Carl Bernstein: US Congress Is Corrupt, Systemically Broken (VIDEO)

During an appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe today journalist and author Carl Bernstein lamented that the debate over and the writing of health care reform legislation has shown us "Congress at its worst."

Bernstein harshly critiques the nation's legislative branch as a body that is "responsive only to money and special interests" while ignoring the public and national interest:

The bad news is the really great problem in this country is the systemic breakdown of one of the three branches of government: the Congress of the United States. And until it's repaired, [Obama] and this country are going to be undermined. We could have had health care legislation in a meaningful way that would have gone twice as far at solving our budget and our health care problems, but because of the irresponsibility and the systemic corruption of the United States Congress, we don't.

WATCH:

Comments

[Cleanerman]

08:28 AM on 12/27/2009

I wouldn't have known that if Carl had not told me. The Congressmen (all) should be sent home packing, without Federal health insurance and pensions. Then, have public financing for elections, start anew. What a dream I am having.

[EmiliaRomagna]

09:09 PM on 12/25/2009

Corruption in politics is like the air we breathe. It's always there. You think the US has it bad? Are we just waking up to that? Look at Europe. It's rife and a way of life there. The electorates are just cynical towards politics and politicians.

This country has been splitting apart idealogically since Watergate. The 1994 Republican take-over made the rent even bigger, and the election of 2000 created a chasm that's almost irreparable.

[3dtrix]

03:15 PM on 12/25/2009

Boil it down, and what the man said was - "public financing for ALL elections". NOTHING else will solve the problem - count on it...

[georip]

05:17 AM on 01/04/2010

That is only the beginning of the corrective changes we need to strengthen our democracy, the breakdown is systemic. HAVA (the Help America Vote Act) was a cruel joke designed to get electronic machines in place and we all know the result of that. We need a unified campaign for full spectrum electoral reform. But on the subject of CFR and public financing there need to also be some basic rules. Certain elements of political campaigns will always be outside of public control. It is very hard to constrain what private money does. But the candidates themselves can be forced to comply with a more rigorous process of vetting by and debate before and with the public. We all have plenty of hope, what we no longer have much of is trust. That is a crippling loss when so pervasive.

[guajiro]

06:28 PM on 12/24/2009

----------------------------Not to name any names out there but first of all............voting isn't a Right, it's a privilege.----------
"The vote" is a human right. It is seen as an American right. In a democracy there is nothing more fundamental than having the right to vote.", "It is amazing to me that many Democrats failed to grasp the most fundamental finding in Bush v. Gore: "The individual citizen has no federal constitutional right to vote for electors for the President of the United States."

Our voting system's foundation is built on the sand of states' rights and local control. We have fifty states, 3,141 counties and 7,800 different local election jurisdictions. All separate and unequal."
.........In short, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Bush versus Gore in 2000, ruled that the right to vote is not a Federal right, it is a State privilege and until an amendment is passed making the right to vote a FEDERAL right then it will remain what it is.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060206/jackson

[brt929]

07:41 PM on 12/24/2009

Interesting article. Thanks for the link.

We do have a the Voting Rights Act, but still states find ways of obstructing that right.

I guess no one has paid attention.

[blueskybigstar]

12:35 AM on 12/25/2009

Sandra Day O'conner admitted that she voted the way she did because she didn't want a Democrat in office. All who voted this way should be impeached, and those who don't voter for impeachment should be voted out of office. An amendment would be helpful.

[Jac Marshall]

06:08 PM on 12/24/2009

Bernstein is 100% correct. Now Mika seems to be stuck on the word CHANGE she seems to think that because Obama said CHANGE in on the campaign trail that he can change some silly,ignorant,lying,thieving congressmen and senators.

No one is going to change anyone who have been hell bent on sabatoging everything this President does from day one. When they go back into session look for another Bluedog/republican to pop up with something else to slow down the process.

Now,I hear a lot of people complaining about they don't see any CHANGE if they don't see any then why in the hell are they crying,is it because the President passed,the Recovery bill,Healthcare,etc.

.If he isn't changing anything why are they crying, about he is moving to fast. They cry because they lie. They are also angry because they now have to work something they haven't done in years. One thing the President does by letting the House and Senate fight it out is show America and the world what kind of fools are running this country...

