In The Foreign Policy Auction: Foreign Lobbying in America, Freeman unpacks the ways in which governments from around the world attempt to use finance capital to ensure that the sausage factory on Capitol Hill churns out American foreign policy in their favor. The book is unrelentingly thorough, engaging, and sober. “There is no arch-villain here,” Freeman warns at the start, “no dark lord, no one to unmask at the end of the show. There are only politicians seeking reelection, lobbyists seeking more revenue, and foreign governments competing for influence over the most influential government the world has ever known.”

I suspect Chuck Schumer is pulling a fast one on us. After all, it doesn’t make sense to be upset that some selfish rich kid who came from another country would feel no particular loyalty to America, while we look the other way as millions of wealthy Americans and US-based corporations do everything they can to shield their income and evade US taxes while still enjoying all the benefits of US citizenship.

If Democrats actually want to win political fights, they need to pose a stark choice between their own position and that of the Republicans.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy On the Rachel Maddow Show last night, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) publicly delivered a message that is likely not to sit well with Senate majority leader Harry Reid. Schumer basically said it was completely up to Reid if he wanted to put a [...]