The news about the state of our republic is very bad. The founders of this country never envisioned a legislative branch dominated by career politicians. They never envisioned a congress for sale to the highest bidder. The 20th century wit Will Rogers' quip about "the best congress money can buy," only touched the surface of the depth of corruption which has only grown worse over time. While the Republican and Democratic parties are said to be in control of Congress, the real control rests with the power of money to corrupt our elected representatives from both major parties. Members of Congress have milked the military-industrial complex, banks, insurance companies, the oil, gas and coal industries, hedge-fund managers, Wall Street, and pharmaceutical companies, among others, for campaign contributions then passed legislation that benefited those companies. Instead of extending freedom and deepening equality, the Congress has privatized massive profits for a few and socialized a massive debt for the many. This institutionalized system of bribery threatens the very foundation of our republic and makes a sham of democracy.

Voters in Washington's 6th Congressional District have a particularly appalling example of a congressman for sale in the person of Norm Dicks, who is one of the top ten feeders at the trough of this intolerable campaign contribution to earmark system.

While our veterans are committing suicide at alarming rates (6,256 suicides nationally in 2005; 433 veterans in Washington alone in 2004-2005), and while 4,000 U.S. soldiers have been killed in Iraq, 1,000,000 Iraqis have been killed, 4,000,000 Iraqis have fled their homes, and 25,000 wounded American veterans languish in veteran's hospitals, between 2001 and 2007 Norm Dicks landed $434,800 in campaign contributions just from military-related contractors--- businesses for whom he put earmarks in the federal budget. The list of companies involved in this disgusting legalized bribery reads like a who's who of the military-industrial-congressional complex: Boeing, $49,500; Science Applications International, $27, 750; Lockheed Martin, $27,000; General Dynamics, $26,500; Raytheon, $21,000; Northrop Grumman, $20,000; and on and on and on.

But it is not just the multi-national military contractors who are involved in corrupting our Mr. Dicks. Local firms have also lined up to buy their earmarks. The most notorious example in recent years is an earmark for the "boat to nowhere." Initially Dicks, with the cooperation of Senator Patty Murray and Congressman Brian Baird, forced the Navy to buy a boat from Edmonds shipbuilder Guardian Marine International for $4.5 million. The Navy did not want this boat. So, without ever using it, they gave it to the University of Washington--- which also had no use for it. Eventually, Dicks slipped four additional earmarks for the 'boat to nowhere' into different Congressional bills for Guardian Marine - - totaling $17.65 million between 2002 and 2007. For his services, Guardian Marine paid Norm Dicks $16,750 in bribes called "campaign donations." Brian Baird and Patty Murray received their bribes as well. [David Heath and Hal Bernton, "$4.5 million for a boat that nobody wanted," The Seattle Times, 15 October 2007 ]

The owners of Mobilisa knew how to get their fledgling Port Townsend company off the ground. They hired a lobbyist; and, in exchange for their own $20,000 in "campaign donations", Norm Dicks rewarded them with an $800,000 earmark for a no-bid contract. Since 2003 Senator Patty Murray and Norm Dicks have favored Mobilisa "with at least nine earmarks worth $20.3 million. [David Heath, Congressional ties bankroll area company," The Seattle Times, 31 December 2007 ]

Seattle-based Outdoor Research also succeeded in finally being favored for earmarks after contributing $11,000 in combined campaign contributions to US Senators Murray and Cantwell--- and Washington's 6th Congressional District Representative Dicks.

Without the least hint of shame, Norm Dicks says of this system of bribery (which imprisoned lobbyist Jack Abramoff called "the favor factory,") "People, if they want to support me, they support me." [The Seattle Times, 15 October 2007]

Gary Murrell believes that the earmark system as it now operates is a betrayal of the public trust. It must be brought into the sunlight. He would support legislation to make the system completely transparent. Members of Congress must be forced to disclose all earmarks. Dr. Murrell would never accept campaign contributions from companies for which he helped obtain federal dollars and he would support legislation making this legalized system of bribery illegal. Dr. Murrell also supports legislation establishing publicly financed campaigns for Congressional elections.