Do government lobbyists hurt us?

Question

Lobbyists represent big businesses and by contributing to "election campaigns" infuence the politicans to pass laws (or prevent laws from being passed) that help the business, but often hurt you and I. It doesn't matter which party, Democrat or Republican. This is why we have preditory lending, payday loans, illegal immigration, eminant domain, unfair banking and credit card practices, trading imbalances with China, bad environmental laws etc.

Should lobbying be disallowed?

Answer 1

Well...start at the beginning. Lobby groups have their power, because they contribute money to political campaigns. So therefore, we need to look at the campaigns requirements for funding. It is outrageous that it should cost tens of millions of dollars for an individual to campaign for party leadership or president. End of story. They need to identify more economical ways for candidates to campaign. Television and radio commercials should be outlawed...as they are only mudslinging vehicles anyway. And all the travel needs to be contained...or a deal needs to be struck with airlines across the board.

We need to curtail all the excessive spending allowed and encouraged for candidates...and then there is no need for the lobbies to get involved. If there was a maximum cap on campaign spending, we would REALLY get to see how a candidate works within a budget...and that would be invaluable information to take to the ballot booth!

Answer 2

I agree with you 100 %. In my opinion, if it was a felony to accept money from citizens and businesses to get elected, lobbying would become ineffective.

Campaign reform needs to reflect on this problem. I am sure that congress can pass good laws, that are part of the solution, not part of the problem.

With the power of the internet, there is little or no reason to pay hundreds of millions for television, radio and newspaper ads. There are very few people that either have no internet access, or access through a friend, so that is not an excuse.

The time has come to not only to stop lobbying, but also the pork that goes into important legislation. We have elected the senators and representatives to make laws on our behalf, now we need to force them to do what they were elected for. The key words are "on our behalf".

Answer 3

I think that there should be a method to let your opinion be heard in Congress. But we have developed an industry that is destructive in two ways.
One is that they are offering financial rewards to politicians for voting their way. This can be in paybacks that are outlawed but also campaign contributions that are not.
The second way is that a lot of the lobbyists are former members of the legislature. So it is a retirement program for those people and often very lucrative. That is also an deferred financial reward for voting their way.
In a long answer, the answer is that we need to get the legislature the information but in a way that is valid but without financial incentives. Anything else should be illegal.

Answer 4

Totally disallowed maybe not. Done with actual reform and penalties yes. I think if you are big enough to make a noise you should be able to talk to your Rep. However gifts, and the rest of the BS it has turned into has to stop. If this meant it all stops would be the only way then yes disallowed. But if people could stop being greedy and do what is right (LOL) than no.

Answer 5

Although there are lobbyists for a variety of causes, some for the elderly, the poor, kids and a variety of business and political interests they need to be banned. They have far too much influence in politics. Our reps are there to represent us not special interests of any kind. Write your legislators and demand that lobbying be abolished.

Answer 6

Perhaps you should practice your constitutional right and run for elected office. Sponsor a bill and ban all lobbyists. Which would include all the good ones as well, but what the heck, just lump them all together and get rid of all of them at once. Oh, and while you're there, do all that other stuff you think is wrong with the system as well. It's always easier to complain than to fix it.

Answer 7

If you want to see a lobby group, look in the mirror. Every one of us is represented by lobbyists. You have the oil lobby, the environmental lobby, the old folks lobby, the gun lobby, the anti-gun lobby, the choice lobby, the life lobby, hell there is even a lobby group trying to lobby for lobby reform. It is called a republican form of government.

Answer 8

Lobbyists don't only work for the interests of big business but also for 'special interest' groups such as "Planned Parenting" and many more. So when you say Lobbyists keep in mind there are more special interests then just business.
And to answer your question, yes.
Later days.

Answer 9

Lobbying is free speach.
Lobbyists represent groups of people and there are lobbyists for environmental concerns, social concerns, health and science concerns, as well as "big business."
Rather than disallowing the exercise of free speach ... or attempting to disallow it and driving it underground, where it is totally unregulated ... the rules governing organized lobbying should be revised to disallow graft and corruption.
As originally constituted, lobbyists were folks who would stand around outside of the halls of government and attempt to represent their consituents' positions to the elected leaders.
Today, lobbyists actually draft legislation for leaders, present bribes in the form of "campaign contributions", and facilitate junketing by our elected leaders in order to influence their actions.
This is wrong and the rules should be changed to prevent it.
But lobbying itself is not wrong, any more than organizing a petition or letter-writing campaign is wrong.

Answer 10

Lobbyist should be allowed because of free speech. Its the money that they bring that's the problem. get rid of the money, greed is a powerful temptation. Let them have their say if their word have merit on there own they will be heard. Get rid of the perks trips food money.