A tough guy just bearing his cross? By Molly Ivins, Creators Syndicate
I never minded DeLay’s being a tough guy — it was his syrupy claims to carry the banner for Christianity that I found offensive, as he frog-marched the House toward being a cash-operated special-interest machine. The idea of putting pressure on lobbyists to give only to Republicans, pressuring lobbying firms into hiring only Republicans and then letting lobbyists sit at the table during committee meetings where legislation was written — it was just screaming overt corruption.
DeLay and Gingrich turned the U.S. House of Representatives, “the people’s House,” into a pay-for-play machine for corporations. Put in enough money, get your special tax exemption, get your earmarked government contract, get your trade legislation and your environmental exemption, get rid of safety regulation. …
“Stand firm,” he added. “Resist evil. Remember that all truth and blessings emanate from our Creator.” He then went with Tan to see a cockfight.
This is why DeLay’s professions of Christianity make me sick. He was there. He could have talked to the workers. Instead, he chose to walk with the powerful and do real harm to the very people whom Jesus mandated we especially care for.
One for you, two for me … By Molly Ivins, Creators Syndicate
AUSTIN – We need to keep up with the daily drip, that endless succession of special favors for special interests performed by Congress, or we’ll never figure out how we got so far behind the eight ball. While the top Bushies lunge about test-driving new wars (great idea — the one we’re having is a bummer, so let’s start another!), Congress just keeps right on cranking out those corporate goodies.
Earlier this month, the House effectively repealed more than 200 state food safety and public health protections. Say, when was the last time you enjoyed a little touch of food poisoning? Coming soon to a stomach near you. What was really impressive about HR 4167, the National Uniformity for Food Act, is that it was passed without a public hearing.
“The House is trampling crucial health safeguards in every state without so much as a single public hearing,” said Erik Olson, attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council. “This just proves the old adage, ‘Money talks.’ The food industry spared no expense to ensure passage.”
Thirty-nine attorneys general, plus health, consumer and environmental groups, are opposing the law. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the food industry has spent more than $81 million on campaign contributions to members of Congress since 2000.
The bill would automatically override any state measure that is stronger than federal law — the opposite of what a sensible law would do. …
Here’s another little gem, one of those “it was after midnight and everyone wanted to go home” deals. A no-cost sweetener to encourage oil and gas companies to drill in the Gulf of Mexico — and who needs more encouragement these days than the oil companies? The poor things are making hardly any money at all.
Just have the federal government waive the royalty rights for drilling in the publicly owned waters. Turns out this waiver will cost the government at least $7 billion over the next five years.
I roared with laughter upon reading that U.S. Rep. Joe Barton of Texas had assured his colleagues that the provision of the energy bill was “so noncontroversial” that senior House and Senate negotiators had not even discussed it. That’s one of the oldest ploys in the Texas handbook of sneaky tricks and has been successfully used to pass many a sweet deal for the oil industry.
“The big lie about this whole program is that it doesn’t cost anything,” U.S. Rep. Edward Markey of Massachusetts told The New York Times. “Taxpayers are being asked to provide huge subsidies to oil companies to produce oil — it’s like subsidizing a fish to swim.”