MPAA lobbying

[kevinthenerd]

Do you think the MPAA (or other corporations) should have the legal right to hire full-time lobbyists in various governments such as the US Congress?

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: kevinthenerd
Do you think the MPAA (or other corporations) should have the legal right to hire full-time lobbyists in various governments such as the US Congress?

NO

Good luck trying to stop it.

 

[blackangst1]

Nope.

 

[Exodor]

Why not?

And, by the same logic, should unions be restricted from lobbying as well?

 

[robphelan]

i think all lobbying should be illiegal.

politicians should set up a way where their constituents can give their opinions (secure web polls etc..) on what really matters to them - not what matters to big $ corps.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: robphelan
i think all lobbying should be illiegal.

politicians should set up a way where their constituents can give their opinions (secure web polls etc..) on what really matters to them - not what matters to big $ corps.

:thumbsup:

Welcome to P&N

 

[manowar821]

No, they are not even legitimate companies. Though I don't even like lobbyists anyway.

But like dmcowen said, good luck trying to stop it.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

These lobbyists are just a symptom of a bigger problem. The reason these lobbyists exist is because the government has the power to do so many legislative favors for these special interests. Banning the lobbyists isn't going to fix the real problem (and does flagrantly step on the freedom of speech issue), only limiting the scope and power of the government will.

 

[Arcex]

Lobbyists should be outlawed, they allow Big Business to wield too much power over our money-greedy politicians. Course, politicians will never outlaw them since they won't bite the hand that feeds them.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: robphelan
i think all lobbying should be illiegal.

politicians should set up a way where their constituents can give their opinions (secure web polls etc..) on what really matters to them - not what matters to big $ corps.

I believe the constitution says you are wrong. Lobbying is having your grievences address by your representation.

What you are saying is nobody should be able to lobby their representative to vote a way they want done. Kind of defeats the purpose of a representative democracy doesnt it?

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: robphelan
i think all lobbying should be illiegal.

politicians should set up a way where their constituents can give their opinions (secure web polls etc..) on what really matters to them - not what matters to big $ corps.

I believe the constitution says you are wrong. Lobbying is having your grievences address by your representation.

What you are saying is nobody should be able to lobby their representative to vote a way they want done. Kind of defeats the purpose of a representative democracy doesnt it?

Wrong.

You are adding Lobbyists as another layer of false "representation".

I am not surprised you would suggest this though. How much do you personally stand to lose if lobbying was outlawed?

 

[dahunan]

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: robphelan
i think all lobbying should be illiegal.

politicians should set up a way where their constituents can give their opinions (secure web polls etc..) on what really matters to them - not what matters to big $ corps.

I believe the constitution says you are wrong. Lobbying is having your grievences address by your representation.

What you are saying is nobody should be able to lobby their representative to vote a way they want done. Kind of defeats the purpose of a representative democracy doesnt it?

You KNOW it is rarely used for "grievances"

 

[dahunan]

The onnly lobbying I would ever allow would be held in a town hall setting where everyone from the public would be allowed to watch and listen to everything said and agreed to

Unless you think Abrahmoff was just an isolated incident

 

[Exodor]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
You are adding Lobbyists as another layer of false "representation".

Why do you support muzzling our free speech rights?

God knows Bush has done enough to shred the rest of the constitution - please leave the first amendment alone.

 

[ksaajasto]

Originally posted by: robphelan
i think all lobbying should be illiegal.

good luck... thats all i got for ya

 

[dahunan]

Originally posted by: Exodor

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
You are adding Lobbyists as another layer of false "representation".

Why do you support muzzling our free speech rights?

God knows Bush has done enough to shred the rest of the constitution - please leave the first amendment alone.

Sadly..ALL ALL ALL of our politicians are corrupt.. SO.. any lobbying should be done in a transparent manner so all citizens can hear and see STF is going on.

They treat ALL OF US like "troglodytes" << the way Mr. Abrahmoff described his Native American clients.

 

[Starbuck1975]

Lobbying is the natural reaction to excessive government regulation and big government. Of course, lobbying has also taken on a life of its own, with corporations and other entities furthering their own agendas to encourage more big government policy making on their behalf.

