From today’s NY Times
The bill, which has been vigorously opposed by consumer-rights groups, had long been the top legislative priority of credit card companies and some banks, which insist that many debtors abuse the bankruptcy laws to escape debts they should be able to pay. The companies sharply stepped up campaign contributions to members of Congress in recent years as they promoted the legislation.
Among the biggest beneficiaries would be the MBNA Corporation of Delaware, which describes itself as the world’s biggest independent credit card company. Ranked by employee donations, MBNA was the largest corporate contributor to President Bush’s 2000 campaign.
The company has also recently acknowledged that it gave a $447,000 debt-consolidation loan on what critics viewed as highly favorable terms to a crucial House supporter of the bill only four days before he signed on as a lead sponsor of the legislation in 1998. Both MBNA and the lawmaker, Representative James P. Moran Jr., Democrat of Virginia, have denied that there was anything improper about the loan.
I’m too disgusted to comment.
Date: 07/26/2002 00:00:00 AM
Terminus-Joel’s comments make my case; it’s not a matter of the exact balance of sleaze…there is enough now that the Dems will look like hypocrites (if they are brave enough to use it as an issue).
Date: 07/27/2002 00:00:00 AM
The Green Party takes no corporate money period.
Date: 07/26/2002 00:00:00 AM
Yeah, I’m furious about this one. But A.L., you say that this is why the Dems won’t be able to use Bush’s corporate history against him. I don’t get it, what does one thing have to do with the other.This bankruptcy bill is just about the corrupting influence of money in politics. All politicians are for sale, pretty much, regardless of which party you’re talking about. But Bush’s corporate background is totally different. It’s starting to look like Bush was intimately involved in Harken’s sale of Aloha Petroleum to itself at an inflated price (to fob off as earnings, in order to hide actual losses). This is extremely serious, and it’s totally unlike making a bad vote to help a donor. Everyone does that. If these suspicions about Bush are true, he’s not just a corrupt politician, he’s guilty of exactly the kind of corporate fraud that has ravaged the stock market and winded the economy.
Date: 07/26/2002 00:00:00 AM
hey its all right. with the new tough bankruptcy laws, we know moran will have to pay the loan back ;)Democrats are certainly not as pure as driven snow. But to claim that they are anywhere near as corrupt as Republicans requires a wilful ignorance of what’s been going on the past eight years. To give a small example, if Clinton had been as shameless as Bush on the steel tarrifs issue, Gore would have won West Virginia and the Presidency. But there are some things Democrats will simply not do, no matter how much its in their political interest. I have not seen that same level of integrity in all but a few Republicans: McCain, Hagel, Peter King, Mark Sanford, Barry Goldwater, etc.
Date: 07/26/2002 00:00:00 AM
Is anyone out there really surprised by this? I’m not. I’ve always assumed that ALL corporate executives and ALL politicians are weasels.Democrats will of course try to spin this against Republicans, and Republicans will of course try to spin this against Democrats. There will be pompous pontificating and blustering bullshit on both sides. And everyone on both sides will still have their snouts in the trough.
Roublen,
You say: “there are some things Democrats will simply not do, no matter how much its in their political interest. ”
Man, and I thought I had heard it all. Do you really believe this?
Let me refresh your memory of example of Democratic pandering:
– Treating race-baiting extremists like Al Sharpton as good Democrats.
– Accusing J-E-W-S of manipulating an election.
– Backing Bush on the War before an election and then backing out after the election to pander to their base.
– Supporting not only reasonable abortion rights but pandering to the NOW crowd with support for late-term infanticide.
– Massive naturalization drives for immigrants along with flyers telling them the gift of citizenship was courtesy of the Democratic Party – just before elections.
I’m NOT arguing that Republicans are any better. I AM amazed that you think Democrats will “simply not do” some things to get elected.
However, if I haven’t convinced you, perhaps I can interest you in one semen-stained dress and a dictionary with many definitions for the word “is”.
Regarding Jim Moran, one lobby who didn’t pay him enough was the NRA. Today he wants to ban .50 cal sniper rifles claiming that they can take down an airplane from a mile away. Guess they weren’t able to give him some free rifles.
Representative Jim Moran (D-VA), Delegate Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-DC), and DC and Virginia Law Enforcement Officials Warn of Public Safety Threat Posed by Rifles That Can Penetrate Armor Plating and Destroy Aircraft
Washington, DC – Area law enforcement and public officials warned at a 10:30 AM press conference today of the homeland security threat posed by 50 caliber sniper rifles and endorsed federal legislation introduced by Representative Jim Moran (D-VA) to ban these military-bred weapons. Fifty caliber sniper rifles can penetrate armor plating, pierce rail cars carrying toxic chemicals, and destroy aircraft. Currently being used by U.S. troops in Iraq, 50 caliber sniper rifles are accurate from over a mile, yet under federal law are sold in the United States with fewer restrictions than a standard handgun. Bolt-action 50 caliber sniper rifles are legal in the District of Columbia. The guns have already been banned in Los Angeles, CA. In March of this year, Contra Costa County, CA, and the New York State Assembly also voted to ban them. A vote is pending in the New York State Senate.