Special Interest

[spindoctor]

Various other threads deal with the issue of big bad corporations looking down on us from their executive floors, constantly scheming new plans for making our lives more miserable.

In my humble but honest opinion, corporations are not the enemy, nor are they the problem. Corporations are what they are and they do what they do. Any enterprise (from mom 'n pop's Bate & Tackle to Walmart) has but one goal: To make as much profit as possible for their owners and shareholders.

It only becomes a problem when corporations get to have a more than fair influence on governmental policy making.
We make it no secret that lobbyists and special interest groups pimp our Government on a 24/7 basis, offering quid pro quo agreements that serve only the politicians and the interest holders, but do not (necessarily) benefit the American people.
Now in any other country, offering money, goods, or services to politicians is considered bribery. Accepting money goods or services is considered corruption and both are highly illegal and punishable in all but a few respectful nations.

The issues that many here have with corporations would be virtually non-existing if there was proper federal regulation to deal with them.
Moving manufacturing facilities to Mexico would not be an issue if corporations were sufficiently penalized for doing so.
Outsourcing jobs to India would not be an issue if corporations were sufficiently penalized for doing so.
Abusing tax shelters would not be an issue if we would reform our tax laws to stop these activities.
Environmental issues would be non-existing if we had accommodating laws.

Yet not too many here seem to be concerned about ending the corporate grip on Washington.
Certainly none of the Democratic frontrunners make it a big agenda point. And why would they? After all, when it comes to special interest, they eat from the same plate as our Republican friends. It’s Pepsi or Coke, all cola in the end.

If anything needs fixed in this country it is this, but it seems like nothing short of a revolution will affect the status quo. I might be joining my local militia later today.