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This Is How Little It Cost Goldman To Bribe America's Senators To Fast Track Obama's TPP Bill
It took just a few days after the stunning defeat of Obama's attempt to fast-track the Trans Pacific Partnership bill in the Senate at the hands of his own Democratic party, before everything returned back to normal and the TPP fast-track was promptly passed. Why? The simple answer: money. Or rather, even more money.
Because while the actual contents of the TPP may be highly confidential, and their public dissemination may lead to prison time for the "perpetrator" of such illegal transparency, we now know just how much it cost corporations to bribe the Senate to do the bidding of the "people." In the Supreme Court sense, of course, in which corporations are "people."
According to an analysis by the Guardian, fast-tracking the TPP, meaning its passage through Congress without having its contents available for debate or amendments, was only possible after lots of corporate money exchanged hands with senators. The US Senate passed Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) – the fast-tracking bill – by a 65-33 margin on 14 May. Last Thursday, the Senate voted 62-38 to bring the debate on TPA to a close.
Those impressive majorities follow months of behind-the-scenes wheeling and dealing by the world’s most well-heeled multinational corporations with just a handful of holdouts.
Using data from the Federal Election Commission, the chart below (based on data from the following spreadsheet) shows all donations that corporate members of the US Business Coalition for TPP made to US Senate campaigns between January and March 2015, when fast-tracking the TPP was being debated in the Senate.
The result: it took a paltry $1.15 million in bribes to get everyone in the Senate on the same page. And the biggest shocker: with a total of $195,550 in "donations", or more than double the second largest donor UPS, was none other than Goldman Sachs.
The summary findings:
- Out of the total $1,148,971 given, an average of $17,676.48 was donated to each of the 65 “yea” votes.
- The average Republican member received $19,673.28 from corporate TPP supporters.
- The average Democrat received $9,689.23 from those same donors.
The amounts given rise dramatically when looking at how much each senator running for re-election received.
Two days before the fast-track vote, Obama was a few votes shy of having the filibuster-proof majority he needed. Ron Wyden and seven other Senate Democrats announced they were on the fence on 12 May, distinguishing themselves from the Senate’s 54 Republicans and handful of Democrats as the votes to sway.
- In just 24 hours, Wyden and five of those Democratic holdouts – Michael Bennet of Colorado, Dianne Feinstein of California, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Patty Murray of Washington, and Bill Nelson of Florida – caved and voted for fast-track.
- Bennet, Murray, and Wyden – all running for re-election in 2016 – received $105,900 between the three of them. Bennet, who comes from the more purple state of Colorado, got $53,700 in corporate campaign donations between January and March 2015, according to Channing’s research.
- Almost 100% of the Republicans in the US Senate voted for fast-track – the only two non-votes on TPA were a Republican from Louisiana and a Republican from Alaska.
- Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, who is the former US trade representative, has been one of the loudest proponents of the TPP. (In a comment to the Guardian Portman’s office said: “Senator Portman is not a vocal proponent of TPP - he has said it’s still being negotiated and if and when an agreement is reached he will review it carefully.”) He received $119,700 from 14 different corporations between January and March, most of which comes from donations from Goldman Sachs ($70,600), Pfizer ($15,700), and Procter & Gamble ($12,900). Portman is expected to run against former Ohio governor Ted Strickland in 2016 in one of the most politically competitive states in the country.
- Seven Republicans who voted “yea” to fast-track and are also running for re-election next year cleaned up between January and March. Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia received $102,500 in corporate contributions. Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, best known for proposing a Monsanto-written bill in 2013 that became known as the Monsanto Protection Act, received $77,900 – $13,500 of which came from Monsanto.
- Arizona senator and former presidential candidate John McCain received $51,700 in the first quarter of 2015. Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina received $60,000 in corporate donations. Eighty-one-year-old senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who is running for his seventh Senate term, received $35,000. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, who will be running for his first full six-year term in 2016, received $67,500 from pro-TPP corporations.
“It’s a rare thing for members of Congress to go against the money these days,” said Mansur Gidfar, spokesman for the anti-corruption group Represent.Us. “They know exactly which special interests they need to keep happy if they want to fund their reelection campaigns or secure a future job as a lobbyist.
