Culture of Corruption: Obama and His Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks, and Cronies (46 page)

Reforming Wall Street and protecting consumers from its abuses is just one aspect of my comprehensive economic plan to create jobs, revamp our economy, and set our nation back on track. This is the type of change we need. And this is the type of change Congressman Kirk can’t deliver.

Republican Congressman Kirk has taken millions from corporate special interests and then voted their way, time and time again. He has taken $54,010 from employees of Goldman Sachs, including $21,600 this cycle for his Senate campaign. In his career, the Congressman has raised over $1.26 million from the securities and investment industry alone. And what did Wall Street get in return? Congressman Kirk voted to protect taxpayer-funded CEO bonuses almost half a dozen times and has consistently voted against stricter regulation of Wall Street.

It’s typical Washington politics and Illinois can’t afford it any longer.

That’s why I refuse to take a dime from corporate special interests and their D.C. lobbyists and why I’ve proposed a bold, sweeping Wall Street reform plan .
²⁵

Wait. He wasn’t done cheerleading:

The support of the President is a great asset in a state where 64 percent of voters approve of the job he is doing. While my opponent opposes the White House agenda every chance he gets, I want to help the president change the broken system here in Washington .
²⁶

How fitting that Giannoulias’s idea of taking on the “special interests” was to promote his phony “reform” mentor’s financial regulatory package—a stealth permanent bailout plan for financial institutions that was originally conceived by another wolf in “reformer’s” clothing, retiring Democrat Senator Chris Dodd.

As I noted in the original epilogue to
Culture of Corruption
, Dodd had the full-throated backing of the president for his 2010 election bid. Until, that is, the day he was forced to reckon with his plunging popularity and mounting ethics scandals. During the Christmas 2009 recess, Dodd held a press conference hailing the Senate’s government health care takeover bill. But he couldn’t quell the voter revolt at home. A prescient constituent heckled him at Bradley International Airport. “You’re not gonna get re-elected,” the man taunted Dodd .
²⁷
Just a few weeks later, on January 16, 2010, he preempted the voters by abandoning his re-election campaign and announcing his retirement.

The writing was on the wall for Dodd—as it is now for all the wealth redistributionists in Congress masquerading as our better angels:

Retire or be retired.
²⁸

As for Alexi Giannoulias and other tainted political aspirants promising to follow in Obama’s footsteps? The tipping point is nigh. Chicago historian James Merriner, author of
Grafters and Goo Goos: Corruption and Reform
, explained how political scientists analyze electoral decisions about the costs and benefits of governmental corruption. It is akin to a marketplace “in which the public tolerate precisely the level of corruption that will clear the market, while any stealing beyond that invites eventual eradication.”
²⁹

Put simply: Voters can only take so much. In the words of a popular Tea Party sign, a cheeky warning to all government tax cheats, crooks, and cronies:

“We can see November from our house.”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

T
his book would not have been possible without the invaluable assistance of gallons of caffeinated products, hot, cold, bottled and canned. Special thanks to Circle K premium coffee, Sonic Mocha Java Chillers, and 5-hour Energy, which I highly recommend to National Economic Council chief Larry “Sleepy” Summers and President Obama, who was too “overwhelmed” and tired to give British Prime Minister Gordon Brown a proper welcome in March 2009.

At least my all-nighters didn’t cause international incidents.

No author is an island. Robert Stacy McCain, fellow ink-stained wretch-turned-blogger and co-author of the essential
Donkey Cons: Sex, Crime, and Corruption
in the Democratic Party, provided invaluable writerly advice and counsel (every bit of which I took, except for his valiant insistence that I drop my accurate transcription of our president’s pronunciation of the word “otha”). Blogger and columnist extraordinaire Doug Powers pitched in with guest-posting at my website,
michellemalkin.com
, while I worked offline to meet a tight deadline. Ed Morrissey and Allahpundit kept
hotair.com
hot and fresh—and both contributed to this book in untold ways with their trenchant, comprehensive coverage of Team Obama during the election cycle, transition, and flabbergasting first year in office.

Thanks also to bloggers Flip Pidot at
suitablyflip.com
for his excellent investigative work on Norman Hsu; Stefan Sharkansky of
soundpolitics.com
for his dogged reporting on the shenanigans of King County executive-turned-HUD No. 2 official Ron Sims; and Tennyson Hayes of
galtslist.com
for his creative genius.

Warm and humble thanks to my favorite right-wing Marks—Levin and Steyn—for their support.

Thanks to everyone at Regnery—especially Marji Ross for her years of support and publicist Patricia Jackson for her tireless work. Thanks to editor Harry Crocker for his persistent efforts to persuade me to write another book. Thanks to Christian Tappe and Mary Beth Baker for their meticulous editing. Thanks also to Amanda Larsen for enduring my pestering e-mails. Thanks to the sales staff. And thanks to Tim Carney for his input.

Several organizations left, right, and center deserve singling out for their principled and unwavering dedication to transparency, open government, and accountability. This book drew on vital research by the National Right to Work Foundation, Capital Research Center, Employment Policy Institute, and Center for Responsive Politics. Many individual whistleblowers provided invaluable information, but I’d like to give special thanks to Anita MonCrief for her enormous courage and vigilance on ACORN corruption—and to Mike Gaynor and Matthew Vadum for their foresight and insight in reporting on the story when no one else would.

Thanks to Carole and Dick, for everything and more.

And finally: A big group hug to the loves of my life—Jesse, Veronica, and J. D.—for their patience, understanding, inspiration, and good humor while Mommy worked on “book, just book.” Go Malkins!

