The Buying of the Congress
InThe Buying of the Congress, Charles Lewis and his cohorts at the Center for Public Integrity show how powerful industries and people influence our representatives in Washington to pass legislation that helps corporations but hurts regular citizens. They describe how the campaign-finance system and the myriad lobbyists in Washington, D.C., corrupt politicians, or at least make them forget that their primary duty is to protect the interests of the general public. Many readers may already have an inkling that something is awry with our political system; the authors hope that the facts in this book will encourage people to act on those suspicions:The decisions illuminated in this book all affect our daily lives, and whether or not the current political milieu is appealing to us or the latest ethical imbroglio is surprising to us, the people we elect work for us. They are our employees, and it is up to us to remind them of that.After outlining the many ways big donors sway the opinions of lawmakers, Lewis explains how that influence affects legislation in several important industries. For instance, because of the financial power of the airlines, airplane seats are not sturdy enough to withstand the force of plane crashes and cause unnecessary deaths; the food we eat is not as safe as it should be because of the inadequate meat-inspection system; and dangerous chemicals and inadequately tested medications remain on the market because powerful companies profit from them. Issue by issue, Lewis and his coauthors demonstrate the links between moneyed interests and bad legislation.The Buying of the Congressis an expertly researched, well-written work of investigative journalism.--Jill Marquis