Comments on: Vis-a-Visclosky: Or How I Learned to Take Campaign Contributions and Turn Them Into Earmarks

By: Evan Ravitz

Evan Ravitz — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:45:34 +0000

The money-go-round will continue until the planet’s gone. If you want to be able to check and balance the best Congress money can buy: http://Vote.org

By: Mel K

Mel K — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:01:49 +0000

Correlation != causation. One of the links mentioned (here) Shows that of 15 PMA entities receiving earmarks, 1/3 made neither individual nor PAC contributions. The databases also do not describe what (if any) competition was involved. Thank you for barking, but please wait until conviction before putting the gas on the pyre. You know how fast that stuff evaporates...

By: Daryl

Daryl — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 01:46:24 +0000

Much returned in Federal and State income taxes? Seriously? A third goes back in taxes, but that’s insignificant. The bigger issue is companies paying money to receive huge contracts. It’s theft, it’s unethical, it’s seriously wrong, and it needs to be seriously punished.

By: Fran Selman

Fran Selman — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:45:57 +0000

The assumption that something good must have come from this is so profoundly disappointing. You can force people’s noses right down into the most flagrant evidence of the corruption in their government, and they will not believe it. They will keep contributing and supporting whomever their party puts before them. It is truly remarkable. And your parties thank you for it.

By: Ruth

Ruth — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:00:40 +0000

@JJinBrooklyn the point is that these companies likely got these earmarked contracts because they donated to his campaign. The money he gave them may be overinflated, could have gone to better use, may end up misused because the company knows nobody’s going to be looking over their shoulders, and generally indicates a lack of healthy competition. This man was elected to look after what’s best for the citizens who elected him, not the businesses who are willing to pay him off.

By: JJinBrooklyn

JJinBrooklyn — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:07:21 +0000

As corrupt as it appears on its face, isn’t this what politicians are supposed to do? He was generating jobs at companies in his district/state, and much of those earmarks were probably returned in Federal and State income taxes.

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:45:51 +0000

What is most astounding here is the return on investment.

Judging by this chart, Planning Systems’ contribution netted them a 160,000.00% return on investment. That pales next to the 213,333.33% ROI that General Dynamics gained.