Why is lobbying even legal in the US?

[rmsharpe]

Originally posted by Comrade Snuggles
Because, pronouncements of SCOTUS to the contrary, money is not speech. Everyone should have the same right to speak. No one should have more rights simply because they have more money.

Silly rabbit, you don't have more rights, you simply have more opportunities to make yourself heard.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Zkribbler
An was the U.S. Supreme Court Miller case which equated spending money with speech. Stupid decision. Makes campaign finance reform very difficult.

Sometimes though money is quite obviously speech, such as money for television ads on a particular issue.

And I believe you are referring to the Valejo (sp?) case.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui


Sometimes though money is quite obviously speech, such as money for television ads on a particular issue.

And I believe you are referring to the Valejo (sp?) case.

Veleo

We need to TAX televised political ads...on a progressive scale -- the more air time you buy, the more you pay per ad. We could balance the budget this year!

[OzzyKP]

<---- proud lobbyist.


Regulations on lobbying are appropriate to take it out of the shady, smoke-filled room with briefcases of cash. But "lobbying" is how the people communicate their wants and needs to government. It is essential for democracy.

If you are one guy who wants a pot hole fixed on your street you have limited influence on the government. If you talk to 50 of your neighbors and join together to get that pot hole fixed you have more influence and are more likely to get your way. Nothing wrong with that in the least.

[Zkribbler]

<--- another lobbyist

Most states have 200 clerics per prison inmate. In California, the ration was 500:1 and in some prisons, 1200:1. If anyone needs some devine guidance, it's those guys.

I did some lobbying a fews years back and helped get additional funding for clerical personnel in our prisons.

[DirtyMartini]

Originally posted by OzzyKP

If you are one guy who wants a pot hole fixed on your street you have limited influence on the government. If you talk to 50 of your neighbors and join together to get that pot hole fixed you have more influence and are more likely to get your way. Nothing wrong with that in the least.

No, that would be petitioning or demonstrating depending on the specifics of your communication.

However, if you talked to 50 of your neighbors, got them to give you some money, then paid a former city council member to convince his cronies that fixing the pothole would be a good idea -- now that's lobbying.

[Kuciwalker]

Most states have 200 clerics per prison inmate. In California, the ration was 500:1 and in some prisons, 1200:1.

[Zkribbler]

clergy men -- priests, rabbis, reverands, mullahs, y'know those guys.

[Solomwi]

Originally posted by Zkribbler


Veleo

We need to TAX televised political ads...on a progressive scale -- the more air time you buy, the more you pay per ad. We could balance the budget this year!

Valeo.

And taxing/regulating TV ads is quickly becoming yesterday's battle.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Zkribbler
clergy men -- priests, rabbis, reverands, mullahs, y'know those guys.

I think you missed the point of my post.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker


I think you missed the point of my post.

Obviously.

[tinyp3nis]

Originally posted by Zkribbler


Veleo

We need to TAX televised political ads...on a progressive scale -- the more air time you buy, the more you pay per ad. We could balance the budget this year!

Political adds is over a billion dollar business, and big media uses millions every year lobbying to keep any free airtime law for candidates getting passed (or introduced or w/e).

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by onodera

Well, that's what Medvedev is *saying* he's trying to achieve. You can't accept gifts or donations if you're a public official, you can't be a shareholder or be on the BoD of any company, and your and your family's tax forms are publicly available.

The problem with that is that now you have no reason for anyone to WANT to be a public official. Anyone with any money at all will have shares in companies of some sort... you end up with extremely power hungry types who are willing to make the sacrifice of money for power, which is Very Not Good.

[Wiglaf]

Originally posted by Zkribbler


Obviously.

THE RATIO IS ASS BACKWARDS

TAKE A NUMBER!

If you're talking about clerics in prisons, anyway.

[Zkribbler]

I see. I mis-phrased the statement. So shoot me.

BTW Wiggie, you're "caps lock" button seems to be stuck. Please fix it. Here's thanking you in advance.