AN ALLEGED ANONYMOUS CONGRESSMAN HAS PUBLISHED AN
EXPOSE, OR WILL SOON, ON WHAT BEING IN CONGRESS IS ACTUALLY
LIKE, AND WHAT CONGRESSMAN ARE ACTUALLY LIKE, ADMITTING WHAT IS
SO VERY RARELY ADMITTED.
IT IS CALLED THE CONFESSIONS OF
CONGRESSMAN X, THERE IS A PICTURE ON IT, BUT I HAVE A
FEELING IT IS NOT THE ACTUAL GUY.
BECAUSE THEN IT IS NOT
ANONYMOUS.
HERE ARE SOME ASSORTED QUOTES --
I LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF
THAT IN THIS CAMPAIGN.
HE
GOES ON TO SAY --
THAT SOUNDS LIKE TRUMP.
DAMN.
BUT THEN THE SECTION WHERE I THINK CENK UYGUR WILL BE
MOST INTERESTED WHERE HE GETS INTO THE FUNDING FOR HIS
CAMPAIGN AND HOW THEY GO ABOUT FINDING IT --
HE GOES ON TO SAY --
PAID WALL STREET SPEECHES --
ALL THESE QUOTES ARE GREAT, BUT I HAVE COURSE HAVE TO GIVE
THE CAVEAT, WE HAVE NO INDEPENDENT CONFIRMATION THIS IS
AN ACTUAL CONGRESSMAN AND THIS IS NOT A GIGANTIC PUBLISHER
WHERE WE CAN BE SURE THEY DID THEIR DUE DILIGENCE.
ALL RETIRED, PEOPLE SAY THE SAME THING, THEY SAY YOU HAVE TO
SPEND 40% OF YOUR TIME ON THE PHONE BEGGING PEOPLE FOR MONEY.
A COUPLE HOURS IN THE MORNING AND THE AFTERNOON, AND IN
BETWEEN YOU DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO --
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN, SUFFICIENTLY VAGUE?
IS NOT LIKE HE SAYING I WALKED INTO HARRY REID'S OFFICE AND HE
TOLD ME TO GET STUFFED AND SET X, Y, Z, HE IS SIMPLY RELATING
THE REALITY OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE A CONGRESSMAN.
IN THIS COUNTRY WITHOUT PUBLIC FUNDING OF ELECTIONS, YOU
HAVE TO RAISE SO MUCH MONEY THAT IT IS COMMON SENSE.
YOU ARE SAYING IT IS PLAUSIBLE.
COMPLETELY.
IF YOU ARE ON THE ROAD AND YOU ARE A
CONGRESSPERSON, YOU ARE IN A MOTEL AND YOU GET A LIST OF 15
PEOPLE WHO HAVE CALLED YOU AND LEFT A MESSAGE YOU NEED TO CALL
BACK AND YOU ONLY HAVE TIME TO CALL TWO OF THEM, YOU ARE GOING
TO CALL YOUR WIFE AND WHOEVER GAVE YOU THE MOST MONEY TO GET
YOU ELECTED LAST TIME BECAUSE THEY HAVE BOUGHT YOU.
LET ME GET INTO MORE DETAILS AND MORE QUOTES ON THAT, I FOUND
THAT OF COURSE TO BE THE MOST INTERESTING PART.
YOU ARE GOING
TO THINK, GUYS, YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS A LONG TIME
SO IT IS NOT LIKE THIS IS A GIANT REVELATION, THAT IS RIGHT.
BUT THE REST OF THE MEDIA TREAT THIS LIKE IT IS NOT HAPPENING.
LIKE THIS ISN'T THE THING THAT MOTIVATES THEM THE MOST.
FOR
EXAMPLE, I HAVE IN THE PAST INTIMATED THAT THE NONPROFIT
FOUNDATIONS THESE POLITICIANS SET UP IS A WAY TO HIRE FAMILY
MEMBERS AND FUNNEL MONEY IN THAT DIRECTION.
THE CLINTON
FOUNDATION HAS DONE THIS ON SOME SORT OF GIGANTIC SCALE, AND SOME
WAYS THEY HAVE DONE MORE GOOD AND THEY HAVE SO MUCH MONEY THAT
THEY DON'T NEED TO BE CORRUPT AND HIRE FAMILY MEMBERS, THEY
DON'T HAVE TO PLAY SMALL BALL LIKE THAT, BUT I THINK THE REAL
SCANDAL IF THERE IS ONE IN THESE EMAILS IS WHAT DID THE STATE
DEPARTMENT DO FOR THE PEOPLE GAVE MILLIONS TO THE CLINTON
FOUNDATION?
