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Sunday, March 5th, 2023

Rail industry spent $654 million on federal lobbying over past 20 years: analysis

Author:     Jake Johnson
Source:     AlterNet
Publication Date:     March 03, 2023
 Link: Rail industry spent $654 million on federal lobbying over past 20 years: analysis
Stephan:  

The rail system of the United States is notably inferior to other developed nations as anyone who has ever traveled in Europe, the Nordic countries, China or Japan. Why is it so inferior? Because the rail industry spends more money on corrupting politicians than they do on the rail system. Why is the American government so corrupt? It is so deeply corrupt because of the Citizen's United decision that legalized bribery. But I don't think most Americans realize this or just how corrupt the country has become. This report, speaking only about the railroad industry, however, should give you a sense of the scale. Sadly, as a result of this corruption the people of East Palestine, Ohio have had their lives turned upside down. But the corporate oligarchs and the privileged member of Congress who protect the interests of the oligarchs don't care about a bunch of peasants -- as they see them -- in Ohio. Imagine the quality of the rail network if that $ 654 million had been spent on upgrading the rail system. 

A new analysis by the campaign finance watchdog OpenSecrets found that the rail industry has spent $653.5 million on federal lobbying over the past two decades as it has worked—often successfully—to fight off stricter safety regulations and antitrust enforcement.

While Norfolk Southern’s history of lobbying against safety rules has faced greater scrutiny and backlash in the wake of the toxic derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, the company is hardly an industry outlier.

In its analysis of federal lobbying disclosures, OpenSecrets found that the rail industry’s top federal lobbying spenders between 2002 and 2022 were the Association of American Railroads, of which Norfolk Southern is a member; BNSF Railway’s parent company Berkshire Hathaway; CSX Corporation; Union Pacific; and Norfolk Southern.

“The industry’s hold on the Congress goes beyond Norfolk Southern and its efforts to water down legislation addressing systemic safety issues,” the watchdog emphasized, noting that the industry’s biggest lobbying “splurges” took place between 2008 and 2012, when “the industry lobbied an act aiming to enforce antitrust laws on the […]

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