I don't think we should necessarily outlaw lobbying...but what we should put in place is regulations and safeguards to protect our system of government from unethical influences and corruption.

In some instances, I can see where lobbying serves a just purpose...in other instances, I see it as a form of bribery.

 

[Kwaipie]

Here's where people say I hate the United States.

Of, by and for the corporation was an unintended consequence of the founding father's Constitution and Bill of Rights. Lobbying is 100% American and 100% fully protected by the Constitution.

I think it is time to re-write our country's most beloved document, but I will keep my mouth shut in the future because who knows what kind of place we'd end up with having our current government at the keyboard drafting it. The document is outdated and I'm certain Jefferson had no intention of it lasting this long. It's served us well in the past but now the voice of the few are drowned out by corporate America.

We need a leader with unsurpassed charisma that will appoint the most capable in the land to start this process of re-inventing the United States. Sadly, this person has yet to let themselves be known, we are just going to continue down the hill until we are General Electric's United States of America, brought to you by Kraft and Proctor Gamble.

 

[Exodor]

Originally posted by: dahunan
Sadly..ALL ALL ALL of our politicians are corrupt.. SO.. any lobbying should be done in a transparent manner so all citizens can hear and see STF is going on.

They treat ALL OF US like "troglodytes" << the way Mr. Abrahmoff described his Native American clients.

I've run into folks at every business I've ever worked at who denigrated their clients.


I don't think that's enough to warrant rolling back the first amendment.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

That is utter BS. Federal government stepping beyond the bounds of the constitution is what caused this mess. The constitution is fine, it's the people's unwillingness to keep government in check as is our responsibility that is the problem. But supreme court justices that have taken the interstate commerce clause as a free pass for the federal government to do whatever they want hasn't helped either.

 

[ProfJohn]

Do you guys realize that ALL Americans belong to not on but dozens of special interest groups?

If you eat you support farm and agriculture groups.
You buy gas you support big energy.
You buy a shirt made in China you support trade groups.
We all seem to forget that WE are the special interest group.
The most powerful groups in Washington are groups working directly for its members. (AARP, NRA etc)

If you want to limit the power of special interest groups the best course of action would be to shrink the size and power of the government. The larger and more powerful the government is the more it will be lobbied.

 

[MadRat]

Originally posted by: kevinthenerd
Do you think the MPAA (or other corporations) should have the legal right to hire full-time lobbyists in various governments such as the US Congress?

Yes. As long as its public. Problem is most corporate funded lobbying is not above-board. And they get tax breaks for being sleazy. Why reward them for circumventing the people?

 

[kevinthenerd]

Originally posted by: dahunan
The onnly lobbying I would ever allow would be held in a town hall setting where everyone from the public would be allowed to watch and listen to everything said and agreed to

Unless you think Abrahmoff was just an isolated incident

Government in the sunshine... I love it. I've had this idea myself. You see... lobbying is both legal and bad. You can't stop it, but you shouldn't let it continue.

 

[kevinthenerd]

Originally posted by: Kwaipie
Here's where people say I hate the United States.

Of, by and for the corporation was an unintended consequence of the founding father's Constitution and Bill of Rights. Lobbying is 100% American and 100% fully protected by the Constitution.

I think it is time to re-write our country's most beloved document, but I will keep my mouth shut in the future because who knows what kind of place we'd end up with having our current government at the keyboard drafting it. The document is outdated and I'm certain Jefferson had no intention of it lasting this long. It's served us well in the past but now the voice of the few are drowned out by corporate America.

We need a leader with unsurpassed charisma that will appoint the most capable in the land to start this process of re-inventing the United States. Sadly, this person has yet to let themselves be known, we are just going to continue down the hill until we are General Electric's United States of America, brought to you by Kraft and Proctor Gamble.

The Constitution is very good because it specifically allows itself to be changed. We can repeal the first 10 ammendments just like any others.

 

[ebaycj]

Lobbying should be illegal, period.

Campaign contributions from any entity other than an individual should be disallowed as well, and there should be a reasonable maximum set on individual contributions (maybe $50,000 or so).

It should also be illegal for politicians to deal with lobbyists/special interests.

Our politicians need to get it through their thick skulls that they work for "we the people" not "we the big-ass greedy corporations".