In the Sixty Minutes interview with Charlie Rose Steve Bannon tells Rose that current Republican leadership — namely Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan — are trying to undermine President Trump’s political agenda. “The Republican establishment is trying to nullify the 2016 election,” Bannon says. He went on to reveal that McConnell warned Trump in one of their first meetings that he didn’t want to “hear any more of this ‘drain the swamp’ talk.” “They do not want Donald Trump’s populist, economic nationalist agenda to be implemented,” Bannon says. “It’s very obvious.”
Bannon went on to say the most intelligent comment I’ve heard about the swamp: He said, “it’s a business model” further indicating that five of the wealthiest counties in the US are surrounding Washington DC. I found that astounding. But, it’s true. A sixth of the top ten is Los Alamos Country N.M. due to another government payroll, the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Here’s one way to follow the money in the United States: look past the Washington Monument and the Capitol to the D.C. suburbs. Half of the richest counties in America are roughly an hour away from the capital. Virginia’s Loudoun County boasts an eye-popping median household income of $125,900, tops in the nation, according to 2015 Census Bureau estimates, the most recent available. It’s joined by Fairfax, Arlington, Falls Church in Virginia and Howard Country in Maryland. Quite a business model wouldn’t you say? Helps to explain how Mitch amassed a $24 million dollar net worth in public service.
How does the business model work? With 325 fewer lobbyists registered in the second quarter of 2016 than in the first, this marks the biggest single-quarter drop in four years and puts the number of registered lobbyists at the lowest point OpenSecrets has ever recorded. Since 1998, the total number of lobbyists has never dipped below 10,000, but that figure has been falling ever since it peaked at nearly 15,000 in 2007 and this quarter’s decrease puts it at just more than 9,700. So we have 535 Members of Congress served by 9,700 lobbyists. That’s 18 lobbyists per politician. Every lobbyist has a huge staff so in all likelihood every politician is being supported by an influence peddling group equal to the staff we support with our tax dollars. Let’s look at just the staff that works in DC since they have additional staff back at their home offices.
House and Senate Congressional Staff: DC vs. Districts and State, 1987-2014
Graphic by the R Street Institute based upon Congressional Research Service data. So, basically, the assumption if correct 10,ooo lobbyists and 10,000 staff for the 535 to man the offices in DC. But, most are never in DC. Here’s the House calendar for 2017:
The darkened dates are the dates when they supposedly are in DC and in session. They wore themselves out last week with the heavy TV interviews trashing Trump and accomplishing nothing so they need this week off. But, the staff will be there paid too much to do too little. Ever wonder why these people work into their 80’s like McCain, It’s a part- time job with great benefits. We know about the great health care Senator McCain will be getting but we don’t know what transpires with those 9,000 lobbyists do we? We really can’t get to the bottom of the great wealth our public servants accumulate on middle management pay.
Here’s how the swamp works: Rex Tillerson is cutting the State Department budget from $55 billion to $39 billion by eliminating 1,300 jobs. Both parties in Congress are up in arms and the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a $55 billion budget showing their preference for spending. A businessman comes to State and sees people sitting on their asses doing nothing and fixes the problem. A politician who sits on his/her ass and does nothing misses that.
Therein is the swamp. A business model developed over many years to enrich the politicians we send to Congress who work part-time and leave wealthy while living like CEO’s wined and dined and supported by staffs who sit on their asses and do nothing. But, not only do we enrich them but we enrich 5 counties in the process since they pass our tax dollars on to those residents. Is it no wonder we have Paul Ryan(hasn’t got his $24 million quite yet), Mitch, Lindsay Graham, Jeff Flake, McCain and the rest fighting Trump on the swamp? The swamp is bi-partisan and when businessmen come with pumps, like Tillerson, they pump the hell out of it while politicians object vociferously.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fix a systemic wasteland. If we don’t stick with the Trump agenda, we screw future generations.
This is one of the best blogs yet. The Kaneville “Mayor” brought it to the smart table this morning and people can’t hardly believe it. Look at Dennis Hastart and poor wrestling coach came home from Washington Richer then a foot of manure. Drain the swamp/
Great analysis. The good news, from the “OpenSecret” source is fascinating. Let’s continue working hard to expose these DeepState actors & their globalist agenda. MAGA!
This is one of the best blogs yet. The Kaneville “Mayor” brought it to the smart table this morning and people can’t hardly believe it. Look at Dennis Hastart and poor wrestling coach came home from Washington Richer then a foot of manure. Drain the swamp/
Great analysis. The good news, from the “OpenSecret” source is fascinating. Let’s continue working hard to expose these DeepState actors & their globalist agenda. MAGA!