Should lobbying be Illegal?

[Invisibleflash]

Article I, Section 6, Clause 1

of the U.S. Constitution mandates that Senators and Representatives receive compensation for their services, determined by law and paid by the federal government”

Accordingly, it is unconstitutional and should be criminal for Congress to have services or anything paid by Lobbyists

Congress should have very little to do. They can meet monthly via zoom, unless it’s to declare war

Dunno, but it should be all out in the open with $ disclosed.

 

[jc456]

And she got that insider information in exchange for what ... good leadership?

Loyalty

 

[SaxonJackson]

Article I, Section 6, Clause 1

of the U.S. Constitution mandates that Senators and Representatives receive compensation for their services, determined by law and paid by the federal government”

Accordingly, it is unconstitutional and should be criminal for Congress to have services or anything paid by Lobbyists

Congress should have very little to do. They can meet monthly via zoom, unless it’s to declare war

How different would America be today if "our" elected officials responded to the needs of their constituents rather than special interest groups and their personal whims? Would America be fighting Israel's wars if AIPAC was banned from offering bribes?

AIPAC is a foreign lobby and most certainly should be banned in the USA. But I agree that ALL lobbies should be disbanded and all future decisions be made by an unbiased government doing the will of the American people.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

How different would America be today if "our" elected officials responded to the needs of their constituents rather than special interest groups and their personal whims? Would America be fighting Israel's wars if AIPAC was banned from offering bribes?

AIPAC is a foreign lobby and most certainly should be banned in the USA. But I agree that ALL lobbies should be disbanded and all future decisions be made by an unbiased government doing the will of the American people.

And in any event Congress should have very little to do

 

[Billiejeens]

Article I, Section 6, Clause 1

of the U.S. Constitution mandates that Senators and Representatives receive compensation for their services, determined by law and paid by the federal government”

Accordingly, it is unconstitutional and should be criminal for Congress to have services or anything paid by Lobbyists

Congress should have very little to do. They can meet monthly via zoom, unless it’s to declare war

Declare war

I see what you did there.

 

[jc456]

Article I, Section 6, Clause 1

of the U.S. Constitution mandates that Senators and Representatives receive compensation for their services, determined by law and paid by the federal government”

Accordingly, it is unconstitutional and should be criminal for Congress to have services or anything paid by Lobbyists

Congress should have very little to do. They can meet monthly via zoom, unless it’s to declare war

What’s the purpose for declaring war?

 

[22lcidw]

Clearly

Our Founders never considered this

There were some safeguards to get around. The Federal Reserve Act was one and the 16th Amendment another with a myriad of all other federal taxes. Which gave rise to many lobbyist agendas. It seems they counted on people being on the up and up and politicians not being lifers and not weaken the Constitution document.

 

[Woodznutz]

Yes, it would be hard to craft an anti-lobbying law. Darn near impossible. I'd consider reading a proposal but we've got to remember that it would be the Congress critters we'd have to depend on to make the law. Fat chance of that.

We need an "anti-lobby" lobby.

 

[ColonelAngus]

I am an advocate of lobbying against lobbying,

 

[Natural Citizen]

It's your fundamental right to lobby your government.

But I dunno what to do about the fact that this has also produced a blatant merge of corporation and state.

There's a word for that pehenomenon. It's more correctly known as fascism. Some people call it corporatism. Or cronyism.

Maybe try to overturn Santa Clara County vs Pacific Railroad?

Probably have to go back even farther than that. And you're still grasping at straws.

Another instance where the anti-federeralists were correct in their predictions...

 

[dblack]

The core problem is that we've allowed Congress far too much power. In particular, we've allowed them to use the tax code as an all-purpose tool to manipulate society. When Congress has the kind of power, everyone with an agenda will line up on K-state to make their case (and offer enticement). The solution is to revoke that power.

 

[Woodznutz]

It's your fundamental right to lobby your government.

I tried that. They told me to wait in the lobby.

 

[Woodznutz]

How different would America be today if "our" elected officials responded to the needs of their constituents rather than special interest groups and their personal whims? Would America be fighting Israel's wars if AIPAC was banned from offering bribes?

AIPAC is a foreign lobby and most certainly should be banned in the USA. But I agree that ALL lobbies should be disbanded and all future decisions be made by an unbiased government doing the will of the American people.

It's the "will" of the people that is the problem. We demand cake when we should be asking for bread.

 

[dblack]

We demand cake when we should be asking for bread.

We're fools for expecting government to provide either.

 

[j-mac]

Not a big First Amendment fan, huh?

Does the 1st Amendment state that I have to pay to exercise the right?

 

[Woodznutz]

We're fools for expecting government to provide either.

Exactly, because they 'represent' us. They attend to our wants and ignore our needs.

 

[dblack]

Exactly, because they 'represent' us. They attend to our wants and ignore our needs.

I don't want them attending to either. That's the core problem.

Government is there to resolve conflicts and protect our rights while doing so. It's not there to score goodies.

 

[Rawley]

Does the 1st Amendment state that I have to pay to exercise the right?

Nope

 

[j-mac]

Nope

Ok, try to get an audience without some money involved, I’m sure they’ll fling open their office to you.

 

[Woodznutz]

I don't want them attending to either. That's the core problem.

Government is there to resolve conflicts and protect our rights while doing so. It's not there to score goodies.

The government controls the money, and like candy too much can make you sick.