“How can we expect politicians who routinely receive campaign money, lucrative job offers, and lavish gifts from special interests to make impartial decisions that directly affect those same special interests?” Gidfar said. “As long as this kind of transparently corrupt behavior remains legal, we won’t have a government that truly represents the people.”
In other news, following last week's DOJ crackdown on now openly criminal FX market manipulation and rigging by the big banks, in which precisely zero bankers have been arrested, we are happy to announce that "transparently corrupt behavior" in the Senate, and everywhere else, will remain not only legal, but very well funded.
But what is truly scariest, is just how little it costs corporations to bribe America's "elected" politicians, and make them serve the best interests of a few billionaire shareholders over the grave of what once used to be America's middle class.
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Hush your mouth mummy's boy. And you're clearly lying re your nuts coz you live in shitty Amerihole and I don't.
And the down voters. Prob over 40 and still live with their mums.
Fuck off, fart breath. Take your attitude and shove it up your sorry ass.
Stupid pussy.
<= I'd wield the ice pick
<= I'm carrying on
You're all big mouth pussys. Down vote that.
And to think your poor mother suffered for hours pushing your sorry ass out into this world ... Fuvk you arm chair commando.
Well in my opinion when the government passes things like this that allow corporations to fine said government if it impedes their activities/profits in secret corporate courts(as I heard in the UK press) surely that must be TREASON to the state of one form or another...
I wonder if countries treason laws are being watered down in the dead of night in preparation to get away with this.
Screw Alle Menschen...
TPP is the final nail in the coffin of democratic representation.
Pay to play is being centralized. Everything of consequence is going to be legally decided behind closed doors by elites masquarading in name of commerce. Price fixing, collusion, erecting barriers to competition and eliminating small businesses will be codified.
American taxpayer sold out once again by our crooked politicians. Big money rules this country.
American Express President Dies Suddenly On Flight From Japan To New York
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/05/29/american-express-president-dies/
This country is now so broken, it is beyond repair without a grand reset. I'm old enough now to just say Fuck it and try to enjoy life as it is and save assets for my children and grandchildren to defend themselves.
So it looks like we CAN pass term limits. It'll just cost a few bucks. I'm in. GoFundMe?
These people are parasites that need to be sprayed.
A massive trade pact the american people are not allowed to read until it's passed, and who knows, maybe not even then. Now that's what we elect senators for, to do God's work like that. "We the corporations" That's all thats left now.
Put a fork in it.
That stall thing. Or we can all start our new gigs building the chains for our children to where.
here's my plan: campaign donation can only be made by individual citizens. no more corps, unions pacs, superpacs, non profits, millio aires/billionaires
each citizen regardless of wealth would be limited to say, $1000-that would help equalize the influence of the rich and the average joe.
they say the upcoming campaign will have to raiseBILLION$-how obscene is that? whoever has the most $ wins (instead of most votes?)
Ya still dont get it. Just how totally corrupt the system is.
Accountability first. Thats the only move that gets us anywhere.
We may not know we are slaves? Our kids sure as shit will. Thanks for playing.
"But what is truly scariest, is just how little it costs corporations to bribe America's "elected" politicians, and make them serve the best interests of a few billionaire shareholders over the grave of what once used to be America's middle class."
What does it cost the tax payers to buy their votes?
700 billion for medicare part D, alone.
I think a cheap hooker and a bump of blow would win over congress. Goldman overpaid here
So, we're past the 'One Dolar is 1 vote'-scheme finally. So, the new Goldman-slogan should be: Ruling the world at high expense.
Congress is for sale to the highest bidder! Guess who that is?
Xerox was listed twice.
Xerox is still in business?
Transnational Plutocratic Plunder
- Proudly Sponsored by Goldman "Squid Pro Quo" Sachs
Remember No Such Agency (NSA)? What if TPP actually created another powerful Agency which we won't know about for 40 years.
In UK Part of the Government is the Shadow Cabinet.
In Banking we have Shadow Banking. FED has never been audited and doesn't answer questions or any kind of FOIA Request.
In US Government we have Black Agencies and Black Programs. We have Black Ops, but most of what the US Federal Government does is shrouded in a veil of secrecy even contracting.