THEY DIDN'T GIVE ALL THAT MONEY TO THE CLINTON
FOUNDATION OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF THEIR HEART.
ALTHOUGH I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THEY WERE MENSCHES.
THE
SAUDIES WERE.
AND THEY WILL SELL THEMSELVES OUT SO SOMEONE WILL GET
PAID TO DO A PORTRAIT OF THEM.
BUT LET'S GET MORE INTO THE QUOTES, AS HE EXPLAINS, MOST OF
MY COLLEAGUES REVEL IN THE SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY THAT IS
LAVISHED ON THEM.
IF I SAID THAT ON CNN --
YOU ARE A CONSPIRACY THEORIST.
I HAVE SAID SIMILAR THINGS ON TV AND IT WAS MET WITH A SMIRK,
LIKE, SURE.
POLITICIANS ARE CORRUPT AND ALL THEY CARE ABOUT
IS THE MONEY.
SURE, MR.
LIBERAL.
AND HERE IS A CONGRESSMAN SAYING
OF COURSE.
I TALKED TO A CONGRESSMAN AND I SAID DO YOU HAVE LUNCH WITH
REPUBLICANS?
HE SAID I DON'T HAVE LUNCH WITH REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS OR
MY FRIENDS, I HAVE TO MAKE CALLS TO RAISE MONEY.
THERE ARE NO LUNCHES LEFT, ALL WE DO IS MONEY.
I DO THINK THAT IS THE RIGHT ATTITUDE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE.
OUR RESPONSE OFTEN TO THE CORRUPTION IN WASHINGTON IS TO
SAY THEY ARE ALL BOMBS, THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO GO THERE ARE SELFISH
INDIVIDUALS.
THAT IS NOT TRUE, THE SYSTEM HAS PERVERSE
INCENTIVES AND FORCES THEM INTO THIS HORRIBLE, HUMILIATING
DANCE OF KISSING THE ASSES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE A LOT OF MONEY.
NOT TO BRING IT BACK TO BERNIE SANDERS BUT I HAVE TO SAY, THAT
IS WHY HIS CRITIQUE OF THE SYSTEM AND THE WAY HE TALKS
ABOUT IT -- I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHEN PEOPLE ACCUSE HIM OF
ATTACKING HILLARY CLINTON'S INTEGRITY WHEN HE DOES THAT.
EVERYONE AGREES THERE IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM, IT IS NOT
ABOUT INDIVIDUAL CHOICES OR AGENCY.
THAT TO ME IS THE
STRONGEST PART OF THE SANDERS CAMPAIGN AND THE SANDERS
MOVEMENT OR MESSAGE, IT IS FUNNY TO ME THAT PEOPLE RESPOND TO
THAT -- I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE TRYING TO MANIPULATE THAT
CRITIQUE, WHICH EVERYONE AGREES ON -- AS AN EXAMPLE OF SANDERS
GOING BELOW THE BELT WITH HILLARY CLINTON.
AND TO ME IT
COULD BE NOT BE LESS PERSONALIZED.
I'M JUST MAKING A SYSTEMIC CRITIQUE THAT APPLIES TO
EVERYONE.
IT IS A REPRESENTATION OF WHAT CENK WAS TALKING ABOUT.
SANDERS
CAN SAY THAT POLITICIANS GET INFLUENCED, AND I THINK ALMOST
EVERY LIBERAL VOTER FOR THE MOST PART HAS BELIEVED THAT TO SOME
EXTENT, BUT WHEN YOU LINK IT TO A PARTICULAR POLITICIAN THEN YOU
SEEM UNCOUTH.
THAT IS NOT A NICE THING TO DO.
SO A LOT OF LIBS
WHO BELIEVE THAT THE KOCH BROTHERS HAVE AN ACIDIC
EFFECT ON THE SYSTEM, NOW THAT HILLARY IS GOOD AT USING
THAT SYSTEM, COME ON, IT DOESN'T INFLUENCE ANYONE.
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WON'T INFLUENCE YOU AT ALL.
I THINK THAT IS SLIGHTLY RIDICULOUS.
