It's the money, stupid
Although many republican lawmakers were invited to attend the 50th anniversary of The March on Washington, not one did. Let that sink in. Not one republican lawmaker attended the historic civil rights event which included the current U.S. president and two former U.S. presidents.
In their responses the invited republican lawmakers cited schedule conflicts or ill health. The excuse offered by House Majority Leader, Eric Cantor could not have been more telling. Cantor had a meeting with oil lobbyists in North Dakota, which prevented his attendance.
After all, if you follow the money you don't follow the civil rights advocates because they don't tend to have any. You follow the oil and gas lobbyists who can give you the money to continue to win elections so you can vote to allow them to pollute our land, water and air and be major contributors to climate change.
Think Progress/Climate
Unlike civil rights advocates, the oil and gas industry has deep pockets to attract Republican candidates. North Dakota Petroleum Council has major GOP industry donors sitting on its Board of Directors, including executives from ConocoPhillilps, Marathon Oil, and Continental Resources. For instance, Continental CEO Harold Hamm has donated millions of dollars to GOP super PACs.
Over the course of his congressional career, Cantor has received more than $600,000 from the oil and gas industry, while Republicans overall receive 90 percent of the oil industry’s federal contributions. The same lawmakers have repeatedly voted to uphold billions of dollars in industry subsidies.
So there you have it. U.S. politics 101. They say every man has his price and Eric Cantors price is apparent.