Corporations now spend more lobbying Congress than taxpayers spend funding Congress (illegal, independent)

[BradPiff]

Corporations now spend more lobbying Congress than taxpayers spend funding Congress - Vox
This is disgusting and something that should bother you whether you are a republican/democrat/liberal/conservative/Independent etc

[desertdetroiter]

Strangely enough, this really doesn't disturb most Americans.

After all, they think corporations are people.

[Gungnir]

Originally Posted by desertdetroiter

Strangely enough, this really doesn't disturb most Americans.

It disturbed one Florida resident sufficiently to fly into the worlds most highly restricted and protected airspace in a flying lawnmower to land on the Capitol lawn.

Of course the message was lost in the controversy of it's delivery, and that Florida resident is currently being slammed for criminal activities, go figure.

Just another day in the asylum known to it's residents as the USA.

[Aunt Maude]

The single biggest lobbying industry is big pharma and the health products biz, which shows why the ACA looks like it does. Between them and health professionals/hospitals, you're at $400M.

[pknopp]

I've never thought that offering a bribe should be illegal. What I thought should be illegal is taking it.

A bribe is nothing more than what we all do every day. We tell the mechanic "I will give you $300 if you fix my car".

The problem is when the mechanic promised to fix someone else's car but doesnt.

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally Posted by BradPiff

This is disgusting and something that should bother you whether you are a republican/democrat/liberal/conservative/Independent etc

Why should it bother me? Lobbying is a constitutionally protected right.

If you want reduce lobbying go to a simple, fair corporate tax code and stop trying to pass laws to put businesses out of business.

[Frank DeForrest]

Take away their power over us and the politicians will have nothing to sell.
Oddly many dont see this obvious fact.

[pvande55]

Originally Posted by TimTheEnchanter

Why should it bother me? Lobbying is a constitutionally protected right.

If you want reduce lobbying go to a simple, fair corporate tax code and stop trying to pass laws to put businesses out of business.

How is that seriously going to pass when you have lobbyists pushing tax breaks for their business over others?
Not to mention procurement rules that protect entrenched contractors from competition for defense business.

[spankys bbq]

Congresscritters gotta eat, right? Who else is keeping Ruth's Chris and all the nice steakhouses in business?


This sarcastic post was brought to you by Bud Light.

[J746NEW]

Originally Posted by pknopp

I've never thought that offering a bribe should be illegal. What I thought should be illegal is taking it.

A bribe is nothing more than what we all do every day. We tell the mechanic "I will give you $300 if you fix my car".

The problem is when the mechanic promised to fix someone else's car but doesnt.

Here are your bribe takers and givers

35 out of 40 Goldman Sachs lobbyists in 2013-2014 have previously held government jobs
53 out of 61 Citigroup Inc lobbyists in 2013-2014 have previously held government jobs
58 out of 69 JPMorgan Chase & Co lobbyists in 2013-2014 have previously held government jobs
20 out of 25 Morgan Stanley lobbyists in 2013-2014 have previously held government jobs


85 out of 114 General Electric lobbyists in 2013-2014 have previously held government jobs
36 out of 48 Koch Industries lobbyists in 2013-2014 have previously held government jobs
116 out of 141 Comcast Corp lobbyists in 2013-2014 have previously held government jobs
76 out of 103 Wal-Mart Stores lobbyists in 2013-2014 have previously held government jobs
22 out of 30 Monsanto Co lobbyists in 2013-2014 have previously held government jobs



69 out of 109 Lockheed Martin lobbyists in 2013-2014 have previously held government jobs
40 out of 51 Honeywell International lobbyists in 2013-2014 have previously held government jobs
51 out of 67 Raytheon Co lobbyists in 2013-2014 have previously held government jobs
96 out of 133 General Dynamics lobbyists in 2013-2014 have previously held government jobs
32 out of 49 Northrop Grumman lobbyists in 2013-2014 have previously held government jobs
83 out of 115 Boeing Co lobbyists in 2013-2014 have previously held government jobs