"Hagel Hacks Democracy"

by The Cranky Media Guy

Chuck Hagel

Look, I have to say up front that Senator Chuck Hagel (R, Nebraska) isn't the worst member of the US Senate. When it comes to undermining democracy, however, he's right there to volunteer for the front lines.

When Senator John McCain ( a previous weasel) introduced a bill designed to loosen the stranglehold megacorporations have on our government, something had to be done to stop it.

When these guys talk about their constituency, they aren't talking about us.  Hagel's constituency consists primarily of oil companies and international banking institutions.  They give him a lot of money to make sure things go their way, and they're more than pleased with the results.

Meanwhile the bad guys, according to Hagel, are people who care about the environment and union workers. 

It should come as no surprise, therefore, that someone like Senator Hagel would want to do anything possible to prevent common trash like us from having a voice in government.  His tactic, in this case, is a tried a true method for stopping legislation which enjoys overwhelming public support.

There are at least a couple of ways to stop popular legislation.  One is to filibuster it into nonexistence. The only problem with this technique is that everyone knows where you stand.  That's fine if you live in a redneck state and are working to stop gun control legislation, but what happens when you want to torpedo popular legislation that benefits ordinary voters? What is a corporate shill to do if he can't let voters know the degree to which he holds them in utter contempt?

The answer is simple: Muddy the waters. Introduce bills that sound like the real thing, but in reality have the opposite (or no) effect. This is what Senator Hagel has done with his "campaign finance reform bill" - a bill that doesn't reform anything, but instead enshrines the poison of soft money forever.

Thanks a lot, Hagel.  The only people who should be more ashamed for their betrayal of democracy are those who keep voting you into office.  It's amazing how people will consistently vote against their own interests as long as a politician looks good and talks smoothly. Slick Chuck.  Yes, Senator Hagel talks a lot about free speech and freedom in general, but like a magician, he's distracting Nebraska voters from the truth of what he does -- and the truth is that Hagel works hard against the interests of working class people every day.

Senator Hagel, you're a true weasel.

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