Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller for January 10, 2016
Transcript:
From his fortress of incumbency, our hero of the people spots a familiar figure approaching ... And so it begins... Again! ... And springs into action! Urp. It's the malevolent K-street Giant, mindlessly destroying everything in its path to feed its insatiable appetite for influence! HELLLLP!! HEy, that;s a constituent! Fee, Fi, FO Fum.. I smell the blood of middle-class scum The lumbering beat just smiles, then reaches into its pocket for a weapon. "Give me your best shot, Big boy!" The mighty man of the people says fearlessly. The giant obliges... .. Hitting the great protector right where he's most vulnerable... Uhh.. Campaign contribution.. You're on your own, folks...Zzz .. Leaving him drained of a conscience, helpless and utterly useless.
anotherwhirl almost 9 years ago
Yep, that looks about right
Dtroutma almost 9 years ago
HAR! Indeed!
Bilan almost 9 years ago
So many of them start off well-meaning, join the system in hopes of being able to change from within, but then the system becomes the goal.
bkybl Premium Member almost 9 years ago
Kryptonite for the conscience.
Varnes almost 9 years ago
mpk39, good one……..Wiley, well done sir….
chassimmons Premium Member almost 9 years ago
Lobbyists have much influence beyond their money, as important as that is — they are also one of the main sources of information in Washington. Congressmen often don’t know all that much, and they have no time to spend on education once in office. So when they need background on a technical question or help in writing a section of a bill on some subject, who provides them with the fastest and most easily understood reports? Of course, the lobbyists representing the industries involved. Naturally, those reports tend to be just a teeny bit slanted, but they sure are convenient.
Enter.Name.Here almost 9 years ago
They say “Money is the root of all evil”, but I say GREED is the source.
TMO1 Premium Member almost 9 years ago
Well, as Twain said, the US Congress is the only native criminal class. For the most part, they are there for themselves alone. The system rewards sociopathy.
braindead Premium Member almost 9 years ago
What’s so astonishing is how comfortable Republicans/Fox “news” viewers are with corporations buying tax favoritism and favorable laws.
I guess as long as they all hate Obama (and Hillary), nothing else matters.
Say What? Premium Member almost 9 years ago
That blow was certainly more powerful than a locomotive, because it was powered by a motive that was loco.
bexwhitt almost 9 years ago
The every 2 year election cycle means to be in congress you need silly amounts of cash all the time.
nufalready almost 9 years ago
I know in Michigan we have the best politicians money can buy.
Trilobyte Premium Member almost 9 years ago
This story has been told so many times, so many ways, but never any better than Wiley did today. .Twain, Will Rogers, Colbert and many others have done as well though… and it is a story that needs pretty much constant retelling.
Brass Orchid Premium Member almost 9 years ago
To get the money out of politics, start by getting the money and power out of government. A limited government that is unable to pay back favors and is able only to spend money in the public interest is not worth buying, but it is worth having.A government with tons of cash and political power to throw around is a bargain, whatever it costs, but is not worth anything.
Brass Orchid Premium Member almost 9 years ago
@Mark_SIndeed. The universality of the concept is what proves it to have substance.
whiteheron almost 9 years ago
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington….a fairy tale for adults.
LeePIII Premium Member almost 9 years ago
Spot ON!
Darryl Heine almost 9 years ago
Sunday rerun from 2011.
Pohka almost 9 years ago
Imagine what would happen if contributions were limited to $1000.
awomanonwheels almost 9 years ago
PERFECT!
Q4horse almost 9 years ago
If lobbyists have so much influence why does the US have the highest corporate tax rates in the world and some of the worlds most profit crippling environmental and labor regulations?
Al Nala almost 9 years ago
If we had a smaller government, there’d be fewer opportunities for such graft. Has anyone out there read The Weed Agency?
dabugger almost 9 years ago
What happens when there are no more to buy, to beat down, to bully and eliminate? Maybe go home and beat their wives.
Godfreydaniel almost 9 years ago
And now a word from Thomas Jefferson: “Merchants have no country. The mere spot they stand on does not constitute so strong an attachment as that from which they draw their gains.”
