"New House Speaker John Boehner doesn’t have as many millions as his predecessor, Nancy Pelosi, but like many new committee chairmen and other leaders, he has holdings in companies that have major financial stakes in the actions of Congress.
And they kickback campaign contributions! Sweet!
For Boehner, that includes a portfolio of stocks in oil companies, financial firms, communication companies and pharmaceuticals. Holdings among other lawmakers include farmland, real estate, and investments in high tech companies.
None of this is violates congressional ethics rules. The rules state that members can’t use their official positions for personal gain and limits to $26,100 what they can earn as a director of a business or for actual work performed outside Congress. They, however, do not limit personal investments, a source of considerable wealth for many lawmakers.
All of a sudden all the tax and war policies make sense.
--morer--"
And let's not leave the exe¢utive out of the mix:
"Obama’s big fund-raisers get many jobs, contracts
WASHINGTON — Nearly 200 of President Obama’s top fund-raisers have won political appointments to government posts, obtained federal contracts for their business interests, or been invited to exclusive White House events, an independent watchdog group said yesterday....
They called it "stimulus."
The practice of rewarding campaign contributors is hardly unusual. Political appointments typically go to supporters of a president because they are chosen to help him further his agenda.
And whose agenda is he furthering?
Obama, however, ran a campaign that promised to keep special interests out of his administration....
I don't think any of us believe that even back then. Just something you say on the campaign trail so you don't have to talk about wars or economy.
--more--"
