Google’s growing influence with government is beginning to pay dividends for the company while leaving consumers and taxpayers on the short end of the stick.
Since donating over $1 million to the president’s campaign and building its online presence and fundraising base, the company has reaped continued returns on their investment, so much so, that Google’s former CEO is rumored to be on the shortlist to be the nation’s new Secretary of Commerce.
In order to pad its bottom line, Google made a conscious effort to grow its influence in Washington by hiring insiders and placing Google executives in the Administration. In a short period of time, Google has been rewarded with over 25 contracts with government agencies including the NASA, the Pentagon and the National Security Agency.
Worse yet, Google’s influence is seen on a growing number of policy issues including efforts to regulate the Internet through “Net Neutrality” while ongoing evidence suggests Google may be systematically blocking competition with such tactics as walling off websites from competitors. None of this is a concern within the Administration who just gave Google a green light for more influence and power with its lightning fast approval of the company’s acquisition of travel software company ITA.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) is calling for a closer examination of Google’s relationship with government – and he is right. Something smells fishy here. Republicans should not ignore the company’s efforts to use the US Treasury as a piggy bank.