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January 8, 2008

Get It on Ebay
Posted by Jim Macdonald at 02:51 AM *

Congressman: Browse a huge selection now. Find exactly what you want today.  www.ebay.comI knew they were for sale, but this is ridiculous….

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Comments on Get It on Ebay:
#1 ::: Terry Karney ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 03:01 AM:

I can't imagine being able to make a profit.

TK

#2 ::: James D. Macdonald ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 03:04 AM:

I should mention that this was found in the Google Ads here at Making Light tonight, in the Live From The Balsams thread.

#3 ::: Terry Karney ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 03:07 AM:

That was, in fact, what I noticed (the tally is visible) and I told it to my housemates, who chuckled mightily.

#4 ::: Pyre ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 06:44 AM:

TK @ 1: "I can't imagine being able to make a profit."

You're not one of those major corporations with K Street lobbyists, who can and do.

#5 ::: C. Wingate ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 06:56 AM:

Speaking of sales, isn't it about time to update the "dire legal notice"?

#7 ::: Robert Hutchinson ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 07:29 AM:

"Senator John President"? Good luck making a non-confusing ballot for that fellow in a few years.

Vote for President for President! Vote for President for President! Vote for President for President!

#9 ::: Kathryn Cramer ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 08:11 AM:

I tried it and got an ad for a link to "buyyourcongressman.com" which claims to have sponsored listings which include:

Mike Huckabee in 2008
Faith. Family. Freedom. Conservatives are choosing Huckabee www.mikehuckabee.com

Fred Thompson '08
Fred Thompson is running for President. Share your support at www.Fred08.com

Did these guys really pay to be on that page???

#10 ::: Kathryn Cramer ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 08:18 AM:

"Buyyourcongressman.com" appears to be a Google Ads creature, so the ads seem to change on each reload.

#11 ::: guthrie ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 08:45 AM:

Given that some companies appear to have made hundreds and thousands of millions after bribing/ donating money to politicians, I think the politicans are too cheap. They should demand profit sharing for the legislation they pass.

#12 ::: David Harmon ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 09:39 AM:

Indeed, there's any number of corporations who've found that political corporations have a much higher return on investment than, say, compliance with the law. (Microsoft comes to my mind, but the energy corps and investment houses are up there too.)

#13 ::: SKapusniak ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 09:58 AM:

gutherie @ 11

I think the politicans are too cheap

In the future your Congressmen will -- like your nuclear electricity today -- become, not just cheap, but too cheap to meter!

#14 ::: Steve Buchheit ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 10:03 AM:

Well, how else are they supposed to get top dollar for their vote. You know, a closed bidding process just doesn't drive up the price as much as an open bid with reserve process.

#15 ::: ethan ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 10:03 AM:

Teresa #6, that's so crazy--I just discovered Chumbawamba's "On eBay" yesterday. I'm more and more impressed with them as a band every day.

"On eBay" to me sounds like Army of Lovers but less electronic and a billion times less gay.

#16 ::: Bruce Cohen (SpeakerToManagers) ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 10:04 AM:

OK, but will he stay bought?

#17 ::: Bruce Cohen (SpeakerToManagers) ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 10:07 AM:

Robert Hutchinson @ 7

On the other hand, his senatorial campaign could get just a tad confusing:
President for Senator!

and Ghu help him if he runs for governor.

#18 ::: Fragano Ledgister ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 10:17 AM:

Bruce Cohen (SpeakerToManagers) #17: Or congressperson. President for Congress!

#19 ::: fjg ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 10:36 AM:

There's just something about Senator President that makes me want to vote for him, and I don't know what it is.

He seems so electable, so right.

I think it's charisma.

#20 ::: A.J. ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 11:35 AM:

You know, maybe auctioning off Congressmen isn't such a bad idea. One of the more surprising things (for me anyways) about all the recent ethics scandals in Congress is just how little money it takes to bribe a Congressman. Maybe we'd see better results if we put them on the open market.

#21 ::: Joel Polowin ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 11:40 AM:

This is reminding me of Prez Rickard, from one of the later Sandman stories (though I see from Wikipedia that the character was originally created in the 1970s).

#22 ::: Seth Gordon ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 12:55 PM:

Related: a proposal for a form of government in which democratically elected bodies define a measurement of social welfare and markets determine what policies the government should take to maximize that welfare.

#23 ::: Terry Karney ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 01:40 PM:

Hey, I can see where renting a politician's vote would be profitable. All I need is one earmark, and not a very large one, to be set for life.

No, it's the business model of selling them entire on e-bay that seems not worth the candle.

If I were going to make money off a Duke Cunningham, I'd be his factor; the guy whose palm you have to grease to get to talk to him.

#24 ::: guthrie ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 01:45 PM:

#13 SKapusniak- It is already like that here in the UK. Why, over here you can give money to political parties in return for *nudge nudge wink wink* and they will give you your money back!

#25 ::: NelC ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 01:55 PM:

Joel @21, Teresa @8: Prez?

#26 ::: Joel Polowin ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 03:36 PM:

NelC: Yes, that's the one. Teresa -- sorry about that; I read your post but didn't connect the name to the character, whose name I didn't recall at the time.

#27 ::: Dan ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 03:55 PM:

Hmmm... I wonder what a top tier, war-mongering nitwit goes for?

#28 ::: James D. Macdonald ::: (view all by) ::: January 08, 2008, 04:09 PM:

I wonder what a top tier, war-mongering nitwit goes for?

Generally they go for Congressional Pages.

#30 ::: Leva Cygnet ::: (view all by) ::: January 09, 2008, 08:55 AM:

Be interesting to read the seller's feedback.

Choose:
Smaller type (our default)
Larger type
Even larger type, with serifs

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