You want to know what is amusing? The Republicans’ whining about not getting paid for their ‘principled’ stand for telco retroactive immunity.
With the House Democrats’ refusal to grant retroactive immunity to phone companies — stalling the rewrite of the warrantless wiretapping program — GOP leadership aides are grumbling that their party isn’t getting more political money from the telecommunications industry. […]
In a reflection of the sensitivity of the subject matter, and an apparent recognition that they would undermine their own messaging by appearing to be motivated by fundraising concerns, Republicans on and off Capitol Hill declined to comment on the record. […]
“There’s no question that from time to time staff, and maybe some Members, say to fellow travelers: ‘Are you giving us some air cover? Are you helping us help you?’”
Yeah…the telephone utilities gave more money to the Democrats this cycle. The last time they did that was in the 1994 cycle, when the Democrats last controlled the House of Representatives. Why give to the Republicans when they are already instinctively in the pockets of big business? Is it any surprise to learn that the Chamber of Commerce (.pdf) advocates telco retroactive immunity? Of course they do.
What have we learned from Barack Obama’s success? Isn’t it that a candidate can compete and even excel by gathering support from small donors while eschewing PAC money and donations from registered lobbyists? Shit…I bet it even requires less time abasing oneself on the telephone.
Nevertheless, too many Democrats in office are willing to give the telco corporations a pass on lawbreaking in return for campaign contributions. As The Wire’s State Rep. Clay Davis says, “It’s shameful shit.”
P.S. I’ve always seen Clay Davis as a stand-in for Rep. Al Wynn who was recently defeated by progressive Democrat Donna Edwards in the Maryland primary.
