What Conflict of Interest?

For those of you who who may still be of the mind that our elected representatives are looking at the auto industry's plea for a finacial bailout with a view towards doing what is best for our nation, I would suggest you view the above video several times and then think again! Even though the auto giants are drowning in red ink, they still managed to donate fifty million dollars to politicians during the first nine months of this year and during that same period, others with close ties to the auto industry donated another fifteen million! Representative John Dingell from Michigan's 15th Congressional District, who has been a member of Congress for over 50 years, is swimming in auto industry money and stock. His wife was once a lobbyist for General Motors but she gave that up to become an executive at GM at an "undisclosed salary." To put it bluntly, if GM goes belly-up, so goes the Dingell's financial portfolio. This wouldn't bother me so much had he publicly announced his and his family's relationships with the auto industry and then recused himself from any vote on a bailout but he simply chose to champion the bailout of GM and the other auto makers after looking at the "big picture!" Of course, in this instance, the "big picture" does not extend much further than his own financial holdings. Unfortunately it appears that Mr. Dingell, after having spent more than 50 years as a politician, would not recognize a conflict of interest if it hit him on his head! If you happen to be watching CNN and come across Representative John Dingell from Michigan speaking at the bailout hearings just remember, he may have one hand on the microphone in front of him but his other hand is planted firmly on his own wallet!