[runnerin1]

07:04 PM on 12/24/2009

I noticed the same thing. I never watch morning joe for that very reason. It does not matter how convincing the guess, Mika and Joe(when he's there), stick to the republican talking points like fox does. While Mr. Bernstein probably described the situation in congress to a "t", what's her response, "but this isn't change"? May as well be watching fox.

[jonthebru]

05:00 PM on 12/24/2009

I agree with everything he says. The talking heads on the show should be quiet and listen.

[ofcoursejesusisblack]

05:21 PM on 12/24/2009

Their job is to drown out the truth.

[runnerin1]

07:04 PM on 12/24/2009

Then Mika tries very hard to do her job.

[jinxed]

10:26 PM on 12/26/2009

That's why I don't watch nor do I review tapes on the msnbc.com website ... Any show I can find that is fair and balanced will not last a season.

[MyNameIsJames]

04:58 PM on 12/24/2009

The solution- A national political movement to enact a Constitutional amendment that outlaws political contributions to federally elected officials- All funds for campaigns should be drawn from federal budget and given a limited campaign season.

This is the ONLY way to undermine the current system.

[Mattie]

05:10 PM on 12/24/2009

Don't forget term limits, it seems the longer they are there, the more corrupt they get.

[mheister]

03:44 AM on 12/25/2009

Every politician has a term limit. It's called re-election.

[jjkmack]

06:03 PM on 12/24/2009

That's a great idea, the US Supreme Court is in the grips of rightwing corporatists, who want to give more and more power over our lives to large multi-national corporations, and won't change in the next thirty years or so. Only a constitutional amendment would take care of that.

And, as a bonus, it would be easier to flush out Congress people who want to keep the status quo.

[Dardango]

04:45 PM on 12/24/2009

As the former members of Congress who are the force behind Youstreet.org say, "Our government isn't broken. It's FIXED."

What's refreshing about Bernstein's comments isn't that they're groundbreaking, but the fact that it they were given any airtime at all. I've watched for months as people on all sides of the healthcare battle act as though it's taking place in some principled environment. The insurance companies were protected in this thing from the start because of the relationship they have with most members of Congress -- namely as a primary investor. In all this time, there's been little if any discussion of this fact.

All of the pomp and circumstance and time has been just so much show to make it seem that we're getting some geniune discussion of the issue. This game was rigged from the outside and on some level we ALL know that and we know why.

[420]

03:41 PM on 12/24/2009

Sad to say, powerful positions in a country that prays to the dollar, will always have corruption. The GOP has been the worst, this party cares about no one. The health bill does contain some good elements. You want change, put more progressives and Independent in office. If we had 4-5 more Progressive or Independent senators the Healthcare bill would have a public option. The GOP does not stand for change, status Quo is their motto. I feel bad for the part of the country that believes in the GOP principles. Most Dems and Independents really care about this country and not afraid to push things forward. This health care bill can always be improved. And the final bill is still not done, let us see what happens.

[greeneyes51654m]

06:53 PM on 12/24/2009

I'm a Independent and I disagree with you 100%. Don't do my talking or thinking for you me. I voted for Obama and other Democrats this time, it won't happen again. So please don't be speaking for everyone else because you say so.

[ChrisFL]

03:35 PM on 12/24/2009

I have had this idea for a few years rolling around in my head;

1. You may take money from any entity you want up to the legal limit that currently is in place.

2. It must be publicly listed for all to see.

3. When any entity you have accepted money from has a bill before congress that in anyway effects either in the positive or negative fashion you must not vote on it.

4. Watch the money flee, no entity ever gives money to a politician without expecting something in return!!

Similar to what we do to the Judicial branch.

I might have to run for office as an independent with this as my platform to just get it out there for people to think about.

[jjkmack]

03:44 PM on 12/24/2009

Good ideas, but who will enforce them?

Scalia on the Supreme Court has ruled on a number of cases in which he has conflicts of interest but he refused to recuse himself. His penalty: nothing!

[Sean 6399]

04:44 PM on 12/24/2009

So I'll give the money to the politician's wife.