Diamond Lil almost 9 years ago
Couldn’t have said it better…Wiley you’re my super hero
Raider Red Premium Member almost 9 years ago
Distasteful as it may be to some (perhaps many), as with many other fundamental rights granted to all citizens of the United States, all those on K Street have their specific right conveyed by the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution:
“Congress shall make no law … abridging … the right of the people … to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
wherehaveallthetalentedartistsgone almost 9 years ago
Brain Dead’s name fits him.
brooklyn51 almost 9 years ago
Hubert Humphrey once said, “You can’t walk through the mud without getting some on you”
wherehaveallthetalentedartistsgone almost 9 years ago
Amazing that Obama gives 15 BILLION to GM (who proudly announced sending it to China) yet folks like BrainDead still believe in the Repubs – Corporate boogey man. People need to watch less TV & read more.
Kentucky Ken Premium Member almost 9 years ago
Brilliant.
Varnes almost 9 years ago
4Qhorse, actually, corporate taxes are almost as high as Japan, which fairly high…..But the counter fact is we have the lowest income taxes of any modern industrial country, no matter what some people are told…People in Washington have a lot of power…The constitution gives then the power to do damn near anything ……If you are a senator, you don’t need much money to change a lot…But to get elected you need hundreds of millions…That’s where all the money goes
Q4horse almost 9 years ago
According to Forbes magazine, The US is second in the world in corporate taxes. Japan is number one. My original statement was only a slight exaggeration.
Prestondinjax almost 9 years ago
The cartoonist that thinks he’s a pundit strikes again.I like my representative and one of my senators.
Varnes almost 9 years ago
Trylobyte, Including Cobert with Twain and Rogers is appropriate….His caricature of a conservative broadcaster was nothing short of brilliant….I have a feeling Twain and Rogers would be laughing the loudest……At first, many conservatives actually thought he was being real…..Yup. He fooled them hook, line, and sinker…In fact, he was exposing the hypocrisy of politicians and others, just like Twain and Rogers did….And he did it in a clever, humorous unique and intelligent way…..Colbert and his humor has already had a major influence on American society…A whole lot of truthiness….( for the record spell check recognized the word when I just typed it)
Brass Orchid Premium Member almost 9 years ago
“MSNBC isn’t close to Fox “News” who was set up explicitly to support the GOP. MSNBC does not.”-That is an astounding insight.You should write that down somewhere so you can read it again later when your head has cleared.It’s a bit like looking at photos of yourself when you were 17-25 and conforming to the fashions of the day.I highly recommend it.
ChukLitl Premium Member almost 9 years ago
Every 4 years isn’t often enough. This one needs to be forwarded to every congressman on their 2 year election cycle.
Tonksquawk almost 9 years ago
Excellent, Wiley, as usual.
hippogriff almost 9 years ago
VarnesWe found taxes about 25% higher in BC than in TX; but we got 50% more for it.
Dr_Zinj almost 9 years ago
Congresscritters have no time to spend on education because they’re doing too much beyond what the job actually calls for. Most people don’t ever look at the Constitution other than to glance at it during grade school (if then), so they think anything the Senators and Reps do is their job.
goblue86 almost 9 years ago
Brilliant.
Brass Orchid Premium Member almost 9 years ago
Noting that your potential is well beyond your present state is only an insult if your belief is that your current state of beliefs is the ultimate achievement in awareness.Clearly, then, I have not paid proper obeisance to your actual state of supreme omniscience.Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.Please forgive this groveling worm, Your Lordship.
Tarredandfeathered almost 9 years ago
And a Missouri TeaOP Legislator just introduced REAL Legislation requiring Legislators to report all Lobbyist provided SEX as a “Gift”..http://time.com/4172324/sex-lobbyists-missouri-legislators/
.The legislation, introduced by Rep. Bart Korman, would not require legislators to list the dollar value of sexual relations with a lobbyist like it does for other gifts and relationships between spouses would not require disclosure..
The guys at The Onion just can’t keep up with Reality any more..
jnik23260 almost 9 years ago
Tied for worst with God – Man!