The Corruption Updates

CORRUPTION UPDATE 4

Previous Corruption Updates: Page 3

Next Corruption Updates: Page 5

1)THE ARTICLE SAYS:

Checks Roll In as Laws Flow Out

This article appeared in the LATimes on August 31, 2006. By Dan Morain, Staff Writer:

“As legislators vote on hundreds of bills before their session ends, special interests affected by the measures donate thousands of dollars. “

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-money31aug31,1,785390.story?coll=la-headlines-politics

THE COMMITTEE SAYS;

Checks in, Laws out: It's that simple:

A disgusting feeding frenzy of lobbyist and politician greed kills honest government in Sacramento.

A feeding frenzy of political corruption has engulfed our state legislators and special interests as the legislative session ends. This article gives us a glimpse of the vast amount of money and influences being exchanged. Mr. Morain cites “scores of donors writing checks to lawmakers in the final days of the legislative session.” The facts of our corruption are truly reported in this story, but the facts are not enough. Just what do these acts tell us about our politicians, and our democracy? Bad things, that the story explores, but does not fully explain.

How do you characterize a legislature that took in $193,000 dollars last Monday? A legislature that took in “$3.5 million, in contributions of $1,000 or more, directly to candidates for Senate and Assembly seats in the first 29 days of August.” A legislature that held 33 “fund raisers...(in) two days last week” The explanation offered is that, “All this money is corrosive. It is eating away at the credibility of democratic government." What credibility? What democratic government?

Joe Nation, D-San Rafael, seemed perplexed. Mr. Morain quoted him as saying, “It is the way the system works, but there is something wrong with the system.” Hey Joe, IT'S CORRUPT. Joe really does not get it. He goes on to say,"It creates a perception of impropriety." No, this is impropriety.

This article becomes inane when it suggests that contribution caps have caused this corruption. Or maybe it's term limits. We believe Corrupt Elections and Big Money have drawn Corrupt People into politics. Is this incisive reporting? YES! Is this incisive analysis? No! This article reports the facts without calling them for what they are: CORRUPTION. CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. It's clear the problem has only been half-addressed by term limits and campaign contributions. These reforms have made our corrupt politicians desperate, and there's nothing more dangerous than a corrupt, desperate legislature. The solution is to Finish the Job, to eliminate all contributions, gifts, luxury events, and any legal basis to give or receive outside “contributions.”

This article contributes to our knowledge, if not our understanding, of the corruption that is consuming our polity. An excellent guide to the headwaters of the rivers of money that have drowned our polity is included at the end of this article. All you need to know is that our legislators took in “at least $3.5 million” in August.

2)THE ARTICLE SAYS:

California schools not all measuring up

By Laurel Rosenhall -- Bee Staff Writer

Published 1:56 pm PDT Thursday, August 31, 2006 in the Bee.

http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/14313347p-15218751c.html

THE COMMITTEE SAYS;

While the special interests and Politicians play, our educational infrastructure has melted away:

Let's just call our schools what they are: Failed Day Care.

This article informs us that 60% of our schools are below minimum State and Federal standards. The State and Fed standards are low. The word to describe this is FAILURE. But this story avoids confronting us with the hard fact that our schools have been failing for more than 20 years.

While our politicians and special interests, are, right now, August 31, 2006, having a feeding frenzy of greed and corruption, our schools, our roads, water and electrical resources have been completely gutted, and in most cases, except education, made very profitable for the special interests.

Everybody doing business with the state is making huge profits, for a tiny investment, while the real business of the state, the education, health, wealth, and general welfare of the State of California is being sacrificed to the profits of the special interests, and the maintenance of political office by the politicians and their parties. How did these politicians get their jobs, and what are they doing in our government? Ask the special interests. How can we turn them honest, or turn them out? Make Our Initiative law.

More articles on Schools

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3)THE ARTICLE SAYS:

Candidates duplicate in AARP survey

By PHILIP ELLIOTT, Associated Press Writer

Last Updated 2:51 pm PDT Thursday, August 31, 2006

http://www.sacbee.com/24hour/politics/story/3362539p-12375929c.html

THE COMMITTEE SAYS;

I Know What You Need:

Stupidity travels along lines of herd mentality in politics.

In what seems to be an attack of herd mentality, or lack of mentality at all, Republican candidates copied the party's talking point into an AARP survey.

Not being able to think for themselves was instantly taken up by the Democrats against the Republicans, until they realized they had not thought for themselves for a long time. Both parties seemed perplexed by the revelation of their lack of originality, and promised to get back to us as soon as somebody told them what we want to hear.

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4)THE ARTICLE SAYS:

Placentia Official to Pay Fine

By Dan Weikel, LA Times Staff Writer
August 31, 2006

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-norman31aug31,1,2857279.story?coll=la-headlines-politics

THE COMMITTEE SAYS;

Micro-Macro: The same game in your own “small” town. LATimes.

Small town graft mirrors state and national pattern of corruption.

This article cites the fact that “Councilman Norman Z. Eckenrode admitted violating the state Political Reform Act during an enforcement action by the Fair Political Practices Commission, records show.” Wow. To break campaign finance law while serving your contributors is hard to do, under today's laws.

The crime? “Eckenrode admitted accepting a $1,000 donation from Camp, Dresser & McKee Inc., a Carlsbad firm, on Oct. 29, 2003, seven days after voting on two sanitation district contracts for the company. The donation went to the councilman's campaign for an Orange County Water District seat.” How could this be a crime? If I work for you, you pay me. You can pay me first, or, more traditionally, you pay me after I do the job.

The beauty of this is how it was reported. If you collect special interest money within the rules, you can be legally bought. If you collect special interest money outside the rules, you are illegally purchased by the special interests. Does anyone else find something deeply disturbing about buying politicians, on any terms, but especially by powerful interest that should be regulated by, and not regulating our politicians? Write us, write your friends, write your newspapers, and tell them we are going to change the political system. Then do it again. Bribery is never cool, but in politics it is especially reprehensible.

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5)State flood bills get second chance

100-year protection measure fought by developers is stalled.

By Jim Sanders -- Bee Capitol Bureau

Published 12:01 am PDT Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Story appeared on Page A1 of The Bee

http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/ca/story/14312092p-15214725c.html

THE COMMITTEE SAYS;

Perata pretends to revive his honor with revival of flood bill: both attempts fail:

Perata pretends to give the PUBLIC SAFETY FLOOD BILL life, but he's just creating an appearance of honesty.

Ah, this is a classic. In the frenzy of influence buying and selling, within the cynical political reality of wealth and power in Sacramento, the leader of the California Senate has gotten a Conscience. It's a political Conscience, mind you, born out of the embarrassment of the open, legal, payoff received for the use of power and influence. But at least this small act pays respects to the corpse of political honesty, though not its' spirit.

So his “Contributors” need not worry. This is a cover action, designed to recover some public credibility, while not performing credibly. These acts will not threaten the interests of his masters, nor their funding his aspirations for higher office.