A Ban on Lobbying would shrink the government (ethic, drugs, lobbyists)
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I think this is something most people are purposely naive about, because they want to believe in a government that serves them. There always has been and always will be corruption and bribery in government, and that isn't going to change with a law, which the government itself is trusted to enforce.
If you had the ability to tax everyone else - meaning you don't need to produce and sell anything, but simply declare what everyone must pay you - you WILL have people coming to you, asking for special treatment, trying to make deals with you, and trying to rig things in their favor. You have the power, and you can sell it to the highest bidder...and let's just say there aren't many saints out there who are immune to the temptation. If anything, bad people are attracted to positions of power over others.
The state power itself is where all of this comes from. Focusing on making corruption more illegal is kind of missing the point. Corruption will exist, so the only way to reduce the damage is to reduce or eliminate the power everyone is after.
Its interesting and almost comical, govt changed the laws on pharmaceutical companies, and how much they can 'gift' doctors and hospitals, but these same pharma companies are still permitted to 'lobby' the govt itself...how much sense does that make?
There are a lot of rules and regulations on lobbying.
I propose we replace all those with one.
Ban Lobbying.
Also many corporations and banks write the regulations to benefit them and kill their competition.
With lobbying banned, they would no longer be able to do that.
head exploding emogi!!!!!!!
ONLY ELECTED LEGISLATORS CAN PROPOSE AND PASS LAWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RE-EVALUATE YOUR CRITERIA USED AT THE POLLING PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TIME TO CONSIDER THE INTEGRITY AND ETHICS OF YOUR LEGISLAOTRS BEFORE CASTING A VOTE!!!!!!!!
LOBBYISTS CANNOT PASS LEGISLATION, ONLY UNETHICAL, BOUGHT AND PAID FOR LEGISLATORS CAN PASS LAWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ONE GUESS AS TO WHO THE PROPLBLEM IS !!!!!!!!!
IN THE EVENT THE QUESTION CAUSES HESITATION, THE ANSWER IS, YOU, THE VOTER!
There are a lot of rules and regulations on lobbying.
I propose we replace all those with one.
Ban Lobbying.
Also many corporations and banks write the regulations to benefit them and kill their competition.
With lobbying banned, they would no longer be able to do that.
How about a ban on government regulation? No regulation, no incentive for anybody to bribe politicians.
Years ago, a company could give any person a company credit card, including city councilpersons and congress people. Now they can just pass on a gift card.
Lobbyist can donate to campaigns. That is reported. We know about it.
Those gift cards are not.
There are many ways to bribe politicians that are not traceable.
The system is broken as far as citizens are concerned.
The money the campaigns received did not balloon after the C.U. ruling. Obama and McCain both spent nearly a billion dollars.Now Obama ran on banning lobbyists from the White House but one of his first acts was to allow lobbyists in the White House. Is that the fault of lobbyists or those who refused to hold him accountable?
Many people, as well as the numbers, disagree with you.
"...Let’s focus only on presidential election years, to keep the comparisons as simple as possible. In the 1992 election season, when it was entirely possible (under that 1976 Supreme Court decision) for Sheldon Adelson or George Soros to spend unlimited sums independently on elections, total outside spending up to March 8 was about $1.5 million. In 2000, total outside spending up to March 8 was $2.6 million. In 2004 and 2008, with the explosion of 527 organizations, total spending to March 8 was $14 million and $37.5 million. What is the total for this election season through March 8? More than $88 million, 234 percent of 2008’s numbers and 628 percent of 2004’s.* If this was not caused by Citizens United, we have a mighty big coincidence on our hands..."
...The results of the Supreme Court's Citizens Uniteddecision, which made clear that outside spending on elections couldn't be capped, were predictable. Outside spending, which had already been trending upward before the decision, skyrocketed..."
Years ago, a company could give any person a company credit card, including city councilpersons and congress people. Now they can just pass on a gift card.
Lobbyist can donate to campaigns. That is reported. We know about it.
Those gift cards are not.
There are many ways to bribe politicians that are not traceable.
The system is broken as far as citizens are concerned.
All we can do is refuse to re elect anybody.
How about a ban on government regulation? No regulation, no incentive for anybody to bribe politicians.
I'm not exactly disagreeing with that, but just wanted to point out the bigger picture. I've talked to a lot of people who think the solution is writing more laws.
Actually there would be a decrease in laws.
Ban money backed lobbying and it would die on its on and the resulting laws and regulations drafted by corporations would decrease.
How about a ban on government regulation? No regulation, no incentive for anybody to bribe politicians.
Go for the root cause not the symptoms.
Sure, lets start with all the corporate written regulations.
We can also kill patents since they are so abused now as a cash cow.
It would allow competitors to grow.
The ones that own the politicians hate capitalism since competition is a huge part of it.
Years ago, a company could give any person a company credit card, including city councilpersons and congress people. Now they can just pass on a gift card.
Lobbyist can donate to campaigns. That is reported. We know about it.
Those gift cards are not.
There are many ways to bribe politicians that are not traceable.
The system is broken as far as citizens are concerned.
All we can do is refuse to re elect anybody.
That is absolutely wrong!
The Constitution permits 'the people' to remove a govt from power if it becomes necessary, but 'the people' must step up to actually do that, and given the right circumstances, this is actually a DUTY of American citizens, refusal or avoiding it because it may be too inconvenient, or may result in arrest or imprisonment, should not even be factors....
This is what patriotism is...its rarely easy, convenient, or popular.
How about a ban on government regulation? No regulation, no incentive for anybody to bribe politicians.
We are here fussing about the government and you want me to believe unregulated business would produce a more ethical world? Did I understand you?
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