NOTES

FOREWORD TO THE PAPERBACK EDITION

1
Michelle Malkin, “Into the lion’s den: My encounter with The View; Vid link added,”
michellemalkin.com
, August 3, 2009; available online at:
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/08/03/into-the-lions-den-my-encounter-with-the-view/
[accessed April 24, 2010].

2
Michelle Malkin, “When they can’t attack the message . . . ”
michellemalkin.com
, August 2, 2009; available online at:
http://michelle-malkin.com/2009/08/02/when-they-cant-attack-the-message/
[accessed April 24, 2010].

3
Allahpundit, “Video: Michelle discusses Obama’s ‘racial opportunism’ on... the Today show,”
hotair.com
, July 29, 2009; available online at:
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/07/29/video-michelle-talks-obamas-racial-opportunism-on-the-today-show/
[accessed April 24, 2010].

4
Steve Clemons, “Communications Corruption at the White House,”
The Washington Note
, April 2, 2010; available online at:
http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/2010/04/communications/
[accessed April 24, 2010].

5
Jennifer Schuessler, “Inside the List,”
New York Times
, January 10, 2010; available online at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/books/review/InsideList-t.html
[accessed April 24, 2010].

6
Frank Luntz, “Opinion: A Case of Buyer’s Remorse,” AOL News (undated); available online at:
http://www.aolnews.com/opinion/article/opinion-voters-have-a-serious-case-of-buyers-remorse-with-president-obama/19323050
[accessed April 24, 2010].

7
“President Obama Job Approval,” Real Clear Politics (undated); available online at:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president_obama_job_approval-1044.html#polls
[accessed April 24, 2010].

8
Michael Muskal, “Voters split on whether Obama deserves another term, poll shows,”
Los Angeles Times,
D.C. Now, April 16, 2010; available online at:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dcnow/2010/04/voters-split-on-whether-obama-deserves-another-term-poll-shows.html
[accessed April 24, 2010].

9
Jennifer Fermino, “‘Obama Girl’ now falling out of love,”
New York Post
, January 27, 2010; available online at:
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/obama_girl_now_falling_out_of_love_20IY02jVpUMvC0IQBLXvEI
[accessed June 22, 2010].

10
Doug Heye, “Forget Polls, Here’s Tangible Proof the Obama Honeymoon is Over,”
U.S. News and World Report
, February 4, 2010; available online at:
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/doug-heye/2010/02/04/forget-polls-heres-tangible-proof-the-obama-honeymoon-is-over.html
[accessed April 24, 2010].

11
Kristen Gelineau, “Indonesia’s controversial Obama statue to be moved,” Associated Press, February 5, 2010; available online at:
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=9754486
[accessed May 14, 2010].

12
Jonathan Martin, “The White House Strikes Back,”
Politico
, July 16, 2009; available online at:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25003.html
[accessed April 24, 2010].

13
Letter from Representative Darrell Issa to Rahm Emanuel, August 4, 2009; available online at:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/18106563/Edolphus-Towns-New-York-Chairman
[accessed April 24, 2010].

14
Glenn Hamer, “Mr. President: Don’t bully Arizona,”
East Valley Tribune
, July 15, 2009; available online at:
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/141701
[accessed April 24, 2010].

15
Jake Tapper, “Defying President Obama, House Takes What Critic Calls ‘Hardcore Bipartisan NIMBY’ Action on Chrysler and GM Auto Dealers,” ABC News, July 17, 2009; available online at:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/07/defying-president-obama-house-takes-what-critic-calls-hardcore-bipartisan-nimby-action-on-chrysler-a.html
[accessed April 24, 2010].

16
Frank Beckmann interview, “Frank talks with Tom Lauria, who represents a group of lenders that object to the Chrysler sale,” 760 WJR (undated); available online at:
http://www.760wjr.com/article.asp?id=1301727&spid=6525
[accessed April 24, 2010].

17
Michael Barone, “White House puts UAW ahead of property rights,”
Washington Examiner,
May 6, 2009; available online at:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/White-House-puts-UAWAHEAD-OF-PROPERTY-RIGHTS-44415057.html#ixzz0m4k4DiIK
[accessed April 24, 2010].

18
Jake Tapper, “White House Denies Charge By Attorney that Administration Threatened to Destroy Investment Firm’s Reputation*,” ABC News, May 2, 2009; available online at:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/05/bankruptcy-atto.html
[accessed April 24, 2010].

19
Julianna Goldman and Alison Vekshin, “White House Urges Blankfein, Dimon to Stop Bill Fight,”
Business Week
, April 14, 2010; available online at:
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-04-14/blankfein-dimon-urged-by-white-house-to-stop-fighting-rules.html
[accessed April 24, 2010].

20
Michael Barone, “Gangster government returns: Nice little bank ya got there . . .,”
Washington Examiner
, April 14, 2010; available online at:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Gangster-government-continued-90856314.html#ixzz
0m4kbVWdq [accessed April 24, 2010].

21
Michael Barone, “White House puts UAW ahead of property rights,” op cit.

22
Carl Hulse, “Recalling ‘95 Bombing, Clinton Sees Parallels,”
New York Times
, April 15, 2010; available online at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/16/us/politics/16clinton.html?ref=politics
[accessed April 24, 2010].

23
Larry Kane, “Sestak surprises me with a bombshell statement,”
The Larry Kane Report
, February 18, 2010; available online at:
http://www.larrykane.com/2010/02/18/sestak-surprises-me-with-a-bombshell-statement/
[accessed April 24, 2010].