Lobbyists

• Footwedge

  What are their purpose in life?
  
  Discuss.
• Con_Alma

  ...to keep important issues in the minds of legislators as they carry out the country's business
• Cleveland Buck

  

  Con_Alma;1384808 wrote:...to keep important issues in the minds of legislators as they carry out the country's business

  Pretty much. And the more power the legislators have, the more favors they will sell to the lobbyists.
• Footwedge

  Con_Alma;1384808 wrote:...to keep important issues in the minds of legislators as they carry out the country's business

  So the government would not remember these issues without the lobbyists? For example, the dairy industry. What purpose do the dairy lobbyists serve? What does the legislature need to know about the dairy business that the lobbyists will remind them of?
• Cleveland Buck

  

  Footwedge;1384869 wrote:So the government would not remember these issues without the lobbyists? For example, the dairy industry. What purpose do the dairy lobbyists serve? What does the legislature need to know about the dairy business that the lobbyists will remind them of?

  They want handouts. If the government couldn't steal from us and give it to them, there would be no dairy lobbyists.
• stlouiedipalma

  Footwedge;1384804 wrote:What are their purpose in life?
  
  Discuss.

  In my view, their sole purpose is to continue the fine practice of corruption which drives the Congress of the United States.
• Con_Alma

  Footwedge;1384869 wrote:So the government would not remember these issues without the lobbyists? For example, the dairy industry. What purpose do the dairy lobbyists serve? What does the legislature need to know about the dairy business that the lobbyists will remind them of?

  why would you assume the "government wouldn't remember these issues"?
  
  The dairy lobby serves the purpose of making certain that the issues, existing, changing and developing are voiced to those who carry out the business of the country.
  
  The legislature needs to know any issue about the dairy industry that they may not know of or may need to have further explained to a level more than they are presently aware.
  
  We as citizens constantly or should continuously voice our opinion on legislation being processed at either the state or federal level. Our government is of the people and by the people through representation When two or more have similar interests they band together and jointly share their voices to the representative body. It's one of the fundamental processes of our form of government.
• majorspark

  

  Cleveland Buck;1384875 wrote:They want handouts. If the government couldn't steal from us and give it to them, there would be no dairy lobbyists.

  True that government power is the root cause. Centralizing government power breeds larger and more powerful lobbying groups. Not all lobbyists are seeking hand outs. Many are forced into the game just to keep the government off their ass. If you don't want a government subsidy you will still need a lobbyist to protect you from taxes and regulations lobbied by other interest groups (some in competition with you).
  
  The problem is the federal tax code has become much more than revenue generation. Its the hand of power the federal government uses to get us to act in ways we would not and more in line with the elitist central planners. Lobbyists converge on DC kissing the asses of congressmen hoping to gain legislative favors in the tax code.
  
  Unfortunately many in Washington incorrectly believe the tax and spend clause is a separate and unique power. As long as its part of the federal tax code Congress has unlimited free reign. Just ask Justice Roberts. Get in line at the federal trough or revolt.
• believer

  

  The power of lobby groups is directly relational and proportional to the growth and power of Big Government.
  
  Some lobby groups seek federal handout's (IE: They want the Feds to confiscate wealth from others and redistribute that wealth to their constituents). Others seek to protect themselves from over-regulation and over-taxation (IE: They want the Feds to stay out of their wallets and out of their business).
  
  We need to acknowledge the fact that lobbyists are not only here to stay, but will increase in proportion to the expansion of Big Government.
• BoatShoes

  The purpose of lobbying is to petition your government. It is not wrong per se but rather a right we all have. The problem is what lobbyists consistently have the ear of the people in government. The poor, huddled and unemployed masses do not have lobbyists and even if they did they probably wouldn't get the time in the white house that Jamie Dimon and Lloyd Blankfein get.
• Con_Alma

  BoatShoes;1385165 wrote:.... It is not wrong per se but rather a right we all have. ...

  Agreed.
• ptown_trojans_1

  

  believer;1384955 wrote:The power of lobby groups is directly relational and proportional to the growth and power of Big Government.
  
  Some lobby groups seek federal handout's (IE: They want the Feds to confiscate wealth from others and redistribute that wealth to their constituents). Others seek to protect themselves from over-regulation and over-taxation (IE: They want the Feds to stay out of their wallets and out of their business).
  
