Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

As part of the settlement by which congress agreed to screw us all into perpetuity raise the debt ceiling, the politicians created a Super Congress.  This group is to report back to the congress at large before Thanksgiving with specific cuts to the budget to start reducing the debt.  These recommendations must be accepted or rejected on a single up/down vote, with no additions or removals, no changes at all.  If they can't come up with these cuts, mandatory cuts designed to inflame both hard line Evil and Stupid party members: equal parts cuts to defense and social programs.  It is true, as far as I can tell, that the super congress could add any provision onto the bill they present and have it incorporated by the single up/down vote.   

Let's leave aside the question of constitutionality (it's blatantly, obviously, completely unconstitutional, but that doesn't stop the Ruling Class anymore). 

Let me jump on one of my favorite themes: no one in congress, no one in government, ever thinks more than one move ahead.  They never think of unintended consequences of what they rule.  What do you think would happen when a group is given this much power?  How do you think the K-street lobbyists will respond?

By showering the most powerful group in the congress with money.

A friend of mine sent me this link to Maplight.org showing political contributions to this group as of last week (8/15).

Top 10 Industry Contributors to Super Committee Members (PACs and Employees)
Industry Totals
Lawyers/Law Firms $31,529,149
Securities & Investment         $11,221,416
Democratic/Liberal $9,647,264
Health Professionals $9,321,588
Real Estate $8,793,350
Education $8,568,460
Misc. Business $7,902,021
Business Services $6,563,524
Women's Issues $6,396,728
Insurance $5,693,595
Top 10 Organization Contributors (PACs and Employees) to Super Committee Members
NOTE: The Club for Growth's and EMILY's List's total also includes contributions from its members.
Organizations Totals
Club for Growth* $1,008,884
Microsoft Corp. $810,100
University of California        $629,495
EMILY's List* $594,883
Goldman Sachs $592,684
Citigroup Inc. $561,081
JPMorgan Chase & Co. $494,316
Bank of America $349,566
Skadden, Arps, et al. $347,356
General Electric $340,935
The top table sums to 105.63 Million dollars spread around the 12 members of congress given these plum jobs.  Note these are just the top 10 contributions, not the total.  Based on how gradually the line items are decreasing, I suspect there's at least another $20-30 Million.  Note who's contributing: Lawyers/Law firms would include lobbyists; Securities&Investment would be "Wall Street".  Do you think Club for Growth will agree with Goldman Sachs, and Citigroup?  They contributed more than either, but not both.  Do you think the pro-abortion EMILY's list will agree with General Electric? 

Perhaps they did think more than one step ahead.  Perhaps they created this super congress so that a selected group could get stinkin' rich on lobbyist money.  Do ya think?

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