you know who they work for

Today we have a report that the head of a federal agency (and other senior officials) took lots of trips at the expense of the various industries said agency is supposed to regulate. Just another day in Republican Land, in the de facto President George Bush wing.

The agency this time? The Consumer Product Safety Commission. Yes, those people who are supposed to announce recalls when some cheap toy could put your child in danger of being blinded or killed are accepting vacations from the toy industry.

Of course, the CPSC says these trips met their conflict of interest standards. Which is true, since for the Cheney/Bush Halliburton Administration, conflict of interest is defined very generously. Basically, you'd have to be on the payroll of a corporation to have a conflict of interest - hell, just like Dick Cheney, still getting money from Halliburton.

Remember, as we add this little morsel to the handy dandy list of Republican scandals, who the GOP really works for. They work for the corporations and big business. They work for the elite. The don't give a shit about your daughter who just got sick off that toxic toy. They just need to be able to finagle or steal enough votes to keep power and to keep lining their pockets and "regulating" themselves.