Well, it’s true — nothing comes out in the news media unless the ‘alleged consultant’ suddenly decides to run for president. Remember Mr. Nine-Nine-Nine, who got chased out of politics by the never-ending parade of his past mistresses!
The fact of the matter is that money keeps flowing from corporations from the day a politician declares his candidacy. The difference is the account into which the millions are deposited upon receipt. While campaigning as an active politician, the cash is considered a ‘campaign donation’ and is tax deductible. But once the political career is over—either because of corruption like in my case—or as a result of sexual harassment at the workplace or just plain thievery, then corporate dollars are disguised as ‘consultation fees’ for either past or future favors or both. Being a politician is a gift that keeps on giving until death, and who wouldn’t want to invest in such an outrageous enterprise — a gift that keeps on giving!
Two things that keep the government running smoothly: lobbyists and cash, a lot of it. Elections are not cheap; take for example the amount of money spent by both Barrack Obama and John McCain for the presidential election of 2008 — a whopping amount — over a billion dollars. Where did all that money come from? People like me donated the cash. No one throws their money away; all substantial donations come with strings attached. Some strings are clearly visible, while others are not. Take the case of Political Action Committees, otherwise known as PAC’s that spend millions of dollars to influence elections without actually supporting a particular candidate!
American public might still remember the ambassadorship that cost a hundred thousand dollars! That’s right; the donor was given the ambassadorship to the country he wished to represent. It was President Bush who made the appointment. Was it a small price to pay for a job the donor always wanted? Of course it was. What good is money, if it couldn’t help him go where he wanted to go!
In the good old days, even the Pope in Vatican used to sell penance for the right price. If going to heaven is going to cost you, it’s worth every penny. So is getting rich; unless you’re born rich; otherwise you’ll have to work for it, until you make enough dough to last you and your family a lifetime!
To avoid future trials like the one I just underwent, the only solution is to banish lobbyists altogether from approaching congressmen or executives in government. More like a restraining order — keep a thousand feet away at all times. It is also necessary to prevent congressmen and the like from accepting gifts over a certain sum. Any such gifts meant for the politicians or their family members should be considered state property and must be turned over to the authorities within thirty days of accepting such a gift. Failure to do so must result in an exorbitant fine equal to ten times the cost of the alleged gift or favor!
Lastly, corporations should be banned from participating in elections to influence election outcomes. Politicians must be allowed to accept donations only from individuals according to the limit specified by the rule of law applicable at the time. In the case of presidential candidates running in various State primaries, the current law specifies the maximum of two-thousand five-hundred dollars for the entire primary campaign period. This way, no particular person or group can influence an election outcome. This will give the power back to the people where it belongs, without being hijacked by rich corporations or individuals!
Another question that needs to be addressed is the personal fortunes that rich individuals make use of to win elections. This clearly gives an advantage to a candidate when the family fortune is used to get elected. This issue needs to be debated and congress must decide, if this unfair advantage to rich individuals is constitutional or not. Why should a candidate be at a disadvantage because he was born poor?
If Johnny is born poor, it shouldn’t be used against him while campaigning for an elected office. The constitution does not guarantee ‘equality’, to all people and the phrase "all men are created equal" is in the Declaration of Independence signed by Thomas Jefferson, a document that has no real legal power in a court of law. So when a citizen is born poor, there is no law to protect him and he has no right to sue his rich neighbor for hoarding resources!
The closest thing to the word or concept of ‘equality’ in the constitution is found in the Fourteenth Amendment. Added to the constitution in eighteen sixty-eight, this amendment contains a clause stating that, "no state shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws," irrespective of the person’s financial status, caste or religion. In other words, the closest the constitution comes to guaranteeing or advocating equality is the Fourteenth Amendment's declaration that the states must provide all people equal treatment under the laws in existence at the time.
Even women in the United States had no right to vote until nineteen-twenty, when the last state holding up — Tennessee — ratified the bill giving voting rights to women!
The United States Congress had finally obtained the two-thirds vote in nineteen-nineteen, in favor of the voting rights for women and the amendment was sent to the states for ratification. By July nineteen-twenty, all the states except Tennessee ratified the bill. Finally the deciding vote was cast by a twenty-four-year-old member by the name Harry Burns at the urging of his mother, “To do the right thing!”
ROBERT WAS FINED THREE hundred thousand dollars for ethics violations while in congress — mismanaging campaign contributions — a first for a majority leader in congress. He was indicted for money laundering charges in Texas owing to his redistricting efforts and he might have to serve time for that too. What broke the camel’s back was the six years in jail for corruption and other related charges. There was nothing Robert could do to get out of serving his time!
Politicians are usually saved from serving time by their friends in high places — Governors and Presidents. But when Robert was punished, no president was there to save him, and he had fought back tears as he declared himself a devastated politician. He had appeared crestfallen as the judge handed down a sentence, which was a lot longer than what the prosecutors had actually sought for him, making his case extraordinary. Robert hoped for the then President George W. Bush to pardon him, but it didn’t happen as he had hoped. Robert was locked up for good at the tender age of forty-eight, hoping to be paroled in three years, when he would turn fifty-one and a very wise man indeed!
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This eBook is intended to be a work of pure fiction. Names, Characters, Places and Incidents are just a figment of my overactive imagination. Any resemblance to persons living, dead, or yet to be born, except for the names of politicians are purely coincidental!
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Titles by Joey Matthew
America for the Newbie
Caretaker or Predator
Do More With Less
John, Maya & Eva: A Love Triangle
Kristi & The Captain
Lovers Beware
Mail Order Bride
Me, Nisa & Texas
My Algebra Teacher
Olivia's Revenge
One That Got Away
Sara Says I Do, But...
Three Sisters
Burning Bed
To Diet or Not To Diet
Twist of Fate
The Confitent
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Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading this eBook. I started writing for fun, and if you enjoyed it, it made my day. Hope you’ll find it in your heart to write a review so that others might read it as well! If you find any holes in the story, please let me know and I’ll send you a free eBook from my collection of eBooks published so far. Kindly send your comments to:
[email protected] -The End-
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