All Politicians Sell Access. Why is the Clinton Foundation Different?
Yes it’s true. All politicians give special access to their donors. Its an age old custom, and why not? If someone shares your political philosophies and you have common goals, then why not accept their monetary support.
Contributors often become advisors and strategist. It’s logical for Planned Parenthood to support Democrats who support abortion. Its logical for a businessman to support a conservative politician who supports lower business taxes.
And yes, its true, and always has been, that these contributors have more access and influence than the common man. It is true polticians are often beholden to their contributors, and it is impossible for them not to be influenced, and this easily develops into a corruption of the ideals and perhaps even the corruption of the politician himself.
Dr. Robert Cialdini, a former professor at the University of Arizona and perhaps the foremost expert on “influence” describes a principle of “reciprocity.” To paraphrase, if I give you something, you feel an obligation to return the favor. It is an exceeding powerful principle.
Politics is a game of influence, and the rich and powerful will always give support in exchange for favors. The Clintons are no different, their contributors often become their advisors. So what is the problem?
The problem with the Clinton Foundation is that it has institutionalized this process, bypassing all campaign and lobbying safeguards and peddling influence to anyone who wants to pay through an outside organization. And they are doing this on a massive scale.
The Clintons have solicited multi-million dollar donations. Instead of contributors who agree with the Clintons in pro-American philosophies, they accept massive contributions from those whose interests are contrary to American interests, who might very well be on the opposite side of the negotiating table or perhaps the opposite side of a war, or even the recipient of U.S. government support.
For example, Saudi Arabia has given somewhere between $10 million and $25 million to the Clinton Foundation. Kuwait, Oman and Qatar also contributed. The issues of terrorism and oil are huge in America, should this contribution allow our Saudi “friends” to have more access or sympathy with our Secretary of State? Did it influence Clinton in such topics as the Keystone Pipeline, regulations on shale oil, immigration of Muslims, or military support for Saudi’s various conflicts?
And of course there is the much cited circumstance where Russian Banking interests hired Bill Clinton (through the Clinton Foundation) for a speech for $500,000, just after they announced their intention to take over a Canadian company that owned strategic uranium mining interests.
According to the documentary “Clinton Cash,” Gilbert Chagoury, a Nigerian Billionaire has committed a billion dollars to the Clinton Foundation. Bill Clinton also received over $1.4 million to give speeches in Nigeria. As Secretart of State, Hillary Clinton approved hundreds of millions in foreign aide to Nigeria.
Remember only 10% of the Clinton Foundations funds have gone into actual charity services. They are like any other bloated and ineffective charity, most of the money goes to support the non-charity infrustructure. Chelsea Clinton’s salary, if I remember correctly, is $900,000 per year.
So If you want access to the Clintons, no matter you can donate substantial sums to the Clinton Foundation and become an insider.
And now the Clinton’s owe you one.
Editor’s note: This is a new and devastating form of political corruption on a scale never before experienced. And its happening right in front of our eyes.
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