K Street is where the lobbyist live in Washington, Virgina. They represent the interests of big corporations. During the Reagan years, between 1981 and 1985 the number of Lobbyist representing corporations on K Street quadrupled.

For a while the Dems ruled K street. Not because K Street wanted Democratic Principles, but because the Dems had the majority. The Dems needed corporate money to flourish, but their constituency was liberal and labor-based (ie, real people). The balance of power existed. Life was good.

“How does this lobbying work?”, asked Virgina.

Well, first we must look at what these corporations really want. They want legislation to benefit their companies so they hire lobbyists. The lobbyists spend time with members of Congress trying to convince them that their version of legislation is the best (this is sometimes called “spin” and the lobbyists are sometimes called “spin doctors”). A Lobbyist is just a hired gun, available to anyone for a price.

“So, if anyone can hire them, what is the problem?”

Pay attention here, Virginia, because this is story of how greed can come back and bit you in the tail. Remember how laws are passed? According to the constitution all bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House. A member of Congress presents a bill to the House for a vote, then it goes to the Senate, then the President signs it into law. If you want a law that has to do with money, you must first get past Congress (and we know how much corporations love money).

Enter 1994 and the Republican control of both Houses and the 2000 election of George Bush. This marks the birth of the “K Street Project” run by Tom DeLay (R-Tx) and Rick Santorum (R- Penn). DeLay and Santorum had the idea that since the Republicans ruled both houses, they could force K Street firms to hire loyal Republicans in high positions in their Lobbying Firms, thereby making business much, much easier.

“Why would it be easier for the Republicans?”

If the K Street Project leaders (Delay and Santorum) decide not to pass your legislation because you have not been making enough political donations to the Republican Party, your lobbying company becomes ineffective. This is called extortion, Virginia. This represents the greed of the Republican Congressman. Also, more Republican political donation money means more Republicans elected. It’s a vicious circle.

“Who cares if the big corporations give money to the Republicans?”

When government is run by corporations it is called facism. A lot of people know this is a bad thing, so much so they passed laws to regulate it. For example, the laws in Texas, where DeLay is from, say that corporations can contribute big bucks to political parties, but not to specific candidates. This didn’t stop DeLay from trying to create a Republican majority in Texas. His evil mind figured out that since political parties are allowed to contribute big bucks to specific candidates, if the party did the contributing, then the law would not find out it came directly from corporations.

This is money laundering and conspiracy to break Texas laws, Virgina. The K Street corporations gave money to the Republican Party who turned around and gave it to Texas candidates. Since this greedy Congressman has control over the corporations through the lobbyist on K Street, he can make them do it. Assuming money can win elections, then the corporations, controlled by DeLay, can have anyone they want elected.

“I can’t sleep now, mommy. I’m scared”

Me too, sweetie.

Unless you have been living under a rock, you have heard that Texas Republican Congress Majority leader, Tom DeLay, was indicted by a grand jury today on the felony charge of conspiring to violate political fundraising laws.

DeLay’s Texas committee would solicit donations from big corporate donors. Since it is illegal in Texas to take large donations from corporations, DeLay and his buddies gave the money to the Republican Party in Washington where it was legal to accept such donations. The Republican Party in Washington, under TRMPAC, then gave the money back to DeLay’s campaign, hence laundering the money.

A lot of other Republicans received the dirty money as well. JD Hayworth of Arizona, to name one deserving gas bag, received thousands from the illegal PAC..

Even after being caught with his greedy hand in the cookie jar, DeLay insists he has done nothing wrong and accuses the Democratic prosecutor of being a “partisan fanatic”. DeLay whined, “This is one of the weakest, most baseless indictments in American history. It’s a sham.”

After the way the Republicans have hog-tied the Democrats in the government, DeLay must be an idiot to think anyone would believe the Democrats were somehow this strong arm keeping him down. Prison would be good for DeLay. A good two years would give him time to lift weights and convert to Islam.

In a move that no doubt makes George Bush salivate, Reuters reported that Xinhua, the official news agency of China announced that "The state bans the spreading of any news with content that is against national security and public interest." Effective immediately.

The news agency did not detail the rules, but said Internet news sites must "be directed toward serving the people and socialism (substitute “freedom” or “democracy” or “liberty”) and insist on correct guidance of public opinion for maintaining national and public interests."

Established news media needed permission to run a news Web site, it said. New operators had to register themselves with government information offices.

China has a dedicated band of cyber police who patrol the Internet with the aim of regulating content. Postings that criticize the government or address sensitive topics are quickly removed.

Registration was a feature of rules imposed earlier this year aimed at not-for-profit Internet activities, such as personal Web sites and blogs. Access to many foreign news Web sites is routinely blocked.

On CSPAN-2 today, Carafano stated that the Heritage Foundation was “a non-profit, non-partisan foundation.”. Yeah, right. And I’m really George Bush writing this blog.

With that statement you can discount just about everything he says. Before Katrina’s wrath, we have an article he wrote titled “Broken Security Department” on May 30, 2005. He slammed the DHS for being a political and incompetent (Carafano’s own words):

“Chertoff at least has his priorities right. The department, created by the Homeland Security Act of 2002, was the product of political compromise and best guesses. Watching it in action has shown that many of the compromises were bad and the guesses wrong.”

In the next breath he is defending the response of FEMA, a subsidiary of the DHS, to hurricane Katrina. According to the Billings Gazetter on September 5, 2005, Carafano said it is “beyond the ridiculous” to think that FEMA has been weakened since being put under the DHS. He also said on CSPAN-2 today that “news reports should not be used to evaluate the leadership of FEMA during this event”.

I can’t decide which lie is worse: the one about FEMA not being weak or the one about the non-partisanship of the Heritage Foundation. Perhaps Phyllis cracked the whip on him a bit.

In a live benefit concert last night sponsored by NBC, hip-hop star Kanye West said what we all know is true, “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” and said America is set up “to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off as slow as possible.”

It slipped past big brother on the east coast because, according to an NBC spokesperson, the person in charge of censoring was instructed to listen for curse words. I guess they need to hire a political screener as well. The comment was cut from the west coast broadcast.

West appeared alongside comedian Mike Myers for a 90-second segment which began with Myers speaking of the devastation Katrina has caused to southern states of the US. This was when West departed from his script and said: “I hate the way they portray us in the media. If you see a black family, it says they’re looting. See a white family, it says they’re looking for food.” West conceded “the Red Cross is doing everything they can”, but said authorities were deliberately holding up getting aid to the Gulf coast.

It has been a while. Sheehan to New Orleans. And what is the conclusion? GEORGE BUSH IS A BIG, FAT REPUBLICAN WHORE. He does not give a shit about this country. He bled the US dry to fight a meaningless war, and he now has riots in New Orleans and suffering on his hands in his own country the magnitude of a 3rd World state.

He cuts wood on his fake ranch as mothers of dead soldiers camp outside, waiting for an explaination as to why their offspring died. He just wants to “get on with my life”. He played golf the second day of the New Orleans disaster. On the third day he buzzed the town at 10,000 feet in Airforce one with Rove at his side. His solution is for Americans to “give to the Red Cross”. Bullshit. Let those damn rich folks that got the tax breaks pay for this.

When is this man going to pay for raping and pillaging what was once the richest and most prosperous country in the World? He will pay when the American people wake up and see what a fake prophet he really is. After the events of this week, I hope the slumbering giant wakes up and kicks some ass.