There was just one memorable spark in the Democrats debate on CNN Sunday. It lasted about a minute, then disappeared.
The subject turns for a very few seconds to the power of "interest groups" in Washington, which Kucinich wants to "move away" from. Biden quickly jumps on the opportunity to steal the thunder with the most important statement made in the entire debate - and then the subject is changed, never to reappear, not in the debates and not in the follow-up analysis. Not anywhere. The transcript of this exchange: ------------------- MR. GRAVEL: Listen. They've been raiding the Social Security trust funds of $200 million a year, and they're all involved in this. Now, what do they say about it? You balance the budget by raiding the Social Security fund of $200 million a year? And they're doing it now! MR. BLITZER: Congressman Kucinich, you want to respond to that? REP. KUCINICH: I do, because we're looking at a process here in Washington that most of the American public isn't aware of. And that is, these interest groups have such a hold on our country that right now they're headed to grab the oil of Iraq using our troops. Right now they're keeping a not-for-profit health-care system in its place. Right now they're keeping NAFTA in its place. I'm talking about a real change here that gives the American people a chance to recover their country totally and by moving away from the interest groups -- MR. BLITZER: All right. REP. KUCINICH: -- that, unfortunately, support some of my dear friends here. MR. BLITZER: Senator Biden. SEN. BIDEN: Ten seconds. If you want to do away with the interest groups, go to public financing of elections. Let's cut through all this malarkey. (Applause.) That is the bottom line. As long as there are massive contributions pouring into the system, you're going to get these earmarks in the middle of the night that have nothing to do with the people's interest. So you want to do this? Reform the system. (Scattered applause.) Make a public financing system. That will change the earmarks. ---------------- Bill _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: [email protected] Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech Searchable Archive: http://leafe.com/archives/search/profox This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/profox/[EMAIL PROTECTED] ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
