1% in Armed Forces. 32% are Lobbyists...

[itzamirakul]

During the recent announcement that McCain's son has joined the Armed Forces, a news reporter noted in passing that only 1% of our legislators have a family member serving in the Armed Forces while 32% of our legislators have a family member or members working as lobbyists.

Nepotism??? Good connections??? Family dynasties??? Cronyism??? Greed???? Cowardice???

All of the above???

Anyone else hear this? Anyone else think its wrong? Or...why the hell shouldn't they stay safe and well-paid at home?

[Sherman A1]

1. No missed that one

but it makes perfect sense. Sort of a Friends and Family plan?

[Donnachaidh]

2. anyone have a link for this?

[fasttense]

3. With few exceptions, I find most bush lovers have no children,

and few relatives, in the military. I came from a politically liberal family of six children where half of us joined the military. We are friends with a family of six children who have pictures of the bushes all over their house. They talk of bush as if he were a saint. Yet not a one of their children is in the military and two are working for lobbyists. Are they cowards? I think they are.

[dmosh42]

4. Agreed

I was in the active military during the Vietnam war period, and I think because we had a draft, it caused us all to be involved with our gov't. If those parents weren't involved, we would still be fighting there. There seemed to be a lot less pressure to avoid Iraq, and the country thought it trusted these two draft-dodging assholes, more than a decorated volunteer, to protect our security.

[Toots]

5. The sad thing about that 32% is some, a lot in fact, are Democrats

When one third of our Congress has family members actively lobbying Congress there is going to be graft and lots of it..

[Donald Ian Rankin]

6. Following in father's (or more rarely mother's) footsteps.

In any area of life, a disproportionately high fraction of the people involved are going to have relatives also involved. Many of my ancestors and relatives are doctors, so is my sister; many are academics, I'm aiming to become one. When children start considering careers, what they can see their family doing is a big influence.

I suspect that nepotism and good connections also play a non-trivial part in many cases, though. Less reprehensibly, perfectly legitimate inside information will play a part - a politician will have a better idea of what the best way to get into political lobbying is, and vice versa, than a doctor or a tree-surgeon or a soldier or a road-mender or a physicist will.

[lonestarnot]

7. fuckwads don't have death war and blood on their agenda, they only

plan it for others.

[Vidar]

8. War is for serfs, not chickenhawks.

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. What a disgrace. SHAME on them SHAME!

[PATRICK]

10. In those proportions it guarantees

that the noblest and most responsible citizens will perish in wars to enrich the majority of crony crooks. it typifies the common sense of very decent legislators and their families who have enough in themselves to suffer what they should never have allowed had THEY been doing their duty more wisely and bravely in the battlefield of Congress.

I see Bush as a pig roast and Kerry laying wreaths at the graves of people who never would have died had he been able to simply protect the minds and votes of the people who elected him. We are well represented at this point if we are lead by fellow travelers- victims. But we are victims because we allowed the worst humans to lord it over everyone with such ease, such delicacy and nobility of respect and acquiescence, such selective refinement of vision and intelligence.

Reid's relation is dead. People not worthy to shine rats' claws will feed and bloat on the institutions that let it happen. What could they have done? What could they have seen or imagined? I would well like to hear a long discussion on that feeble defense and whether leaders should have been there who could have and would have put as much on the line a soldier who died for a "nation" that lives on like one of the undead. Tinkling gongs and clashing cymbals and the key that winds the temporary spring.

[PATRICK]

11. In those proportions it guarantees

that the noblest and most responsible citizens will perish in wars to enrich the majority of crony crooks. it typifies the common sense of very decent legislators and their families who have enough in themselves to suffer what they should never have allowed had THEY been doing their duty more wisely and bravely in the battlefield of Congress.

I see Bush at a pig roast and Kerry laying wreaths at the graves of people who never would have died had he been able to simply protect the minds and votes of the people who elected him. We are well represented at this point if we are lead by fellow travelers- victims. But we are victims because we allowed the worst humans to lord it over everyone with such ease, such delicacy and nobility of respect and acquiescence, such selective refinement of vision and intelligence.

Reid's relation is dead. People not worthy to shine rats' claws will feed and bloat on the institutions that let it happen. What could they have done? What could they have seen or imagined? I would well like to hear a long discussion on that feeble defense and whether leaders should have been there who could have and would have put as much on the line a soldier who died for a "nation" that lives on like one of the undead. Tinkling gongs and clashing cymbals and the key that winds the temporary spring.