Lobbying needs to be banned, because most lobbyist are anti-american!

[ej510]

Lobbyist, lobby for corporations who want to bleed us dry like some of the vampires on the hbo evening drama true blood, but they want to get paid for killing us. I can use another analogy. It is like the fire department burned down my home and they want me to pay their salaries and give them my insurance money on top of it. We are paying them to fuck us over, because there are no regulations. Regulatory reform is being held up, because congress is bought off. We need campaign finance reform with no loopholes. We must kill corporation rights as a person and end lobbying. Lobbyist hate progress, because their clients want them to, pay them to destroy this great nation. When will the American people get mad enough or when will the majority of politicians choose to help the nation over the very few (the elite)? Obama may want regulatory reform, but he needs to convince his party and economic team that campaign finance reform is a top priority in order to produce the kind of change to save this nation.

[geek tragedy]

1. Then start a constitutional convention to repeal the First Amendment

insofar as it protects the right to petition the government.

[ej510]

4. Lobbying is not freedom of speech it's bribery. You cannot bribe a police officer out of a ticket or

bribe a judge or a jury from convicting you. Bribery is destroying our democracy. It is not freedom of speech it is bribery. These lobbyist who's clients are corporations offer financial kickbacks whether it is a job for a family, friends or colleagues, or if it's campaign funds or ads being run nationally, statewide or in congressional districts. This should not be considered a 1st amendment issue. Lobby with votes not funds.

[TheCoxwain]

9. Absolutely ... we should have equal access to our representatives

Lobbyists have greater access than you or I ... and they are able to monetize that power by selling that access to people with money.


Net effect - People with money have greater representation that those with less.


Perfectly good & rational basis for a new law.




.

[Occam Bandage]

18. Offering "financial kickbacks" is already illegal. nt

[Empowerer]

19. Lobbying isn't the problem. Money being thrown around by some lobbyists is.

All lobbyists are not big money glad-handers. Many lobbyists advocate on behalf of the poor, the disabled, children, battered women, those who have little political power, etc. When you write a letter or call your Member of Congress, you are lobbying.

Contrary to some misconceptions, lobbying is not bribery. It is simply communicating with a Member of Congress, President, Cabinet Secretaries or their staff about legislation or other matters. And it certainly IS about freedom of speech and is protected by the Constitution, which guarantees the right of the people to seek redress from their government.

Some of the most important societal gains we have made in this country were the result of lobbying. For example, while most people remember only the marching and speeches of the Civil Rights Movement, is was the fervent lobbying of Congress and the President by the NAACP (led by the sadly under-appreciated Clarence Mitchell - the "51st Senator"), the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, National Urban League, A. Philip Randolph and the Sleeping Car Porters, and other civil rights groups and activists that ensured the Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act and other measures were adopted.

Civil rights and non-profit lobbyists don't cause a problem - in fact, they help to even out the playing field since without them, many of these smaller, less-well-funded organizations and interest would not be able to be heard on Capitol Hill. But their lobbyists - who are respected, knowledgeable about legislative process and who's who on the Hill, are extremely effective at getting the little guys a seat at the table.

So, please, when you attack lobbying as a whole, you are knocking out all manner of important and laudable activity that has nothing to do with wrongdoing. I agree with you about the corporate kickbacks, etc. But that's NOT lobbying. That's bribery. And it would exist even if we outlaw lobbying.

[niyad]

2. the difference between lobbyists and vampires is that a stake through the heart takes

care of vampires. short of the kind of revolution we are not likely to see, lobbyists are going to keep destroying this country,.

[SIMPLYB1980]

3. Are we O.K. with lobbyist that champion our causes

being locked out because their are others we don't like?

[ej510]

5. Lobby with votes not funds!

Write letters make calls, but kill the lobbying industry.

[robo50]

7. The first intelligent post I have seen all day!

Lobbying should be done ONLY by individual people, not corporations, and money should NEVER be attached.

[ej510]

8. It forces politicians to answer to the people.

[Empowerer]

20. Writing letters and making calls IS lobbying!

[Raine1967]

6. Non Profits Lobbying should be allowed.

We need lobbyists to represent Nurses, Woman, Social workers, children, veterans etc. There are a lot of good lobbyists out there that speack for important facets of our society that are underrepresented.

What we NEED to do is remove the legalized bribery of it all.

Lobbyists actually are a big part of the right to petition Government. The system has been bastardized by money.

[SIMPLYB1980]

10. Well said.

:thumbsup:

[ej510]

11. Bill Bradley on Lobbying (Bribery).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwO9Jxsyk6M

[SIMPLYB1980]

12. I guess you think I should watch that.

How about a synopsis since I really don't care to.

[onenote]

13. I'm a registered lobbyist and, fyi, I don't hate progress.

You paint with a very broad brush.

[ej510]

14. I understand that some lobbyist are alright, but imo in order to stop

corporations from controlling the government, this is an industry I would like eliminate from existence.

[onenote]

16. define what you mean by lobbying and lobbyist and we can have a discussion

[dionysus]

15. what about those that lobby for the environment, or civil rights?

i say tightly regulate...

[Occam Bandage]

17. Let's ban speech regardless of the First Amendment, because Anti-Americans are abusing it.

Where have I heard that before?