Top industries giving money to Congress (Harry Reid, lawyers, health care, Reid)

[ErikMartinsen]

I recently came across a web site which gives a detailed overview of the top industries that are giving money to Congress. Some of the numbers are surprising. It appears that the Democratic Party recieves almost twice as much as the Republican Party overall, including more money from lawyers, the health care industry, pharmaceuticals, and lobbyists. Harry Reid is the top recipient.

You can check out the details for yourselves here.

The part about the health care industry donating heavily to the Democratic Party certainly makes sense. Instead of either going for the public option, or freeing up the health care market, Obama chose to grant certain health care companies an even larger government-enforced coercive monopoly, by forcing Americans to purchase their services whether Americans want to or not.

Due to big government and big business being increasingly intertwined, individuals who seek to dominate others through political or economic power can gain both regardless of whether they go for a career in politics, or in business. Democrats need to realize that the politicians whom they support so strongly, often have the same type of personality as the businessmen whom Democrats loathe so strongly. Politicians often seem charismatic, but they usually are where they are exactly because they have mastered the art of manipulating other people into liking them. As J. R. R. Tolkien said: "The most improper job of any man, is bossing other men. Not one in a million is fit for it, and least of all those who seek the opportunity."

In any case, I think Americans should put the debate between big government and small government on hold for a moment, and focus on transparent government. They should support open and local government, by seeking to limit the power of the federal government, and by supporting states' rights.