BACK TO HIS EXPLANATIONS OF THE MUNDANE ACTIONS OF ALMOST
ALL THE CONGRESSMAN OF THE TIME, HE SAYS, ELECTION CAMPAIGNS ARE
A PAIN IN THE ASS UNLESS I WIN, IN WHICH CASE IT IS A NICE EGO
BOOST, THEN IT IS BACK TO SHAKING THE MONEY TREE AND
SELLING ACCESS TO ME AND MY LEGISLATIVE STAFF.
EVERY
SPECIFIC POLITICIAN, TO JOHN AND KATIE'S POINT, WILL SAY HOW DARE
YOU BEST MERGE MY REPUTATION?
BUT IN REALITY BEHIND THE SCENES
THEY ARE SAYING, GO SHAKE THE MONEY TREE, WE ARE SELLING
ACCESS TO ME AND MY STAFF SO YOU CAN INFLUENCE ME AND OUR
LEGISLATION.
SOMETIMES I WILL JUST TAKE WHAT THE LOBBYIST WROTE AND PUT
IT INTO THE BILL.
I THINK WHEN SOMEONE LIKE HILLARY FOR EXAMPLE GETS
ATTACKED DURING A DEBATE BY BERNIE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT SHE
IS CORRUPTED BY HER CLOSE TIES TO WALL STREET, SHE WILL ALWAYS
RESPOND BY SAYING SHOW ME ONE POSITION THAT I HAVE CHANGED --
OF COURSE WE CAN'T SHOW YOU ONE POSITION YOU HAVE CHANGED
BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE ACTUALLY ILLEGAL CORRUPTION.
THAT IS NOT
THE WAY IT WORKS.
THE CLAIM IS NOT THAT YOU FLIP YOUR SPECIFIC
POSITION, THE CLAIM IS THAT YOU ARE SWIMMING IN AN OCEAN OF
MONEY AND THAT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACCESS TO YOU, WHO SHAPE
YOUR WORLDVIEW, WHO YOU ARE BEHOLDEN TO, ARE THE PEOPLE
YOU SURROUND YOURSELF WITH.
I WOULD LOVE IT IF SHE IS LIKE, WHEREAS I'M COGNIZANT OF
THE FACT THAT I HAVE BEEN INFLUENCED BY THIS MONEY, I
WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THIS BILL --
I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT I GOT A LOT OF
MONEY ON THIS.
CAN I MAKE A QUICK POINT ABOUT PUBLIC FINANCING OF ELECTIONS?
THE GREATEST BENEFIT FOR A CANDIDATE IS NOT TERRIBLY
EXPENSIVE.
THE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR CAMPAIGNS DON'T HAVE A
HUGE AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL BENEFIT IN TERMS OF BRINGING NEW
VOICES INTO THE RACE, SO IN ANY GIVEN RACE WITH 10,000 OR
$100,000, AN UNKNOWN PERSON COULD GET THE VISIBILITY THEY
MIGHT NEED TO CHALLENGE AN INCUMBENT BANK AND EVEN IF THE
INCUMBENT HAS MILLIONS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, THEY HAVE 70 OR,
WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, THEY HAVE 70 TO 80% OF THE BENEFIT.
IN
AUSTRALIA YOU BASICALLY ESTIMATE HOW MANY VOTES YOU ARE GOING TO
GET AND THE GOVERNMENT GIVES YOU A LOAN FOR THAT AMOUNT, AND THE
GOVERNMENT PAYS FOR ELECTIONS.
AND WHY DO WE NEED TO KEEP
PAYING FOR AD TIME SO MUCH?
FORCE THE NETWORKS TO PROVIDE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME FOR
DEBATES.
THIS IS NOT HAREBRAINED STUFF, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT LOTS
OF DEMOCRACIES DO.
BUT WHAT YOU JUST EXPRESSED, YOU PROBABLY WON'T HEAR ON
CNN OR MSNBC OR FOX NEWS BECAUSE ALL OF THEM MAKE TONS OF
MONEY RUNNING THOSE CAMPAIGN ADS.
AND ON PUBLIC FINANCING, IF THE PUBLIC FINANCES YOUR
CAMPAIGN YOU MIGHT WORK FOR THE PUBLIC.
IF PRIVATE INTERESTS
FINANCE YOUR CAMPAIGN YOU ARE LIKELY TO WORK FOR THOSE PRIVATE
INTERESTS, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD SEEM CONSPIRATORIAL
IF YOU SAID IT ON CNN.
