America’s political system can easily be decoded for what it is: A solid foundation of liberity given to us by the founding fathers, that has been diluted over time with corporate interests buying politicians and admin positions through the use of lobbying.
This system will continue the cycles of lesser evil voting, unless we cut the head of the snake right now.
You don’t like big pharma/food putting people in positions to represent their interests over those of the people who elected an administration with dim hopes of change?
This is the way.
Additionally: Ban Lobbyists from assuming cabinet-level positions in any new administrations.
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Any lobbying should be considered as a bribe and treated as such
Submit legislation and debate it on the floor, end of story
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I’m all for this!!! They will fight to the death to not end this. No way anyone will convince me politicians don’t pander to them
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Agreed if the lobbyist can no longer be a part persuading politicians to sway the bills there way, the politicians will lose that income, so yes they will fight to keep it, We The People need to stand together and strong so they don’t win
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All lobbying should be illegal!! But wouldn’t making lobbying illegal just make them do it behind doors?? I mean will we ever be able to stop “bribes”
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We would have to make a proposal, that there be no more closed doors or back room or midnight last minute deals, everything has to be open to the public and during there working hours, so we can watch or see them, no more hiding to try and push bills with in bills just to get them to pass.
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In todays age of internet, we should get to log into a network that is verified with our US Citizenship papers and we should get to vote on each individual bill. Why can’t we do that? It would be so easy for us to do that.
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I agree with stopping lobbyists. I’m a doctor and rules were made several years ago that we couldn’t accept gifts from drug sales representatives for fear that would sway us into prescribing their drug over another drug. Congress made those laws for us, so what’s good for the goose…
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This is a representative form of gov, not a democracy. Who we vote in is supposed to represent us. Unfortunately, once they get voted in they tend to go with the “highest bidder.”
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totally agree, i feel like Jo citizen is not being repersented but being erased from important conversations by theses petitions requiring a unattainalbe # of numerical participation in wich many will face negitive feedback, even lose of livelehoods that feed thier lovedones so they stay silent
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There are many proposals and versions of this line of things from many individuals on the site.
Propose a merge and refine our ideas into a detailed contribution?
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No Constitutional amendments.
We don’t change our Consitituion. It’s too high of a hurdle anyway.
This is a good policy consideration though.
There would have to be the ability of individuals to connect with Congress. And I suspect this may be difficult for some people such as farmers who are working all the time. Thus they may need a Farm Association to be able to contact Congress for them. So I would structure this in a way that prevents the flow of money or favors and possibly the size of an Association etc. and also perhaps no professional lobbiests.
True but those big companies have a big backing with money, if they lobbies for things that are in there favore what does that do, to the mom and pops business, they don’t have the financial backing, that the big companies do, they could lose in the long run. I believe they should have just a good of a chance as any big companies do. That is only part of what lobbing dose, there are other bills they do it do. I feel there should be no lobbing at all, level the playing field.
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That’s exactly what I pointed out. A cap. Prevent larger multi-national entities from lobbying more than an individual. Actually read the proposal? There can be potential pluses to individual funding policy. I proposed a compromise. In the past a complete ban was attempted, and was warded off do to certain argument points about support and funding.
A mom and pop shop, an individual, or a multi-national entity should be capped; only able to lobby a standardized amount.
Connections and streams of funding between individuals need to be made public.
I’m for a complete ban, I just think it’s foolhardy to think the other special interest groups would let this go easily.
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I disagree, a constitutional amendment preventing monied creation of legislation is 100% needed.
Ok why lobbing at all I see not need for it at any time for any reason, it only leads to the greed of politician, to get that money, I say don’t allow it at all.
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Unfortunately, we can’t. It’s protected under the first amendment, defined as a form of petitioning.
Thus my suggestion: protect all and any forms of petitioning your government for grievances while limiting the economic upperhand that corporations have.
Again, I strongly agree with you, and this thread. The Constitutional definition and interpretation of the 1st Amendment works against us.
I have goggled about lobbing, very interesting read, I am not done reading it but if you get time, try it.
I just googled, when did lobbing starting in DC, I was wondering when it started, then I found, How lobbing has evolved, that’s where I am reading. That might give some ideas it has for me so far.
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Yes please! Provide links when you’re done, I’m highly interested.
You have the right to petition the government, but this right has been abused.
May I suggest adding:
1-A limit to the money (bribes) of lobbying spent per year and per congressman to $50 total. That’s a 2 star lunch in DC.
2-No trips or other in kind donations to campaigns or to companies the politician is associated with (including extended family).