Simple Suggestion
Much has already been written about the latest, and I emphasize merely the latest, lobbying scandal in the form of Jack Abramoff. Howard Dean and the Democrats say that, despite taking money from Abramoff's lobby associates themselves, it is a Republican scandal. Republicans say "Hey it wasn't just us...". I heard the same arguments from boys who broke a window in my apartment complex when I was a kid. Funny enough, the Republicans are right, and just as culpable. It is both of them. Not all senators and congressmen take lobbying gifts, but the majority do and always have.
As to what could be done about it, I think the inestimable Walter Williams has some of the best suggestions. He breaks down the root cause of why we end up with such scandals in the first place quite well.
Let's start this analysis with a question. Why do corporations, unions and other interest groups fork over millions of dollars to the campaign coffers of politicians? Is it because these groups are extraordinarily civic-minded Americans who have a deep interest in congressmen doing their jobs of upholding and defending the U.S. Constitution? Might it be that these groups and their Washington-based lobby arms, numbering in the thousands, just love participating in the political process? Anyone answering in the affirmative to either question probably also believes that storks deliver babies and there really is an Easter Bunny and Santa Claus.
A much better explanation for the millions going to the campaign coffers of Washington politicians lies in the awesome growth of government control over business, property, employment and other areas of our lives. Having such power, Washington politicians are in the position to grant favors. The greater their power to grant favors, the greater the value of being able to influence Congress, and there's no better influence than money.
...
You ask what can be done? Campaign finance and lobby reform will only change the method of influence-peddling. If Congress did only what's specifically enumerated in our Constitution, influence-peddling would be a non-issue simply because the Constitution contains no authority for Congress to grant favors and special privileges. Nearly two decades ago, during dinner with the late Nobel Laureate Friedrich Hayek, I asked him if he had the power to write one law that would get government out of our lives, what would that law be? Professor Hayek replied he'd write a law that read: Whatever Congress does for one American it must do for all Americans. He elaborated: If Congress makes payments to one American for not raising pigs, every American not raising pigs should also receive payments. Obviously, were there to be such a law, there would be reduced capacity for privilege-granting by Congress and less influence-peddling.
I'd like to add just one suggestion to that analysis. Stop taking bribes! I know that may seem a bit like common sense, but apparently it's being missed somewhere along the line. Especially over the past seventy years, as government power has swelled to immense levels, lobbyists have seen rich opportunities to advance their clients' interests by purchasing influence. Most have rarely done so outright. It has come in the form of campaign contributions, which frankly you'll never stop until you reduce the power of government, and "gifts". These gifts, be it an expensive trip on some 'fact-finding mission' or special expensive items unique to the client's business or home region or what have you, it is and always will be unethical for any legislative member of state or federal government to accept them.
I'm not sure if the federal employees labor under the same intensive ethics rules as I know for a fact many state employees must endure, but frankly the double standard is a bit mind-blowing. As civil servants, state employees in Indiana, for example, cannot take anything from an entity that might even potentially do business with the state. Even so much as a cup of water is too much for many supervisors. The general suggestion and one that is typically followed to the letter is "just say no thank you". State employees do not wish to offer an appearance of impropriety. Why should the legislature, or Congress, be any different? The correct answer is, it shouldn't be.
Anyone who actually buys into the latest mainstream line that this is somehow a party-oriented scandal obviously can't get their head out of the partisan muck. This is politics in America, pure and simple, and until we demand that Congress and our legislatures follow the same rules that the rest of government employees have taken as a given for most of the time, expect both major parties to siphon off as much cash and favors as they possibly can. Campaign finance reform is no good. Lobbying reform is no good. Siphon off some of the power these entities have afforded themselves over us and you'll siphon off the bribes. Now do you get it?
