These "lobbyists" also represent the insurance industry, big Pharma, and defense contractors. Hillary has told us that when she takes money from lobbyists this will not influence her vote.
Last October, Thomas Edsall examined defense industry campaign contributions Edsall reported:
Senator Clinton took in $52,600, more than half of the total going to all Democrats, and a figure equaling 60 percent of the sum going to the entire GOP field. Her closest competitor for defense industry money is former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (R.), who raised $32,000.Cluster bombs are controversial due to the ongoing danger to civilians, especially children, long after the battle has ended and peace treaties are signed. These cluster bombs (many actually look like a kid's toy) continue to lay around for years after a war has ended. Laying in wait to maim or kill innocent civilians....including women and children. (Cluster Bomb FAQ)
Hillary Clinton accepted a campaign contribution from a rogue military contractor, Textron. Textron is an international conglomerate based in Providence, RI. Textron is notorious for bribing Sadam Hussein and becoming embroiled in the Food for Oil Scandal. This resulted in Textron paying a 4.6 million dollar fine. Textron is also known for it's manufacture of cluster bombs.
Now we all know that Hillary likes to remind us that she is a champion for children.
Hillary's campaign website states :
America is ready for a president who fights for our children. Hillary has spent her lifetime as an effective advocate for parents and children.So we have Senator Hillary Clinton telling us that there is nothing wrong with her accepting lots of money from corporate special interest lobbyists. The money will never influence how she votes. Then why did Hillary Clinton vote against Senate Amendment 4882, which would have banned the sale of cluster munitions for use in heavily populated areas? Why did Hillary Clinton vote AGAINST protecting children she has promised to defend?
From her first job out of law school at the Children's Defense Fund to her time as First Lady of Arkansas and of the United States to her service in the Senate, helping children has been at the center of Hillary's public life.
In the White House, Hillary will continue her lifelong work to create a world where every child is cherished, loved, and able to fulfill his or her potential.
State Representative David Segal (D-Providence), whose district includes Textron and who asserts that the corporation produces cluster bombs, calls Textron’s conduct “starkly opposed to the values of most Democrats and Americans. Nobody who takes their money can legitimately claim to be against this war [in Iraq], or the horrors of war more generally.” (Source)
Providence City Councilman Miguel Luna, an Obama supporter, has asked Clinton to return Textron's PAC money. Luna says, “I find appalling the double standard that allows her to vote for war with Hussein, and also take money from a corporation that was bribing him . . . . By taking money from Textron and those who profit from war, she’s committing herself to continuing a foreign policy based on war, and not on dialogue.” (Source)
I say that Hillary Clinton has a lot of explaining to do. Christine Heenan, Rhode Island communications director for the Clinton campaign, was asked about the Textron issue and declined to comment. (Source)
Why does the corporate media refuse to ask Hillary Clinton the tough questions? Why isn't the press doing it's homework on the Senate record that she is so proud of. Her Senate record pales in comparison to Barack Obamas. (Source)
I believe that the corporate media is promoting their fave corporate girl by not asking the tough questions. Yet they highlight Senator Clinton making numerous, uncontested statements about how the media is out to get her. The corporate media adds fuel to Clinton's false claims of being fully "vetted" by allowing their pundits to make cheap sexist attacks that inflames Hillary's base to rise to her defense. It's such a load of corporate spin.
Hillary we the people are sick of politicians like you. We are sick of being sold out to special interests. We are sick of business as usual. Many of us were appalled that Madeline Albright (one of "your" foreign policy advisors) thinks the Iraqi embargo was worth it even though hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi children died because of this embargo. Yet this embargo did not stop Saddam Hussein from living in luxury from bribes from companies like Textron.
Hillary we are rejecting your experience....especially your foreign policy experience.
You are acting like George W. Bush. You deny the reality of the world around you. You are now running a negative campaign with a scorched earth policy. Your actions are shouting that IF YOU can't be the Democratic President in 2008...then you will do what you can to prevent any Democratic from becoming President in 2008.
Hillary, if you persist in your negative campaigning there are many American citizens willing to d what the corporate media fails to do....We will call you out on your record. We continue to speak out that we do NOT want to continue the negative politics, the special interests politics, the politics as usual. Hillary you represent the status quo. No matter what you do we want change.
It is not too late to salvage the Clinton legacy and keep your self-respect. You don't have to emulate George Bush's infamous inability to change course. You need to stop the dirty, negative campaign tricks immediately. On March 4th, I hope you will be able to read the writing on the wall and face the reality that you will not be able to win the democratic nomination. It would be refreshing to see you change the negative course you have embarked upon and do the right thing with grace.