AND NOW LET'S GO TO A BREAK.
AND
UNTIL WE CHANGE THE SYSTEM, AS BOTH CENK AND JOSH POINTED
OUT, THEY HAVE TO SPEND HOURS EVERY DAY MAKING THOSE CALLS.
I WORKED ON A CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN MAKING CALLS ONCE
AND I WANTED TO KILL MYSELF AFTER ONE DAY.
THESE CONGRESSMAN AND SENATORS ARE SUFFERING EVERY DAY.
SET THEM FREE, GO TO WOLF-PAC.COM.
WE NEED AN AMENDMENT, OTHERWISE YOU CAN'T FIX THE
SYSTEM.
THEY HAVE AN ADVANTAGE OVER THEIR OPPONENTS BECAUSE
THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN BRIBED.
PRE-BRIBED.
PRIVATE INTERESTS ALREADY GOT A RETURN ON INVESTMENT FROM
THESE GUYS, THEY ARE PROVEN PRODUCTS.
PRE-BRIBED IS THE WAY TO PUT IT.
HILLARY CLINTON SAYS SHOW ME WHERE I RECEIVED MONEY AND
I CHANGED MY POSITION.
THAT IS NOT HOW IT WORKS, THEY GIVE YOU THE MONEY FOR
YEARS YOU WON'T EVEN CONSIDER GOING AGAINST THEM.
THEY ELECT THE PEOPLE THEY KNOW WILL SUPPORT THEM.
AND IN THIS ELECTION CYCLE IT IS WORTH SAYING THAT A
SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT OF TRUMP'S SUPPORT COMES FROM THE FACT
THAT HE IS NOT BEHOLDEN LIKE THAT.
BUT HE HAS ANNOUNCED THAT FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION HE
WILL BE RAISING MONEY.
BUT I THINK SOME OF HIS SUCCESS FROM THE PRIMARIES
IS THAT PEOPLE KNOW HE IS NOT FULL OF SHIT BECAUSE THEY
KNOW HE IS FINDING HIMSELF.
HE IS NOT AN IDEOLOGUE, JUST AN ENTERTAINER.
[CROSSTALK]
HOMEMADE, FARM TO TABLE TRUMP SHIT.
HE IS FULL OF SHIT ABOUT THE SELF FUNDING, ONE THIRD COMES
FROM INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE TWO
THIRDS HE HAS SELF FUNDED COMES IN THE FORM OF LOANS WHICH HE
HAS NOT PROMISED HE WON'T SOMEDAY PAY BACK THROUGH
INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS.
BUT IT IS NOT BIG WALL STREET MONEY.
AND THE POINT IS THERE IS A PERCEPTION HE IS SELF-FUNDED AND
NOT BEHOLDEN TO THE DONOR CLASS, SAME FOR BERNIE SANDERS, AND
SHOCKINGLY THOSE CANDIDATES CAME OUT OF NOWHERE AND HAD AN ARMS
POPULARITY BECAUSE UNLIKE THE PEOPLE ON TV, THE REST OF US ALL
KNOW HOW CORRUPT THE SYSTEM IS SO WHEN SOMEONE CHALLENGES THAT
CORRUPT SYSTEM ON THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT THEY GO, YES.
THANK
GOD, FINALLY.
BUT THE REAL WAY TO DO IT IS NOT SOME KNIGHT IN
SHINING ARMOR THAT WILL RIDE IN --
STOP TALKING ABOUT TRUMP LIKE THAT.
THE PRESIDENT ALMOST CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, YOU NEED AN
AMENDMENT TO CLEAN UP THE SYSTEM ENTIRELY, AND THE AMENDMENT IS
-- THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T EVEN VOTE ON.
YOU CAN GET AN
AMENDMENT WITHOUT GOING THROUGH WASHINGTON AT ALL, JUST THROUGH
THE STATES.
DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN ALL THE HYPE ABOUT ALL THE
STUFF.
THE REALITY IS, IT CAN BE DONE, AS JOHN POINTED OUT.
WOLF-PAC.COM, THAT IS HOW YOU DO THIS, END THIS MADNESS.
CONGRESSMAN OR EVEN SAYING IT.
THAT THING IS NOT THE CAPITOL,
IT IS A FUCKING CASINO.