Lobbyists

[channonc 466]

If you dislike lobbyists, can you please explain to me why?

I think most people don't understand what they do.

[Tigermike 3,055]

I think it's a term that gets demagogued big time in election years. Sometimes it even gets lied about doesn't it?

[channonc 466]

I think it's a term that gets demagogued big time in election years. Sometimes it even gets lied about doesn't it?

So I take it, you have no problem with lobbyists?

[RunInRed 16,493]

The beef is when lobbyist drown out the voice of the people. By definition, they work for big companies who pay them to represent their points of view. Some feel they carry favor/or disproportionate weight with politicians and their message can dictate the agenda in Washington. Obviously, many candidates want to limit their ties to lobbyist b/c of the perceived conflicts of interest they bring.

ex: what are the lobbyist for the oil company more interested in...their company's bottom line or average joe and jane's cost at the pump?

[CCTAU 3,350]

The beef is when lobbyist drown out the voice of the people. By definition, they work for big companies who pay them to represent their points of view. Some feel they carry favor/or disproportionate weight with politicians and their message can dictate the agenda in Washington. Obviously, many candidates want to limit their ties to lobbyist b/c of the perceived conflicts of interest they bring.

ex: what are the lobbyist for the oil company more interested in...their company's bottom line or average joe and jane's cost at the pump?

WHY should lobbyists for oil companies care about Jane or Joe? You are showing your propensity toward socialism. Companies DO NOT HAVE to care about you and me if they are not worried about losing revenue from us. That's the way free enterprise works. But they do have to remember that we have a long memory. And if there is a way in the future to punish these companies by not purchasing their product, WE WILL.

I think lobbyists should be even more restricted as to what they can give, spend, or otherwise enhance a politician's life. Many times lobbyists are a great wealth of information. But the lengths they go to to get heard and to influence a politicians vote are sometimes borderline ridiculous. But I do feel that the service they provide is needed.

[Tigermike 3,055]

I think it's a term that gets demagogued big time in election years. Sometimes it even gets lied about doesn't it?

So I take it, you have no problem with lobbyists?

I think what I said was plain, was it not?

[Tiger Al 0]

WHY should lobbyists for oil companies care about Jane or Joe?

They shouldn't, but, the politicians who represent Jane or Joe should.

[RunInRed 16,493]

WHY should lobbyists for oil companies care about Jane or Joe? You are showing your propensity toward socialism. Companies DO NOT HAVE to care about you and me if they are not worried about losing revenue from us. That's the way free enterprise works. But they do have to remember that we have a long memory. And if there is a way in the future to punish these companies by not purchasing their product, WE WILL.

How do you plan on not purchasing gas? Without an alternative you have no way to "punish" these companies.

[CCTAU 3,350]

WHY should lobbyists for oil companies care about Jane or Joe? You are showing your propensity toward socialism. Companies DO NOT HAVE to care about you and me if they are not worried about losing revenue from us. That's the way free enterprise works. But they do have to remember that we have a long memory. And if there is a way in the future to punish these companies by not purchasing their product, WE WILL.

How do you plan on not purchasing gas? With an alternative you have no way to "punish" these companies.

SO? Such is life. Sometimes there is no replacement teat for you whiners.

And I did say in the FUTURE.

[RunInRed 16,493]

Same old cowboy stick your head in the sand approach to problems. Not going to work this time. Your boy JM better find an answer.

[MDM4AU 336]

The beef is when lobbyist drown out the voice of the people. By definition, they work for big companies who pay them to represent their points of view. Some feel they carry favor/or disproportionate weight with politicians and their message can dictate the agenda in Washington. Obviously, many candidates want to limit their ties to lobbyist b/c of the perceived conflicts of interest they bring.

ex: what are the lobbyist for the oil company more interested in...their company's bottom line or average joe and jane's cost at the pump?

A better example is the huge Teacher Union Lobby (AEA specifically). The oil companies have no obligation to joe and jane. In the end, the teacher's have an obligation to joe and jane's kids. Our politicians should not be so easily swayed by the lobbyists.

(And before any of you teachers jump on me, my wife pays her dues to the AFT and I fully understand some of the benefits of the teacher's union.)

[CCTAU 3,350]

Same old cowboy stick your head in the sand approach to problems. Not going to work this time. Your boy JM better find an answer.

You are a dense one. There are only 2 radical answers, drill here or conquer all oil producing nations. But your boy achmed probably has a plan for regulating the oil industry. Yeah, that's worked so well in the past.

Until we find an alternative source or we revamp the speculative market, we are very limited in what we can do.

This has been discussed at length and a great article posted on here a week ago. Try reading it. It explains economics related to oil. But then again, you could probably just tell everyone it's a geopolitical problem that nobody understands except you and achmed..

Here. Try this out.

Enough oil on the northern slope of Alaska to supply the US for 200 years.

[Tigermike 3,055]

Same old cowboy stick your head in the sand approach to problems.

You mean like doing nothing about social security? Like doing nothing about dependence on foreign oil? Kind of like that?

[channonc 466]

So do you all think that lobbyists just buy fancy dinners and lunches and get what they want?

[Tiger Al 0]

So do you all think that lobbyists just buy fancy dinners and lunches and get what they want?

The lobbyists for the American Society of Radiologic Technologists have never gotten what they/we want!!!

The physicians' lobby seems to take the Congressmen to nicer restaurants!

[Justin5 20]

I work on the Hill and meet with tons of lobbyists. I won't say what I do, but lobbyists are very important to all Congressional business.

Lobbyists aren't nearly as evil as most people think. People need to be represented and they do it in a professional and informative way. Anyone who likes a free market economy would be a hypocrite if they wanted to outlaw lobbying.

I do like the new ethics rules (even though it means lobbyists aren't taking Congressional workers out).