LeftyFingerPop
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:13 PM
Original message |
Two simple and serious questions. |
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Edited on Sun Dec-13-09 05:13 PM by LeftyFingerPop
In a Democratic society, why is lobbying legal?
Why is lobbying pressure allowed to over ride the will of the people as determined by polls?
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SemiCharmedQuark
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:14 PM
Response to Original message |
1. Don't they hide behind the First Amendment? |
LeftyFingerPop
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:15 PM
Response to Reply #1 |
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Hence my question.
On the surface, lobbying seems to turn a Democracy into some different form of government.
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SemiCharmedQuark
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:22 PM
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8. I think that this is what they argued when they were fighting Obama's attempts to squash some of |
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them. Here's an article: ""What disqualifies lobbyists from exercising their First Amendment rights?" said J. Keith Kennedy, a top lobbyist for the Washington firm Baker Donelson." http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-03-27-obama-lobbyists_N.htm
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LuvNewcastle
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:16 PM
Response to Original message |
3. Because corporations are people |
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and money is speech.:eyes:
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LeftyFingerPop
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:20 PM
Response to Reply #3 |
5. Well the thing is, it is not just corporations, it is special interest groups also... |
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who have the will and resources to apply political pressure.
This seems to negate any true democratic process.
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NJmaverick
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:19 PM
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4. My feeling is the problem isn't the lobbyist. It's the cash that those lobbyist are allowed to |
LeftyFingerPop
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:22 PM
Response to Reply #4 |
10. I agree, if a lobbyist wants to plead a case to a politician, that is good because then... |
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anyone can lobby. No monetary resources are needed.
The fact that the common man/woman cannot lobby, in my mind, negates democratic process.
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DrDan
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:21 PM
Response to Original message |
6. why should it be illegal. They represent a specified faction. |
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What is wrong with that? We have unions representing certain groups. Congressional representives represent a specific faction of people.
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LeftyFingerPop
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:23 PM
Response to Reply #6 |
11. Because of the money... |
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It is unfair unless everyone has the means to lobby.
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DrDan
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Sun Dec-13-09 06:07 PM
Response to Reply #11 |
20. actually I hate the lobbyists - just wanted to play devil's advocate and |
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test the waters.
That money . . . and what it can buy. It is obscene . . . and so injurious to the U.S.
But I don't know how you can ever stop those in congress from being bought. Have we reached a point of no return - I often wonder.
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Dr. Strange
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Sun Dec-13-09 06:25 PM
Response to Reply #11 |
21. Everyone does have the means to lobby. |
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What they don't have is the guarantee that their representative will listen to them as much as if they were handed some cash.
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Angry Dragon
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:21 PM
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7. It has more to do with control of lobbying |
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When one group or individual is given preference then that is where you run into problems. Control the money and then you might be able to have a fairer government.
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LeftyFingerPop
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:23 PM
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boston bean
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:22 PM
Response to Original message |
9. corporations are persons, ding a ling! nt |
elehhhhna
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:25 PM
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13. b/c our Senators practice extreme capitalis i.e., "pay me or eff off." |
LeftyFingerPop
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:26 PM
Response to Reply #13 |
14. And that is why lobbying, in its current form, should be illegal. n/t |
HopeHoops
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:27 PM
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And Congress is full of money whores.
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LeftyFingerPop
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:28 PM
Response to Reply #15 |
16. Exactly, and that is why we do not have anything that resembles a democracy. n/t |
lob1
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:30 PM
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17. Lobbying isn't the problem. Money exchanging hands is the problem. |
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No one should be able to give a politician a nickel without going to jail. Elections should be paid by us, the people.
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sandnsea
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:31 PM
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18. Non-profits have lobbyists too |
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If the Sierra Club and AARP can hire people to represent their members' interests in Congress, how can they say it's illegal for a for-profit company to do the same thing.
Even if we did away with lobbyists and PAC's, we would never be able to do away with the right of a CEO to speak to a Senator. The reason we have registered lobbyists in the first place is to try to keep track of these people; and the reason we have PACs is to give citizens an opportunity to use a strength in numbers strategy against business interests.
We need to reform the system, but we also need to look at our own interests while we do it.
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WT Fuheck
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Sun Dec-13-09 05:36 PM
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19. The US is not a democratic society. |
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It is a capitalist oligarchy.
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Old Codger
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Sun Dec-13-09 06:57 PM
Response to Original message |
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Edited on Sun Dec-13-09 06:58 PM by Old Codger
$democrat$, $republican$ and $lobbyi$t... they are all pronounced MONEY. It is really that simple...
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mdmc
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Sun Dec-13-09 07:38 PM
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Stinky The Clown
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Sun Dec-13-09 07:40 PM
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24. 1st Amendment and corporate personhood |
DefenseLawyer
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Sun Dec-13-09 08:07 PM
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25. I don't blame the lobbyists |
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I blame the politicians that they buy. Lobbyists would have no power at all if no one listened to them.
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DU
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Fri May 10th 2024, 03:17 PM
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