Public service or quid pro quo? Critics say it’s hard to tell with congressional earmarks, by Dori Meinert
Setting the record straight on earmarks process , by Ray Lahood (Follow links to read the articles)
The real problem with the campaign contributions of corporate Political Action Committees (PACs) to congressmen isn’t just politicians returning favors to a corporation in the form of earmarks, it’s politicians providing for the benefit of corporations to the detriment of Americans.
As one example, in the 18th Congressional District many people work every day in unsafe and dangerous conditions at corporations whose PAC’s and corporate officers have made large contributions of money to Congressman Lahood’s campaign committee. Then when the appropriations committee that Ray Lahood sits on woefully underfunds OSHA, the agency that is supposed to protect workers, the appearance of choosing corporations over workers is there regardless of any intention on Ray Lahood’s part.
Time and time again our elected Congressmen fail the American people on important issues such as the environment, energy, good jobs, health care, and corporate taxation, instead more often serving corporate interests. There’s no doubt that the subsidizing of political campaigns by corporations and their officers must be eliminated.
Congressmen are elected to serve and represent the American people, not self-serving corporations with well financed PACs.