TPP will have Arbitration conducted by Self-Regulatory Organization, but what will the secret budget be, how many facilities will be built, how much Staff will be in the US TPP Organization? If the State Department and the US UN Delegation, and the US WTO Delegation handle these Treaties now, how much staff is involved today before the TPP is passed.
- Federal Government spends about $3.5 Trillion a year, $1.5 without Social Security and HHS.
- Where the hell does the money go. $1 Billion is a lot, but $1.5 Trillion?
None of these numbers makes sense being so large.
Total--Department of Homeland Security Outlays 2014 = $53.81 Billion
Total—Department of Veterans Affairs Outlays 2014 = $154.05 Billion
Total—Department of Transportation Outlays 2014 = $76.85 Billion
Total—Department of Agriculture Outlays 2014 = $159.61 Billion
IRS, Payment where earned income credit exceeds liability for tax Outlays 2014 = $60.09 Billion
Total—Department of Housing and Urban Development Outlays 2014 = $42.04 Billion
Total-Tennessee Valley Authority Outlays 2014 = $46.6 Billion
-
Total-Federal Government Actual Budget 2014 = $3.5 Trillion (B. Obama)
Total-Federal Government Actual Budget 1997 = $1.6 Trillion (B. Clinton)
-
Total--Department of Commerce Outlays 2014 = $8.1 Billion
Total--Department of State Outlays 2014 = $27.5 Billion
Total--Small Business Admin Outlays 2014 = $1.3 Billion
Total--Export-Import Bank of the US = $1.4 Billion
Total--Legislative Branch Outlays 2014 = $4.2 Billion
Total--Judicial Branch Outlays 2014 = $7 Billion
Total--Department of Justice Outlays 2014 = $30 Billion
Total—-International Assistance Program Outlays 2014 = $49.37 Billion
So figure TPP, UN Trade, WTO = easily total $40 Billion
But Department of Labor Budget total is only $47 Billion
Training and Employment Services 2014 = $3.1 Billion
Office of Job Corps Outlay 2014 = $1.6 Billion
The Royals in VICHY DC pay $40 Billion on International Trade, but pay only $4.7 Billion on Job Training.
But I don't know about Black Budget additions. Still maybe $40 Billion is close.
Tennessee Valley Authority - $46.6 billion. Hmmm...
Pass it, then read it bitchez should all be hanged at dusk
Sometimes I get the feeling that we'll have to wait for China to stop International Jewry...
Ho Chi Silverman might have a problem with that.
Now you know the real reason for the Great Stagnation. Why bother investing in anything when money spent on lobbying pays off at rates of a thousand to one or more?
Screw these banksters. It's time to start crowdfunding the bribes for the betterment of society.
no wonder they are worried about domestic tttttuuuuuurrrrriiiiiisssssmmmmm. these fuckers need to be shot with a 1 dollar bullet. that is the only lobbying the people need to do. take down one and the rest may begin to listen.
The maximum leverage exists in the funding of politics. It is typical for those who can successfully corrupt governments to obtain back a thousand-fold return on their bribery. Over the longer term, if one includes the other methods of organized crime, beyond the more or less legalized bribery, such as intimidation and assassination, then the returns on investment from successfully corrupting governments become of such astronomical sizes as to go beyond being able to be fully comprehended.
There is now a system of government of the money, for the money, by the money, where the maximum leverage exists in the FUNDING OF POLITICS. Effectively, what has happened is that the public powers of governments have been PRIVATIZED. The ability of the government to back up legalized lies with legalized violence enables the maximum possible forms of legalized robberies, where the most important forms of those are done symbolically through banks.
Goldman Sachs has particularly specialized in corrupting governments, and developing their abilities to put their people through revolving doors between working for privately controlled banks, then working for governments, and back ... The net result has become that governments are the biggest forms of organized crime, controlled by the best organized gangs of criminals.
The TTP is basically LEGALIZED TREASON, which is merely the latest in a long line of similar sorts of legalized treasons, whereby special interests have been able to successfully apply the methods of organized crime to the political processes, in order to get their own crimes legalized, in ways which have become vicious spirals, that are automatically becoming worse, faster ... The tragic trajectory of the history of the funding of politics has gone to the point were the government of the USA is almost totally based upon integrated systems of legalized lies, backed by legalized violence, which have become components of globalized systems of that sort.
