Last week, the Sunlight Foundation’s reporting blog responded to a post I wrote about my experience as a lobbyist convincing members of Congress not to impose a retroactive tax on inverted companies, including my then-client, Tyco. Inverted companies are those who reincorporate overseas, primarily to avoid paying US corporate taxes. Tyco was actually purchased by ADT, based in Bermuda, but that transaction had the same effect.
Keenan Steiner writes:
But a review of the record, and interviews with a former colleague as well as with a congressional staffer to a key senator pushing the legislation, do not support his claims …
I believe President Obama’s proposed tax hikes — including the massive “bank tax” — are a prescription for economic calamity. But I do understand that the “tax the rich” frenzy finds resonance with many Americans. Throughout history, banks — and bankers, in particular — have been identified with the worst elements of societal greed. They make easy targets, especially these days. Which is why passage of the $61 billion tax increase on the banks should be a piece of cake, right?
Wrong.
Snatching bailout money has not been the only success of banking lobbyists. They have also managed to defeat …
This week’s Washington Post series on earmarks concretizes what we all essentially knew:
they’re still at it.
“A U.S. senator from South Dakota helped add millions to a Pentagon program his wife evaluated as a contract employee. A Washington congressman boosted the budget of an environmental group that his son ran as executive director. A Texas congresswoman guided millions to a university where her husband served as a vice president.
“Those three members are among 16 who have taken actions that aided entities connected to their immediate families.”
This is the same arrogance that brought me down. To the public, these 16 …
Hi, everyone. I’m new to blogging, so this is an exciting experiment for me.
I’ll be posting more serious pieces next week. But, for now, I just want to say how honored I am to join Nick Penniman, Josh Silver, and the gang at United Republic in the vital effort to effect real reform in Washington.
It is a privilege for me to add my insights and experience to their strong and sagacious team and I look forward to working with them to reveal to our nation the way Washington really works.
There is a rising tide of outrage in our land about the abuse in our system. Sadly, in …
Help follow the money
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