Tracking Influence's Money Trail

[cornermouse]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5043991

"Hundreds of recent trips made by White House officials are underwritten by private entities. According to a report by the Center for Public Integrity, the total spent over one seven-year span totaled nearly $1.5 million.

Alex Knott, a political editor at the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, produced the research, which details the expenses shouldered by federal contractors, lobbyists and other groups.

Knott covers politics and lobbying at the Center for Public Integrity, which researches and reports on public policy issues."

And an article that is linked

http://www.publicintegrity.org/lobby/report.aspx?aid=766

One of the points he made in his interview on NPR was the fact that our Congressmen are now hiring lobbyists to be their campaign finance chairmen. And not only do the lobbyists write the bills, they now tell our Congressmen and women what is in those bills. One has to wonder if how many of our congressional representatives in Washington ever read anything. Certainly it appears George Bush isn't the only person who never reads anything.

No wonder we the people are not represented any more.