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‘Blue Dogs’ or Corporate Shills?

Wall Street Journal Original article ›

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Blue Dog or corporate shills, who are they, asks Thomas Frank. He reminds readers that Illinois Senator Paul Douglas advised people in 1932 not to expect much from the Democratic party. Douglas said the Democratic party was more like alifeboat for business interests, when the going got tough with the Republicans, business interests simmply used this lifeboat to get away. So he says call these Blue Dogs caucus the Lifeboat caucus, and you get closer to the mark. He points out that the Blue Dogs are some of the leading fundraisers in Congress. See the link to Max Baucus in the Senate, who the NYT describes as a leading fundraiser from Montana.

The perverse effects of lobbying in damaging the public interest.

04/10/2009

Finance industry lobbying, with $300 million alone spent to repeal the Glass Steagall Act which kept banks from getting involved in the securties business, is having the effect of making changes without the due diligence and care necessary for changing legislation that had deep reason embedded in experience during the Great Depression. Citigroup's failure is a result of its involvement in the securities business, and it was a principal backer for the repeal. Similar situation is playing out in the U.S. health-care area which has overtaken the finance industry in money spent for lobbying. Lobbying of this magnitude is having distortional effects on national priorities on necessary regulation, and on creating sustainable economical systems for health care in health care laws.

Grouped Articles

Banks' Lobbyists Help in Drafting Financial Bills

New York Times 05/23/2013

Making Banking Boring

New York Times 04/10/2009

Finance Lobby Cut Spending as Feds Targeted Wall Street

Wall Street Journal 07/02/2009

Costs and Benefits

New York Times 07/20/2009

Sharks Circle in Congress

New York Times 07/20/2009

Doctors' Payments Snag Health Bill

Wall Street Journal 07/20/2009

Blue Dog caucus.

08/05/2009

Thomas Frank sees Blue Dogs as a kind of lifeboat for business interests that have not learnt much from the economic crisis and how it is changing the nation.

Grouped Articles

‘Blue Dogs’ or Corporate Shills?

Wall Street Journal 08/05/2009


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