The Invisible Culture of Corruption

Note: If you are tired of major issues like this getting no coverage in the face of a media blackout and thus you would like to see my nationally syndicated column in your local paper, see the bottom of this post on what to do to make that happen. - D

For all the headlines about corruption that we saw in the lead-up to the 2006 election, we have to remember that the most pernicious form of corruption is the kind that is difficult to see - the kind that reporters and politicians alike pretend doesn't exist, but which lobbying disclosure records expose. This is the subject of my nationally syndicated newspaper column this week, out today.

As Congress considers passing a new package of NAFTA-like trade deals, K Street is now employing the smoothest strategies of deceit to get Democrats to capitulate. Though Democrats ran in 2006 on an explicit promise to radically reform America's trade policy, and though these deals are opposed by almost every major labor, human rights, anti-poverty, consumer protection and environmental groups, Washington lobbyists may very well get their way - with the help of a media that refuses to point out blatant conflicts of interest.

Specifically, a letter signed by 43 Democratic officeholders in support of the new NAFTAs has been blanketing Washington at the very same time new polls show broad public opposition to NAFTA-style trade policy. The media has dutifully reported on the letter, conservative think tanks have been trumpeting it, and President Bush even lauded it in a big speech last week. And yet, somehow, not a single reporter bothered to mention that most of the people who signed this letter were acting not out of objective, altruistic statesmanship. No, most of the signatories on the letter are paid corporate lobbyists, corporate lawyers or corporate consultants who represent industries with a direct financial stake in seeing these trade deals pass.

I provide some of the sordid details in my column - details of which lobbyists on the letter represent which companies. You should feel free to look even further. For instance, you can cross-reference the letter with House and Senate lobbying records. You can also look at the Center for Responsive Politics' Revolving Door Database.

One of the great things about the netroots and the blogosphere is the commitment to transparency and Open Government. That's what my column is all about - the need for such transparency, and the proof that the powers that be in Washington actually collude to hide the truth in a way that makes the most pernicious lobbying efforts seem totally above board. One of the things the netroots can be most effective in doing is exposing this kind of rampant corruption - because you better believe it is everywhere on every single policy moving through Congress.

Go read the whole column here and let me know what you think. And if you'd like to see my column regularly in your local paper, use this directory to find the contact info for your local editorial page editors. Get get in touch with them and point them to my Creators Syndicate site.

Cross-posted from Working Assets

Comments

[Nonamnesiac]

Excellent post and excellent full article. It really sets the record straight regarding the latest Big Lie being circulated by sycophant progressives (not Sirota) -- Democrats are "spineless" and "cowards" who "cave in" to Bush. They are simply purchased by most of the same corporations as the Repubs and are Bushocrats, mouthing anti-war, pro-civil liberties rhetoric to maintain support from Nader-baiting, sycophant progressives while supporting Bush's policies when it comes to voting on them.

In other words, it's not an accident that Pelosi has not moved impeachment and permits the war budget to move forward exactly the way Bush wants it to. It's no accident that Senate and House Dems help to overwhelmingly pass: (1) the "Attack Iran" Kyl-Lieberman resolution; (2) the 2 "Trample on the Constitution Acts (Protect American Act and the Patriot Act) with Trample on the Constituion Act 3 (FISA Reform with retroactive immunity for telecom companies) on the way; and (3)defense authorization bills by votes of 94-1 and 92-3 respectively giving full funding to Bush's Iraq War without any restrictions, just to name a few.

Because of these sycophant progressives (people like Randi Rhodes, Tom Hartmann, etc.) the frontrunning Dems have no problem giving the finger to the American electorate regarding the war, trade, etc. as the listen to those sycophant progressives whine publicly about their being "cowards" and "spineless" while saying at the same time we must vote for the Dems regardless of who the candidate is, even if the 3 frontrunners all refuse to commit to getting out of Iraq by 2013. 2013????????????

We must reject voting for anyone of any party who will not pull our troops out within 6 months of becoming President. If we don't, we're like the "good Germans" of WWII, who enabled Hitler by ignoring genocide. I do not want the blood of our young and Iraqis on my hands, which progressives would have on their hands if they vote for anyone refusing immediate, safe withdrawal.

The Dems are bought, not coward or spineless.

[INQUIRER]

Incisive analysis and excellent research, David. Once again, you are leading the way. I hope every newspaper in the country picks up your column.

[tlcutter]

Great article. The silence(lack of comments) speaks volumes about the ever present denial found on the left. Keep up the good work!
Corruption rules in both parties.

[Jane22]

Gotta go to work! David Scirota Rocks!

[realitytrumpsbull]

So, abolish K street. They won't stay 5 minutes
longer than Congress allows them to, so write
in and support the abolition of the current
lobbying structure.

[LittleBrother]

The [corporate] "media that refuses to point out blatant conflicts of interest" has blatant conflicts of interest of its own.

It's a "big tent" blind spot, and actual investigative journalism has been marginalized and eliminated altogether in favor of celebrity-infotainwhore-based "see no evil; hear no evil; speak no evil".

[DickTater]

Everyone use your common sense.
Our national corporate, all-dominating media is owned by huge multinational corporations. They are funded by the mass brainwashers...their advertising clients.

These are also huge multinational corporations. As Big Business and Huge Cash run our media, and are heavily invested in brainwashing YOU, they are loathe to actually point to the corporate takeover of america.

So we have seen a media blackout on ALL news touching the MOST FUNDAMENTAL truth of our age. There is NO reporting on corporate malfeasance or where this is all heading. As it turns out, any story that bursts our consumerist bubble is blacked out. So basically, the people who are holding the lens we view the world through...have a major interest in twisting that lens and making sure you see only what THEY want....not what YOU need.

[Oldchef]

What happened to investigative journalism? Have money considerations at major newspapers stifled real journalism? It seems the only people trying to find the real truth are in the blogosphere. Are reporters being prevented from reporting by their editors? What's really up here?

[Opus007]

Lying by ommission is still lying. Almost everything the Main Stream Media "reports" has an agenda with castastraphic results- like favoring good old Bush and taking cheap shots at Gore and beating the war drums for Iraq. There are people that like that agenda in the print media and are probably fans of Fox News, Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter. I get most of my news online- it's more insightful and interactive. The Amercian people have to wake up and start doing some critical thinking.