AIG, Chase, Will Again Buy Congress, This Time With More of Our Money

As the Congressional hearings begin, Congress Begins Mapping Financial Reform,  as to how to reconstruct regulations in the financial services industry, one critical element is ignored.

To date, no one is discussing how to prevent the salvaged corporations, run by greedy, unpatriotic, egotists, from making corporate contributions that end up supporting the election of those Members of Congress who supported the bailout.

Elements of greed were identified:

...a decade-long surge in leverage, risk and mortgage-lending abuses that produced a bonanza for a handful of elite investors...

Self serving gems were offered:

"...never again have the taxpayers pay for Wall Street's mistakes," said Illinois Republican Rep. Judy Biggert

The obvious was repeated:

"There should be a moratorium on it, on bonuses, yes,"

The unregulated pirating must end:

Lawmakers at the hearing called for more disclosure by hedge funds and private equity firms, as well as more openness in markets for credit default swaps.

No one addressed what got us into this mess: the long arm of Wall Street reaching into bloated wallets and spreading the money around the United States Congress.

It allowed them to purchase our Congress with our money in an excessive and vulgar manner and:

• donate directly to campaigns.

• send the money to the United States Chamber of Commerce or All Children Matter who used it to directly influence campaigns.

• send the money to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce who funneled into front groups to indirectly influence campaigns.

• send the money to directly to front groups to directly influence campaigns.

Not one dollar of the bail out, or one dollar belonging to bailed-out companies, can be sent to any organization that attempts to lobby Congress directly or indirectly, or that attempts to influence elections, directly or indirectly.

They can have their free speech, but for now, there is no free speech for bailouts. If they want their free speech, they can reject the bailout.

Last time Wall Street purchased Congress, they used obscene profits. This time they will use our tax dollars.