Homer Hickam Quotes
When legislators do something that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, there's always the suspicion that they're in somebody's pocket.
Hickam, Homer. "Don't Cut Mine Safety." The Washington Post, 2011.
Bryan had reached the point where he advocated public financing of campaigns.
In 1987 Toshiba Corporation of Japan illegally sold sophisticated technical equipment to the Russians. Congress was considering legislation that would punish Toshiba, but the proposed sanctions were softened:
She was the first Black woman to be elected to Congress and was the first Black woman to actively campaign for the Presidency
Bribing Congressmen was quite common. In those days, money to Congressmen and Senators was not even disguised as campaign contributions. The letters were the short terms for the different agents.
He is not referring to campaign contributions but to actual cash bribes. Corporations and industry groups pay cash or provide goods and services to a politician in exchange for legislation favorable to the company or industry. Although his generalization about state officials being the most corrupt is generally probably correct, his state—Kentucky—is and has been one of the most corrupt in the country. See {623532} .
Senator McCain, on the current lobbying scandal, in particular, and the state of the government’s relationship with lobbyists in general.
While New York City and a few other jurisdictions—states and local—have more stringent laws and ethical standards for politicians than does Congress and Federal Officials, but most have lower standards. In some of the jurisdictions judges can try cases and rule in favor of a company or wealthy individual who gave the judge the money to campaign with and get elected.
Homer Hadley Hickam Jr. is an American author, Vietnam War veteran, and a former NASA engineer who trained the first Japanese astronauts. His 1998 memoir Rocket Boys (also published as October Sky) was a New York Times Best Seller and was the basis for the 1999 film October Sky. Hickam's body of written work also includes several additional best-selling memoirs and novels, including the "Josh Thurlow" historical fiction novels and his 2015 best-selling Carrying Albert Home: The Somewhat True Story of a Man, his Wife, and her Alligator. His books have been translated into many languages.
