It is important to stress that the distinction to Congress between a bribe and a legal donation is a bit of sophistry intended to conceal the routine corruption of our elected representatives. As Bill Moyers has put it, "If [in baseball] a player sliding into home plate reached into his pocket and handed the umpire $1000 before he made the call, what would we call that? A bribe. And if a lawyer handed a judge $1000 before he issued a ruling, what do we call that? A bribe. But when a lobbyist or CEO ... sidles up to a member of Congress at a fund-raiser or in a skybox and hands him a check for $1000, what do we call that? A campaign contribution.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
A bit of sophistry intended to conceal routine corruption
Reading Chalmers Johnson's NEMESIS: The Last Days of the American Republic right now. Found this elucidation explanation of campaign contributions at fund-raisers on page 261:
