George J. Mitchell Quotes
Hardly a week goes by where somebody doesn't tell me that they won't support me unless I vote a certain way.
George J. Mitchell, U. S. Senator (Democrat, ME), Senate Majority Leader, Chairman, Northern Ireland Peace Talks, Interview, Meet the Press, November 21, 1993
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
This quotation illustrates a political phenomenon that used to be common in American politics—the spoils system where government activities, positions, contracts and grants were awarded to the supporters of the winning party and not to the opponents. In modern times government contracts were supposed to have been awarded on the basis of qualifications and price and not conditioned on political support. In this rare quotation, the secretary admitted to violating his own Department’s regulations and using politics as a criteria where existing laws prohibited that.
Abramoff had bribed over 100 Congressional offices by a combination of campaign donations, paid golf junkets all over the world, free elegant meals at his own fancy Washington Restaurant, free tickets for the Congressmen, their staffs and their major constituents, to Concerts and sporting events including his own Skyboxes, and promises of future employment at very high salaries. Ironically, we was convicted of cheating some of his lobbying clients and did a jail term, but his “bribery” was technically usually legal. In addition to Abramoff, only one Congressman was charged and convicted of corruption, when many if not most had engaged in these corrupt practices. Congress makes the rules with loopholes so that what is bribery and corruption in any other setting is often not against the law if Congress is involved.
Goldman Sachs, one of the largest worldwide financial corporation, not only spent millions on lobbyists to shape government law and regulation, but its ex-officials served on high government positions including Treasury Secretary. They also give large amounts to finance campaigns of Congressmen and other public officials who were then very sympathetic to Goldman Sachs’ welfare. There is no practical way a citizen voter can overcome that situation, especially by exercising the voting franchise.
George John Mitchell Jr. is an American politician, diplomat and lawyer. A leading member of the Democratic Party, he served as a United States Senator from Maine from 1980 to 1995 and as Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995. He briefly served as a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maine from 1979 to 1980.