  We need to acknowledge the fact that lobbyists are not only here to stay, but will increase in proportion to the expansion of Big Government.

  I'd agree with that somewhat, but would say even if the Feds decrease in size, there will still be a ton of lobbyists fighting for a smaller piece of the pie.
  
  Lobbyists are like lawyers, most get a bad rap, but are alright. It is the bad apples that gets the headlines.
• Footwedge

  Lobbyists are agents that stand 180 degrees from Adam Smith's laissez-faire free market system. Whether it is the military, the farmers, the pharmaceutical industry, the dairy industry....financials....you name them...their sole purpose is to gain capitalist advantages that interfere with free market forces.
  
  They collectively, as mentioned in a post above, ensure the rich and powerful circumvent the true free market principles and hasten the spread of wealth from the 99%ers from the rest. The size of the lobby business grows exponentially...and the result is a corresponding disparity in wealth.
  
  Lobbyists insure the success of the oligopolistic system we now live in.
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligopoly
• Footwedge

  BoatShoes;1385165 wrote:The purpose of lobbying is to petition your government. It is not wrong per se but rather a right we all have. The problem is what lobbyists consistently have the ear of the people in government. The poor, huddled and unemployed masses do not have lobbyists and even if they did they probably wouldn't get the time in the white house that Jamie Dimon and Lloyd Blankfein get.

  What purpose does a private industry have in petitioning the government? What exactly is meant by petitioning anyway?
• Con_Alma

  Footwedge;1385481 wrote:...
  Lobbyists insure the success of the oligopolistic system we now live in.
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligopoly

  I disagree. Your statement absolves the legislators. Lobyists can only provide the information and desires they are married to. They should be doing that. We all should. It's up to the legislator to take such information and act appropriately.
• believer

  

  Con_Alma;1385569 wrote:I disagree. Your statement absolves the legislators. Lobyists can only provide the information and desires they are married to. They should be doing that. We all should. It's up to the legislator to take such information and act appropriately.

  But wait. Are you saying that the fine upstanding folks we elect should be held accountable for their actions?
  
  Based on who we keep sending to Congress, we ought to fire ourselves.
• Con_Alma

  believer;1385622 wrote:But wait. Are you saying that the fine upstanding folks we elect should be held accountable for their actions?
  
  Based on who we keep sending to Congress, we ought to fire ourselves.

  Blaming the lobbyist for what they should be doing is misguided.
  
  Blame the voters. Blame the legislators...if you choose.
• believer

  

  Con_Alma;1385623 wrote:Blaming the lobbyist for what they should be doing is misguided.
  
  Blame the voters. Blame the legislators...if you choose.

  I don't lay blame on lobbyists at all. In fact in our constitutional republic form of government where the voter has minimal power in our representative democracy, lobby groups tend to give the people a voice in the chorus.
  
  We have a bizarre system whereby we elect our own representatives to govern us and then form lobby groups to protect our interests. In other words we use lobbyists to protect us from us.
• BGFalcons82

  

  BoatShoes;1385165 wrote:The poor, huddled and unemployed masses do not have lobbyists and even if they did they probably wouldn't get the time in the white house that Jamie Dimon and Lloyd Blankfein get.

  No lobbyists you say? For a group that has had over $15,000,000,000,000 of wealth transferred to them since LBJ got the ball rolling, the "poor" sure have been the largest winners of government benevolence.
• BGFalcons82

  

  believer;1385675 wrote: We have a bizarre system whereby we elect our own representatives to govern us and then form lobby groups to protect our interests. In other words we use lobbyists to protect us from us.

  Hmmm....never thought of it that way before, but I think you hit a homer.
  
  Y'know, if they'd just print up a million bucks and give it away to each and every person, we'd all be millionaires. Sure would stop the complaining...for a minute.
• believer

  

  BGFalcons82;1385681 wrote:Hmmm....never thought of it that way before, but I think you hit a homer.
  
  Y'know, if they'd just print up a million bucks and give it away to each and every person, we'd all be millionaires. Sure would stop the complaining...for a minute.

  True after gas goes up to $100 a gallon and a loaf of bread costs $25.