On the dark days I like to ponder what D.C. would be like if "public service" in Congress was more like it is in our local courtrooms. We need to convert to a jury duty system with mandatory service and reasonable compensation. If they like it they can run (on public financing) for one more term, then that's it.

Right now Mr. Smith going to Washington means Mr. Smith gets an education on how it really works for dangerously few people - then he receives training on how to become one of the privileged few. He's indoctrinated on how to network and keep the names and numbers of people he owe and who owe him in return - and to ignore their professional (or personal) indiscretions in return for favors.

Congress spends more time strong-arming government agencies into giving their special interests more and more money than they spending doing the "people's work". But it isn't just Congress anymore. We have to start purging our local governments of these weak-minded types.

It's not the legal structures, it's the people that USE the legal structures to take what doesn't belong to them. These thieves have expanded their business practices to include legislative structures too. If what they want to do is illegal, they'll just find someone to fix that right up and make it work for them, and them alone (que U.S. Senators).

Corruption is a recession-proof business model, the harder times get the more egregious the blue collar crimes will be. All that money didn't disappear because no one was watching - it disappeared because everyone who saw took some for themselves.

Publicly financed campaigns are needed long before health care reform. Without the former, the latter is worse than the status quo.

It is the exact conversation that my husband and I have every weekend and with every single friend and business associate.

What's strange is the sense of calm I sense about it all, probably because none of it should be a surprise to anyone.

I agree with Mr. Friedman, the quality of our politicians lies with the quality of the electorate.

It's like everyone who really cares feels like the multi-year effort to elect Obama was "it", the end-be-all.

I think that we all need to realize that we are likely to be permanent victims of this poor leadership, (Bush, Clinton, Bush et al) and aren't likely to get a break in time to make any difference. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't raise HOLY HELL to claw it back from the crooks so our kids have some shot at doing better.

At the end of the day when there is no law, no justice - no accountability - we need to use whats left, and that's SHAME. Publicly shaming the cast of characters (big and small) who are contributing to the downward spiral is our only hope.

The absolute chaos and corruption at every level of government cannot be undone. From government contracting to the big bank bailouts while little banks wither and die (to be swallowed whole by the biggies later).

It's a massive money grab, the people with the most want all the money. Just watch, the stock market will bubble (again) then burst, just so they can shave off what little any shareholder has left. This is probably orchestrated to cause fundraising problems in the next Presidential election

If Bernanke or Geithner have any conscience at all they will place a moratorium on consumer payments of any kind to any bank that has accepted bailout funds in order the "cleanse" their balance sheets. Why should I pay my mortgage if my bank won't lend to anyone, credit worthy or otherwise?

All I can hope for is that it doesn't get worse under his administration.

If you unfamiliar, 8(a) companies that fall under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act are not subject to revenue (or size) limits or contract award limits that every other disadvantaged business to. Basically, it was written into law that Alaska Native Corporations (ANC's) can grow to any size and open unlimited subsidiaries under the SBA 8(a) contracting program. Usually with no competition, and there is no protest or appeals process for the few competitors that encounter them. ANC's are different from "lower 48" tribes in that they own the rights to oil on the North Slope of Alaska. Big bucks, big influence and apparently little oversight if any.

Both Senators from Alaska, Mark Begich (D) and Lisa Murkowski (R) have been working day and night to preserve these contracting preferences. In fact, we've seen a huge expansion of these joint venture contracts since Obama took office.

I am not in "security" but have contact with some of these companies through their other business lines - and not in a good way, they are nefarious at best and incompetent at worst.

I Just thought I heard about Blackwater effectively getting kicked out of Iraq and now they do NASA security? They also seem to have a contract protecting Japan's missile defense installations.

They don't meet Iraqi standards but NASA and the Japanese government are cool with that?

Thanks for keeping tabs, I've been doing the same.

Clean out ones cabinets for the donation to the food bank, or better yet start a food drive in your neighborhood.

a & b don't even appear on my radar. If my vote isn't enough for them, then they shouldn't be running for office.

Phony subsidiaries with no known employees getting $20 million or more within months of incorporating.

Single companies with no regulatory oversight forming dozens of subsidiaries - they have ownership interests in energy, contracts for katrina/iraq reconstruction and stimulus. Repeated audit failures, fraud etc. mostly a complete lack of concern or competence. Lately they've been gobbling up significant shares of communications companies and "legacy assets" i.e. toxic mortgages.

They are operating as if no one can stop them, and to date I haven't found any agency that can. The policy makers who have contact with these folks are openly corrupt (based on public records) with multiple conflicts of interest.

The absolute criminality of what they are doing behind closed doors reminds me of Enron, various "shell" corporations where they hide debts in order to inflate the balance sheet of the mothership and obtain credit. If the corporation has more annual revenue than the bank they get loans from - who is underwriting who?

the recession.

http://www.adn.com/front/story/993012.html

The Bushies hate government and only seek a job in government to better dismantle it from the inside-out.

Once religion is mixed with business, there is no such thing as ethics anymore. I agree with the notion that if someone claims to have an MBA from Harvard - they should be immediately disqualified from any business that gets money from the government. If someone got their undergrad from Regent before the Harvard MBA - they should be restricted to janitorial work only.

I also happen to think the unethical types exploit the uber-religious types to win elections and change legislation - all in the name of "God".

This is why opinion polling never matches up to ballot/election results.

If it is tied to a ballot measure, then I guess I have some hope. Not much, just some.

If some showboating asshole that is running my state (Sean Parnell, Governor of Alaska) wants to please his business lobby - he gives away my public option without asking me first, then I have to wait until the next election to hold him accountable for it?

WTF?

What about this don't these people understand?

They missed their opportunity to regulate this industry and now they want some perfect piece of legislation that solves all the healthcare problem. Too little too late.

I think an imperfect bill weighted towards access for all (instead of the insurance lobby) is the only way forward.

It's either that or single payer. I really really want single payer - its really a civil rights issue, if no one can have more access, more luxuries or more availability than everyone else - then we move towards more equality overall.

Finally, no healthcare bill should treat dental care separately. Teeth aren't some accessory, they are integral to one's health and have been shown to wreak havoc on immune systems when not treated.

If they were performing on a Federal contract then the idea that they would be able to keep their employment policies or contracts separate from that is a bigger crock of shit.

The only thing that should have been done differently is an avenue, or agency or advocacy group tasked (and funded) to field these "grievances". Asking the DoD to self-police it is just stupid. You know, because they have such a stellar track record on sexual abuse of women in the armed services or the detainees in their care.