Lobbyists are just as real Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy

I remember there was a time when certain elected officials called for transparency at all levels of government, however, that time has now passed. It is with a sad heart that I write this entry because the news report I am citing proves that the lobbyists that he previously swore were no part of his campaign do indeed exist. Maverick, no more. Republican with an independent streak, no more. Honest politician, no more. While he was never my candidate of choice, there was a time when I respected him and believed him to be something that Washington needed more of, honest and upright politicians. However, let me state that this has been an erosion of my belief in him as opposed to an immediate epiphany.

So, I sat down to read one of the five papers that I try to read daily and staring up at me from the New York Times was a piece by esteemed writers Jackie Calmes and David D. Kirkpatrick titled (hold on to your seats) "McCain Aide's Firm Was Paid by Freddie Mac." But, it's not just SOME aid, the person in question was Mr. Rick Davis, the presidential hopeful's campaign manager. The Calmes/Kirkpatrick piece goes on to state that McCain's campaign manager's firm received $15,000 a month from one of the companies helped by the federal government in the past weeks, that the campaign manager's firm had been kept on the failing company's payroll "because of his close ties to Mr. McCain" and that "no one at Davis Manaform other than Mr. Davis was involved in efforts on Freddie Mac's behalf." While this $15,000 a month or $180,000 a year is a drop in the bucket when compared to the multi-million dollar salaries of some CEOs, one must realize that this is only ONE of the firms clients. How many other companies' interests are represented? How much does this firm take in from companies whose only interest is the owner's access to someone running for president?

Now, I may not know a lot, but I do know the rudiments of currying favor and it would seem that the behemoth formerly known as Freddie Mac, currently known as part and parcel of the U.S. Government, was doing just that. I expect that the tenacles of huge corporations spread throughout politicians on both sides of the aisle. What saddens me is that the once Maverick stumped on the other's ties to mortage/finance companies and now McCain is just like them. But, perhaps, he always was.

So, in the end, while there are those that say there are no lobbyists involved in electioneering, I invite you to the world in which we currently live -- where they run government, industry and perhaps even what we think and believe. Yes, readers, lobbyists are real.

References:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/us/politics/24davis.html?_r=2&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1222267016-nxXDxNJQI4hubQ4WJafcuw