don't sympathize with it.
So thank you, Sunday Times for shedding the latest searchlight into the shadowy depths of corruption and greed. Sorry I didn't open this present until the day after. :^)