Somewhere along the line the “Straight Talk Express”, as
some have dubbed the bus, Senator John McCain, toured the
country in, while campaigning, turned into the “Talk is Cheap
Wagon”. Senator McCain's campaign has been plagued of
late with, purging itself, of those working with Mr. McCain
as part of his staff, who have been exposed, as having huge
conflicts of interest, if not worse.
The latest, though still working in the core advisor group,
for Senator McCain, is former Senator Phil Gramm. Mr.
Gramm, it is reported, is an advisor to Senator McCain,
and is developing, position papers for the senator. At the
same time, it has been disclosed that Mr. Gramm, very seeped
in economic policies, has been lobbying the United States Senate,
on behalf of a banking concern, UBS, to defeat a bill which would
favor the bank, and not consumers, who would receive some help,
with their mortgage woes, during the mortgage crisis, being
experienced, by a majority of low income to middle income families.
Mr. Gramm, is also believed to be a major influence in perpetuating
the crisis by assisting, in implementing the very regulations which caused
the problems with the mortgages, in the first place. Experts familiar
with the situation, reportedly are saying, that Mr. Gramm's heavy
involvement, in the deregulation process, which would have shielded
consumers from the problems, they are now suffering, partially caused
the current crisis. Whether Senator McCain decides to shed himself,
of Mr. Gramm, will be decided in the future, if at all. One of Senator
other campaign advisors, Charlie Black, has stated in past reports, that
the public does not care about things such as this, or that the public
will have a short term memory of what is going on now, in November.
This is just the latest in the lobbyist problem, that the Senator's
campaign has been experiencing. There have been at least three other
people, who have left the employ of the McCain campaign. Those
individuals include, energy policy adviser, Eric Burgeson, Doug
Davenport, a regional campaign director, Doug Goodyear, who was
to run the Republican convention, and former Representative,
Thomas G. Loeffler. According to reports, Loeffler lobbies for
the European Aeronautic Defence & Space Company, which with
Northrop Grumman Corporation, won a very lucrative contract,
for the Air Force. It has also been reported that Senator McCain,
assisted in helping to stop, an earlier contract, that would have gone
to a competitor, Boeing Company. The other two, Goodyear and
Davenport, worked for DCI Group, a consulting firm, hired to
improve the image of Myanmar's military junta. This is the
same military, which thwarted the U.N.'s efforts to bring food
and medical supplies to residents of Myanmar, after the effects
of the recent cyclone, in the region. Eric Burgeson, represents
energy companies as a lobbyist.
The number of lobbyists, reportedly working with the McCain
campaign, is forty-five in total, this appears to be in total contrast
to the notion, that Senator McCain, is one who wants to get money
and lobbyists, out of the political system, so what's up with this
picture?
Many people are being put out to pasture, for having an apparent
or possible conflict of interest. The campaign has now resolved
to make all staffers, disclose all lobbying ties, and to make sure,
that they are not registered, as lobbyists or foreign agents.
What political campaign, does not vent, those being considered
for hire as staff workers, to make sure there are no conflicts of
interest, bubbling up in the future, to embarrass the candidate?
I would assume, that would be a campaign, which is now caught
up, in removing multiple staffers, who have been shown to have
conflicts of interests, here and there.
Senator McCain, is busy trying to set his house in order, when
he would be better served, putting his policies forth to the
American people, as to what he would offer them, if he becomes,
President, of the United States. Maybe in the near future, there
will be less people leaving his campaign, causing questions to
be asked, so that he may make progress, in his effort to get out
his campaign message without distraction.
