Opinions of Peter Belmont
Speaking Truth to Power
| Elisabeth Warren’s Anti-Corruption Proposal and my Criticism |
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by Peter A. Belmont / 2019-08-12
Senator Elizabeth Warren has made a sweeping legislative proposal to limit corruption in the federal government —I’d say it has no chance of passing!—and it is well worth reading. OVER-ALL COMMENT There’s a lot, a real lot, in Warren’s proposal, and well worth reading. But there’s also a lot missing, although what’s missing may well be missing because of “the Constitution, as interpreted,” that is, the horrible ideas that “political speech” may not be limited by legislation, that “political spending” is a form of “political speech”, and that corporations (and I suppose other non-human-person entities) are entitled to all the protections of free speech; this protection possibly reaching so far as to embrace foreign corporations and domestic corporations substantially owned or run by foreigners or by foreign governments or doing substantial business outside the USA. Here’s an extract from the article: What’s in the Anti-Corruption and Public Integrity Act MY CRITICISM There is nothing in Warren’s proposal about banning corporate [and other non-human-person] gifts to campaigns or dark money spending or other political spending. I know, I know, the Constitution as interpreted! I know, I know, the Constitution as interpreted! However, her proposal does include: End Legalized Lobbyist Bribery. Stop lobbyists from trading money for government favors. But is this enough? Is it even possible? If you can ban lobbyists from making direct donations to candidates (or incumbents?), why cannot you ban the making of direct donations by other agents of corporations such as corporate officers, the corporations themselves, and organizations funded by corporations? There is nothing in Warren’s proposal about limiting total personal political spending by (rich) people—such as a $10,000 (or come to that, a $1000) personal annual limit on political spending, I know, I know, the Constitution as interpreted! I know, I know, the Constitution as interpreted! There is nothing in Warren’s proposal about “revolving doors” (or merely “open doors”) (except w.r.t. lobbying) such as Secretaries of Treasury right out of Goldman Sachs, etc. However, her proposal does indlude: Require most executive branch employees to recuse from all issues that might financially benefit themselves or a previous employer or client from the preceding 4 years.and Limit the ability of companies to buy influence through former government officials.and • Ban “Golden Parachutes” that provide corporate bonuses to executives for federal service. A lot of these proposals can be “got around” by the usual shenanigans, but many proposals are aimed at making corporate manipulations public, so we can at least see, if not stop, corporate manipulations of government. It’d sure be a good start. |
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