The funding of politics has made most successful politicians become puppets, who are voted for by enough of the masses of muppets, who watch the political puppet shows put on by the mass media. While it is possible to analyze those political problems in order to understand their history, and possible to imagine some theoretically possible solutions, in the real world the situation is objectively hopeless. The monetary system has become like a totally metastasized cancer, that is killing the society that it developed within. Goldman Sachs is one of the leading examples of that process of the best organized gangs of criminals being able to control the government, so much, for so long, to the point where there are no practically possible solutions to those problems.
"The TTP is basically LEGALIZED TREASON,..."
Snipped your sentence there.
Progressive = Giving up Wealth, Sovereignty, Control, Self Governance, Democracy/Anarchy/Republic, your legal system, control over your Economy, Capitalization of your Industries and Jobs
Progressive = Not having any Need for Industrialization
Progressive = Rejoining Jolly ol' England
TPP is a death warrent for people in the working classes, the corporations gain so much extra national power by the TPP as to be virtuel dictators over hundreds of millions of people. Democracy, the right to elect a government is made null and void by TPP. TPP has rules whereby corporate courts can override democractic will and democratic governments laws and regulations. The world has never seen such a thing as corporate governance in place of natioal governance. Obama and the US congress, republicans and democrates are both onboard with this corporate declaration of independence and self government. i.e. Corporations move to the head of the line in the legal and regulatory governance of nations and peoples. If you work for a living, this is going to crush you like a fucking bug on a windshield of a car going 100MPH.
If what you say is true then the formation of militias to counter DC will be formed eventually and the government will fall and be replaced or extinguished and the states with either go it alone or form regional nations.
TPP = Self-Regulatory Organization (SRO)
I imagine USA going back to the Viking Days. When young men want to impress the tribe they will go up or down the Rivers in boats and to steal loot and women.
This is one of the debate points before TPP was voted on.
"To mollify Democrats, the bill also included $1.8 billion in retraining funds for American workers who lose their jobs as a result of exports. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., said the program duplicated other federal efforts, but his attempt to strip out the funds was defeated, 53-35."
T2PP? = totalTotalitarian`esque Plutocratc Proliferation
America's tomorrows'`morrow "Trail of tears", via Asiatic Indians quasi-roundabout?!?
Tyme hath no fury in a vacuum of despair?
They're all fucking traitors. The whole bunch.
Berkshire Hathaway isn't even on that list.
- Elon Musk's growing empire is fueled by $4.9 billion in government subsidies
Catalog of Domestic Assistance for research? Tesla, SolarCity and SpaceX
https://www.cfda.gov/ Looks like Department of Energy again. That is a lot of Money.
Holy mole.
"New York state is spending $750 million to build a solar panel factory in Buffalo for SolarCity. The San Mateo, Calif.-based company will lease the plant for $1 a year. It will not pay property taxes for a decade, which would otherwise total an estimated $260 million.
The federal government also provides grants or tax credits to cover 30% of the cost of solar installations. SolarCity reported receiving $497.5 million in direct grants from the Treasury Department.
That figure, however, doesn't capture the full value of the government's support.
Since 2006, SolarCity has installed systems for 217,595 customers, according to a corporate filing. If each paid the current average price for a residential system — about $23,000, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists — the cost to the government would total about $1.5 billion, which would include the Treasury grants paid to SolarCity."
So in democratic new world order, donations to politicians would be banned?
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/lloyd-blankfein-says-he-is-doing-gods-work-2009-11#ixzz3bkrVAKVU
http://www.businessinsider.com/lloyd-blankfein-says-he-is-doing-gods-wor...
The tpp sucks. undoubtedly
EXCEPT
That it shifts US consumer dependence from China to South East Asia.
Which Given totalitarian chinas militaristics dreams ....is a very very good thing.
Bring it on.
And bomb those south china sea land grabs.
America Fu k yeah comin in to save teh mother fu kin day yeah
The Easter Island school of governence and economics revived for the 21st Century.
in other news...
water is still wet!
the sun rose in the east AGAIN!
oligarchs gonna oligarch like oligarchs.