In international business, it was said that corruption was a hidden tax.
On this basis, I think the Bush administration has presided over the largest tax, albeit a hidden, stealth tax, in the history of America.
Who collects these taxes? Ans: the lobbies and their lawyers. Who pays these taxes? Ans: the vast majority of Americans, in the form of unaffordable energy, health care, as well as a degradation of a clean, livable environment.
Small wonder that Ed Gillespie, after a lobbying career ... made him a multimillionaire....
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/11/washington/11gillespie.htmlOr Billy Tauzin, who IMHO after pushing through his committee a most lucrative bill for the pharmaceutical industry, ended up w/ a lobbying position for the pharmaceuticals and a pay package worth over 2 million in year one.
file:///C:/Program%20Files/America%20Online%209.0/download/GenInfo/PersPlacsPublic/phrmaLegis_/Tauzin.htm
Or Trent Lott, who resigned early, reportedly so he would only wait half the time now required to jump on the lobbying money machine.
Cut the hidden stealth taxes; cut the lobbies <"special interests" is such a super sanitized synonym favored by the pols>... cut the lobbies down to size!