you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 12 points 1 week ago (5 children)

I had an argument with a co-worker who joined the Young Democrats about the lobby part.

Both parties want lobbies, BAD. My argument is that 90% of the issues with the parties stem from bribery and lobbying. Those positions should not attract the mega-wealthy, they should not provide unchecked power to make those people and their friends mega-wealthy. Those positions should pull large salaries and no extra benefits. They should be on the same level of healthcare as any enterprise company.

  • source
  • hideshow 5 child comments
  • [–] 2 points 1 week ago* (3 children)

    Actual lobbying is a good thing. It's informing a politician about an issue you want addressed.

    During my wife's masters degree she had to lobby to a state representative. The issue she was lobbying was not putting parents who were convicted of non-violent crimes in prison.

    Actual lobbying rarely happens, though.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 3 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    Well, kinda. Lobbying can be about simply informing a politician

    Who lobbies. Corporations, trade associations, labor unions, nonprofits, universities, cities and states, and foreign governments all lobby. Some hire outside lobbying firms (often staffed by former members of Congress, congressional aides, or agency officials); others employ their own in-house government affairs staff. Last year, external firms took in $2.76 billion versus $2.46 billion for in-house operations, the first time on record that firms accounted for the majority of federal lobbying spending.

    2.76 Billion.

    Other sites put lobbying over 5 billion in 2005

    There are only 13k registered lobbyists.

    It is not a "good thing" that billionaires and their corporations pay billions to influence law.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment