Monday, November 15, 2010

The mega-millionaires who financed Congressional elections this year want a spectacular payoff: a tax break worth tens of billions each year. This is the essence of pay-to-play corruption: money paid, special benefits returned. Even though the Congressional winners say investing in jobs is the top priority, they seem ready to fork over billions more to the top 2% of Americans. Why aren’t they saying, “Hell no.” Are the leaders of the Tea Party (and the Democrats and Republican, as well) silent because they know their major financial backers would benefit handsomely from this payoff? Some wealthy donors echo Warren Buffett’s advice that now is not the time to give the rich more tax breaks; fixing the weak economy is more important and bonuses for millionaires do not trickle down to the masses. But the greedy speak loudly, with their checkbooks. Indeed, there’s a direct correlation between the escalating money spent on political campaigns by private special interests and the growing gap between the rich and poor in America. Voters are rightly incensed.