Discussion»Statements»Rosie's Corner» I am a lobbyist DISLIKER. They BRIBE pols to pass legislation to benefit the companies they lobby for. Some LIKE lobbyists. You one? WHY?
N-O! I'm sure someone will say they have a "purpose", and that a few are "good". However, what I see is that they "help" a minority, and only them 99.9% of them are special interest groups/corp[orations. Of course they can never be outlawed as they own the lawmakers.
Bingo. Legalized stacking a deck. Bribing to get money-hungry greedy hoors to vote a specific way. I wonder how much "budget" lobbyists get for buying votes? Unlimited I betcha. "Whatever it takes" no doubt. And so it goes. SIGH. Gosh Shuhak I do an awful lot of sighing these days. Thank you for your reply! :)
This post was edited by RosieG at March 7, 2020 10:07 AM MST
The irony is that "everybody" blames the lobbyists for corruption. But who is TAKING the money? Nobody is forcing the politicians to be corrupt. And yet, the same people that blame the lobbyists keep voting for the corrupt politicians. Madness! And isn't it strange how Congress passed a law (many years ago) requiring the IRS to audit the President every year, but "forgot" to include similar laws for themselves?
As I've pointed out before, lobbyists are necessary. It is virtually impossible for The People to make use of their First Amendment Right to "to petition the government for a redress of grievances" on an individual basis. So when a group of them gets together and hires someone to bring their petition before government, that is a Lobbyist.
{chuckle} Maybe we should pass a law requiring lobbyists to do their business in the lobby of the building.
I understand Walt. From your perspective/point of view you think lobbyists serve a valid even NECESSARY purpose/function. From my point of view I think they are committing extortion. QUID PRO QUO. If you want the dough you will vote the way you are told. Of COURSE it takes two to tango. If lobbying were outlawed pols would still take bribes but at least it wouldn't be under the aegis of legality. And of course you KNOW that when some pols retire from politics they go to work for the very companies whose lobbyists paid them to vote a certain way and THEY BECOME LOBBYISTS. Very incestuous don'tcha think? Very incestuous. All legal. Disgusting. Dirty. Filthy. Legal. SIGH. We simply do not agree on this at all. So what? Thank you for your reply and Happy Saturday! :)
Walt O'Reagun has a point about redressing grievances, but for the most part, today's lobbyists represent big corporations and special interest groups rather than groups of smaller citizens. Lobbyists, it seems, ply their trade with politicians they know will be on their side and then encourage them to persuade others to do their bidding. Perhaps the means by which lobbyists operate should be not to go to a particular politician or politicians that agree with them, but to make their case before Congress as a whole, and then everyone can decide whether to accede to the lobbyists position or not.
Shuhak 