We Need Term Limits!
Do lawmakers have no shame?
KN-McConnell marks funds for contractor
FIRM UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR BRIBERY
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is pushing $25 million in earmarked federal funds for a British defense contractor that is under criminal investigation by the U.S. Justice Department and suspected by American diplomats of a “longstanding, widespread pattern of bribery allegations.”
McConnell tucked money for three weapons projects for BAE Systems into the defense appropriations bill, which the Senate approved Oct. 3. The Defense Department failed to include the money in its own budget request, which required McConnell to intercede, said BAE spokeswoman Susan Lenover.
BAE is based in Great Britain but has worldwide operations, including a Louisville facility that makes naval guns and employs 322. McConnell has taken at least $53,000 in campaign donations from BAE’s political action committees and employees since his 2002 re-election. United Defense Industries, which BAE purchased two years ago, pledged $500,000 to a political-science foundation the senator created, the McConnell Center at the University of Louisville.
October 28th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
John,
Of course they have no shame, and you would be wise to bet all you have that they will never impose term limits on themselves.
The only way to stop the elites is to deny them the Presidency. It is the only thing that will get their attention. Anything less will only convince them that they are invulnerable, and they will continue to do whatever the hell they please.
We need an independent President, which is why I am a candidate. We need someone who will stand for the American people, and if I get there, you can guarantee on seeing me often telling the American people exactly what the these elite, do nothing, let’s get re-elected, power hungry partisans are up to! No Democrat or Republican could or would do that. Let’s start right at the top, take away the Presidency from the elites, and then let the people really see the truth, then they can decide who they want to send to congress going forward.
It’s the only way folks. We can’t do the same thing again and hope for a different result. That is Einstein’s definition of insanity! Voting for the lesser of two evils is therefore insane, and we will only get evil as a result.
October 28th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
Term limits require a Constitutional Amendment, like we got for President. But, that was easier since we were asking Congress to limit somebody that could veto them.
Asking Congress to “term limit” themselves is impossible and almost as difficult will be getting it done through the people in each state. Too many people “like” their own Congressman even if they don’t like Congress and want to keep the pork coming home.
What we “need” and what we “get,” may be two different things for a long time.
November 3rd, 2007 at 8:30 am
My knee-jerk reaction is that term limits would eliminate this, but they wouldn’t. The $53,000 would still be given to McConnell and he would move it into an account that he could take with him, and the $25 million would still be spent by the taxpayers.
After all, with term limits he is no longer responsible to the voters because he can’t get re-elected.
But public funding of campaigns would cost taxpayers just $10 per taxpayer per year at the federal level. If the taxpayers spent that $53,000 we wouldn’t have to pay the $25 million.
See this and other reforms at http://www.throwtherascalsout.org/OtherReforms.htm and
http://moneyedpoliticians.net