When Bill Clinton watched this year’s Super Bowl on TV at the presidential retreat at Camp

David, one of those kicking back with him was Washington superlobbyist Mike Berman.

Berman’s corporate clients include Time Warner, the media giant that controls cable access

to millions of our homes-and that bills you and me a pretty penny every month for the

service. Indeed, practically everywhere in America, the cable market has been divied up by

a few huge firms like Time Warner, allowing them to operate in their areas as total

monopolies. If you want to watch ESPN, CNN, or other cable channels in your towns, you

have to pay their price, for there is no competition.

Which brings me to the 1996 Telecommunications Act that deregulated the cable industry. It

lets the companies charge what they want, with no public body regulating rates to protect

us consumers. Congress and the White House promised back then that no regulation would be

necessary, since this bill would cause a burst of new competition in the cable market,

lowering our rates.

Have you checked your bill lately? In the three years since the telecommunications

act passed, there’s been no competitive burst and the rates have risen about 21

percent. A new study by two consumer groups finds that each of us would be paying $36 less

per year had the act not passed. That’s a $36 tax that is taken from your pocket and

handed directly to Time Warner.

Telecommunications companies spent an estimated $50 million to hire lobbyists like Mike

Berman in 1996 to push this robbery into law. Since then, neither the Congress nor

Clinton’s White House have lifted a finger to stop the robbery. Last summer, thanks to

more than $3 million in campaign donations to lawmakers and thanks to more lobbying by the

likes of Berman, Congress even killed a proposal simply to study the rise in cable

rates.

This is Jim Hightower saying . . . I wonder if Mike and Bill shared a good laugh about all

this while they watched the Super Bowl on cable?

"The Cable Guys." Ouch!: A Regular Bulletin on How Money in Politics Hurts

You published by Public Campaign: February 12, 1999.

THE NEWT GINGRICH 

Y2K PROBLEM

Gosh, it’s really wonderful to be able to count on your friends, especially when you’re

down and out.

That’s why it warmed my heart to learn that some fabulous people in Washington are

rallying around one of their own [Newt theme]: The Newt! Newt Gingrich, the deposed

Speaker of the House of Representatives is back in the Nation’s Capital, promising to stay

active in governmental affairs. Isn’t that great news?

The "Friends of Newt Gingrich Political Action Committee" has been formed, and a

great big Welcome Home fundraiser has been scheduled to fill Newt’s new PAC with cold

cash. Helping out is former White House aide Nicholas Calio. Nick is now a lobbyist,

handling the business of such clients as Anheuser Busch and Sears Roebuck. Former House

member Vin Weber is another who’s there for Newt. He’s also a lobbyist now, toting water

for the likes of AT&T and Microsoft. Haley Barbour is standing with The Newt in his

moment of need, too. He’s the former Republican Party Chairman, though now he’s a

lobbyist, representing CBS, Philip Morris, and many other concerned corporate citizens.

According to former Representative Bob Walker, this outpouring of lobbyists’ love for the

Newtster "is a reflection of the role that Newt has played" and a recognition

that Newt will "continue to be a presence." By the way, Bob is now a lobbyist,

too, representing Visa, American Airlines, and other corporations that just might need

the good will of a certain-former-Speaker-who-still-has-friends

-in-high-places-in-Congress. Not that this in

any way influenced the decision by these good friends of Newt to shove money at him.

The former Speaker says he may yet run for President, Governor, Pope, or even higher

office . . . but for now, he’s forming a [quote] "consulting firm" to advise

corporate clients on how to get favors done in Washington. He has to be a

"consultant" because the law prohibits him from lobbying his former colleagues

until he’s been out of office for a year-January 2000.

This is Jim Hightower saying . . . Now there’s a real Y2K problem.

"Top lobbyists to help Gingrich." Associated Press: February 26, 1999