Sheldon Whitehouse points out that recent government regulatory failures are merely symptoms of deep and insidious corruption. The problems go well beyond MMS, as Whitehouse documents in this video. Written excerpts of his speech are here. Along the way, he makes it clear that Citizens United allows the tentacles of industry to reach even further into government, until government is only serving monied interests and not the public interest.  He gives many examples along the way, and demonstrates that he absolutely understands the process by which government is being corrupted by corporate money.  It’s a process that inevitably culminates with the surrender of meaningful government.  Whitehouse names names and gives lost of examples.

At the four minute mark, he makes clear that the references to “walruses” in oil company reports is not a laughing matter.  It is powerful evidence that MMS was a corporate captive.

This is a brave and direct statement.   Whitehouse makes it clear that, given the extent of the problem, our entire Constitution and our way of life are both at risk.