Is Clinton Selling Out To K Street ?

One of the biggest disappointments of the current Republican regime was how they sold their souls and their votes to the K Street lobbyists (K street is the Washington, DC street where many lobbyists have their offices). Due to their huge campaign contributions and other gifts, many of these lobbyists were even allowed to write some of the bills presented by the White House (especially economic and oil & energy bills).

But these lobbyists are not stupid people. They can sense the way the political winds are blowing. That is why they are now trying to throw money at candidates in the Democratic party. If the Democrats are going to take over in Washington after the 2008 election, these lobbyists want to buy as many Democrats as they can now, so they won't be left out in the cold after the election.

Fortunately many of the Democrats aren't taking their money, but some are. Hillary Clinton is one of the candidates taking money from the lobbyists. During the DailyKos convention attended by many bloggers, she was asked to stop taking money from the lobbyists and refused. She even had the audacity to say she would not be influenced by the lobbyists.

Sadly, it looks like Clinton is starting to think that the people are stupid. How can anyone not be influenced by lobbyists donating millions of dollars to their campaign? At the very least, these lobbyists are buying access that is denied to ordinary citizens. When it comes time for legislation affecting their rich clients, these lobbists will have her ear (and probably her support).

Last week, I detailed on this blog how Clinton now supports the outsourcing of American jobs, and is accepting millions in donations from groups that benefit from that outsourcing. Now we learn that those aren't the only lobbyists she is accepting money from. What other progressive ideas is she willing to give up to be elected president?

Clinton got upset a couple of weeks ago when Obama called her "Bush/Cheney lite". But it is starting to look like he was even more right than he realized. Will she continue the same corporate-oriented politics of the current administration? Her eager acceptance of huge donations from lobbyists makes me think that she will.

Couple her support of outsourcing and her acceptance of lobbyists donations with her views on Iraq, and her campaign becomes very troubling to true progressives. It was bad enough that she voted for the illegal Iraq war, but now she doesn't even support a complete withdrawal from Iraq. She wants to leave some of our soldiers there -- perhaps for many years!

It's beginning to look like Clinton's desire to become president is stronger than her progressive ideals.