Much has already been written about the latest, and I emphasize merely the latest, lobbying scandal in the form of Jack Abramoff. Howard Dean and the Democrats say that, despite taking money from Abramoff's lobby associates themselves, it is a Republican scandal. Republicans say "Hey it wasn't just us...". I heard the same arguments from boys who broke a window in my apartment complex when I was a kid. Funny enough, the Republicans are right, and just as culpable. It is both of them. Not all senators and congressmen take lobbying gifts, but the majority do and always have.
As to what could be done about it, I think the inestimable Walter Williams has some of the best suggestions. He breaks down the root cause of why we end up with such scandals in the first place quite well.
Let's start this analysis with a question. Why do corporations, unions and other interest groups fork over millions of dollars to the campaign coffers of politicians? Is it because these groups are extraordinarily civic-minded Americans who have a deep interest in congressmen doing their jobs of upholding and defending the U.S. Constitution? Might it be that these groups and their Washington-based lobby arms, numbering in the thousands, just love participating in the political process? Anyone answering in the affirmative to either question probably also believes that storks deliver babies and there really is an Easter Bunny and Santa Claus.
A much better explanation for the millions going to the campaign coffers of Washington politicians lies in the awesome growth of government control over business, property, employment and other areas of our lives. Having such power, Washington politicians are in the position to grant favors. The greater their power to grant favors, the greater the value of being able to influence Congress, and there's no better influence than money.
...
You ask what can be done? Campaign finance and lobby reform will only change the method of influence-peddling. If Congress did only what's specifically enumerated in our Constitution, influence-peddling would be a non-issue simply because the Constitution contains no authority for Congress to grant favors and special privileges. Nearly two decades ago, during dinner with the late Nobel Laureate Friedrich Hayek, I asked him if he had the power to write one law that would get government out of our lives, what would that law be? Professor Hayek replied he'd write a law that read: Whatever Congress does for one American it must do for all Americans. He elaborated: If Congress makes payments to one American for not raising pigs, every American not raising pigs should also receive payments. Obviously, were there to be such a law, there would be reduced capacity for privilege-granting by Congress and less influence-peddling.
I'd like to add just one suggestion to that analysis. Stop taking bribes! I know that may seem a bit like common sense, but apparently it's being missed somewhere along the line. Especially over the past seventy years, as government power has swelled to immense levels, lobbyists have seen rich opportunities to advance their clients' interests by purchasing influence. Most have rarely done so outright. It has come in the form of campaign contributions, which frankly you'll never stop until you reduce the power of government, and "gifts". These gifts, be it an expensive trip on some 'fact-finding mission' or special expensive items unique to the client's business or home region or what have you, it is and always will be unethical for any legislative member of state or federal government to accept them.
I'm not sure if the federal employees labor under the same intensive ethics rules as I know for a fact many state employees must endure, but frankly the double standard is a bit mind-blowing. As civil servants, state employees in Indiana, for example, cannot take anything from an entity that might even potentially do business with the state. Even so much as a cup of water is too much for many supervisors. The general suggestion and one that is typically followed to the letter is "just say no thank you". State employees do not wish to offer an appearance of impropriety. Why should the legislature, or Congress, be any different? The correct answer is, it shouldn't be.
Anyone who actually buys into the latest mainstream line that this is somehow a party-oriented scandal obviously can't get their head out of the partisan muck. This is politics in America, pure and simple, and until we demand that Congress and our legislatures follow the same rules that the rest of government employees have taken as a given for most of the time, expect both major parties to siphon off as much cash and favors as they possibly can. Campaign finance reform is no good. Lobbying reform is no good. Siphon off some of the power these entities have afforded themselves over us and you'll siphon off the bribes. Now do you get it?
posted by Rob Beck | 12:45 AM
1 Comments:
Rob- Democrats are right: Republicans can´t be trusted. Republicans are also right: Democrats can´t be trusted. There are mountains of proof.
That pretty much leaves Libertarians, who do not seek office for the purpose of building their political power, but for the purpose of reducing it as much as possible.
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