Or I'll bury a box full of gold somewhere, and tell my politician pet where it is for when he retires.

Or I'll promise to hire the politician as a consultant after he leaves office.

Or maybe I'll pass on some juicy insider information, so that the politician can make a bundle in the stock market.

It's impossible to stop money from influencing people. You may as well demand that ice not be cold. Just get over it. All this babble about public financing is pure distraction. You have the power to vote ANYONE out of office, regardless of the amount of money in their campaign coffer. So quit passing the buck, and take responsibility for your role in this disaster.

[georip]

06:04 AM on 01/04/2010

The idea that we can always vote them out is a bit disingenuous given the re-election statistics documenting the benefits of incumbency. The "game field" of campaigning is tilted to benefit incumbents. Just voting the bastards out is not quite as simple as it sounds. Furthermore, and more to the point, We don't have input often enough to affect change. It is time we looked towards more comprehensive opportunities to vote the will of the people. This "representative government" idea isn't really working. http://vote.org

[MrBurlesk]

03:33 PM on 12/24/2009

So...how DO you solve a problem like Ma-ri-aaa???

[ofcoursejesusisblack]

05:22 PM on 12/24/2009

Many a thing we know we like to tell herrrrrr

[peterg76]

03:28 PM on 12/24/2009

He's just figuring this out now?

[Jodo]

03:24 PM on 12/24/2009

I totally agree, but how could this this broken and corrupt system produce a viable and equitable health reform bill worth passing for Americans? It can't happen and it didn't happen. Also Obama only enabled the corruption in Congress by cutting private deals with Pharma and accepting $20 million in donations from the helath care industry during the campaign. It's not just the legislative branch of government that is corrupt but it's the executive branch as well.

[Rugger]

03:21 PM on 12/24/2009

The Congress of the United states of America: The best government money can buy.

[jjkmack]

03:34 PM on 12/24/2009

No offense, but I think that's just a cop-out. There are honest and dishonest people in all walks of life, and since Reagan public service has been poopooed, but there are still many, many public servants in Congress.

The obvious problem is that it takes millions of dollars to be elected and reelected because of the cost of media buys. Large corporations are sitting on large pools of cash, and are currently allowed to contribute to campaigns. After accepting these donations, which unless you're a multimillionare you must, these corporations demand access. Public funding such as in Maine and other states and forbidding corporate money would go a long way toward cleaning this up.

[TxAnna]

02:56 PM on 12/24/2009

The system is tragically broken and we will never be able to fix it until we get the money out of it! Corporations are NOT people and to pretend they are is ludicrous. However, I don't think we're likely to get that ruling overturned by the corporatist justices that currently control our SCOTUS. The only possible way this gets fixed is legislatively -- and, even that is going to be difficult. Start asking candidates running to represent you what they intend to do and vote accordingly.

[Areyoukiddingg]

03:07 PM on 12/24/2009

TxAnna I couldn't agree more. The American People aren't stupid. We know our so-called "elected" representatives are representatives of their financial masters, not we the people. Personally, I think it's time to do away with the representative form of government. We now have the communication ability for people to DIRECTLY involve themselves in government. I say, do away with all the BS in DC.

[guajiro]

06:19 PM on 12/24/2009

The ONLY reason I still support Obama is because the Justice he selected for the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor, has already publicly stated that the "personhood" ruling for corporations may need to be revisited. He still might be able to get another two Justices appointed and if they too agree with Ms.Montemayor's view then we might get our Congress back.
http://reclaimdemocracy.org/book_review/unequal_protection_hartmann.html
" But Justice Sotomayor suggested the majority might have it all wrong — and that instead the court should reconsider the 19th century rulings that first afforded corporations the same rights flesh-and-blood people have. Judges “created corporations as persons, gave birth to corporations as persons,” she said. “There could be an argument made that that was the court’s error to start with…[imbuing] a creature of state law with human characteristics.”

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/sotomayor_overturn_corporate_personhood/

[Cleanerman]

08:32 AM on 12/27/2009

Trouble is, our Congress is not representative. They are controlled by large corporations and special interests. Also, look at the Senate. Two senators from each state, regardless of population of each state. That is not representative government.