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[TheBiggerFish]

Money is not speech.

Enforce that money is not speech, and the rest follows.

Expect howling and snarling.

Aye.

[smjjames]

The aim to reduce lobbying and the influence of lobbying is something that can be worked with though, even if the method stated isn't constitutional.

Money is not speech.

Enforce that money is not speech, and the rest follows.

Expect howling and snarling.

This, so much this. Overturning Citizens United and all that, but that ain't gonna happen with the Republicans.

And repealing the idea that corporations are people, which is an absurd idea.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

It's never gonna happen now. The Supreme Court will be stacked against it, and they'll invalidate any legislative attempts to stop it. 20, 40 years. It won't even matter by then.

[Frumple]

The aim to reduce lobbying and the influence of lobbying is something that can be worked with though, even if the method stated isn't constitutional.

Sure. But that ain't what's being proposed, and charitable feelin' for someone that's expressed motive to be looking for a way to erode first amendment rights ain't something I got much of, personally.

And yeah, money is not speech (well, it shouldn't be anyway, but considering what just got elected...). Lobbying is not money. Lobbying is talking to politicians. Usually by folks paid to, these days, sure. But talking to politicians is still speech, even if you're paid to. It is badly counter to american rights, as pretty explicitly enumerated by our constitution and since defended in our courts, to try to put any sort of absolute limit on that. Limit the money, sure, but leave the lobbying itself alone or go try to run yer speech suppression somewhere that isn't the US, plox.

Good ol', I may not agree with much of what lobbying does but you're going to pry a chunk out of my first amendment over my cooling corpse tyvm, kinda' thing.

[smjjames]

Aren't the Republicans just as fanatic about the First amendment as they are about the Second? At least as far as it applies to them only.

[Dozebôm Lolumzalìs]

Yeah, lobbying itself is fine. Money flowing into the government from lobbyists... isn't.



There is a 22'000% return on investment for lobbying money. This is bad shit.

[smjjames]

The moneybag being given to the politician in the diagram needs to be the size of the Moon to represent 22,000x% return on investment.

[TheBiggerFish]

The moneybag being given to the politician in the diagram needs to be the size of the Moon to represent 22,000x% return on investment.

Huh?

[Dozebôm Lolumzalìs]

The moneybag being given to the politician in the diagram needs to be the size of the Moon to represent 22,000x% return on investment.

Erm, no?

1. That would be the money flowing from the politician to the businessman. That's not illustrated. Those are two separate issues - first, lobbyists allow special interests to avoid laws and limitations. Second, this is highly lucrative. (Third, the revolving door.)

2. 22'000% is only 22 220 times as much. Incredible for an investment, but it would only be the size of two twenty men. Not the moon.

[wierd]

Offers of employment after a tenure in office (Dodd, others) needs to be illegal, and be considered as offers if payment.

[smjjames]

No, 22'000 is 22,000? I don't know what in the wierd you're doing with the colon in 22'000, which isn't even actual notation that I'm aware of.

[Powder Miner]

why are we in wierd now

[wierd]

Not all nations enumerate the same way.

And when did you guys invade my body?

[smjjames]

huh?

[wierd]

Reread your post. You likely meant "what in the world", but ended up implying he was someplace inside me instead.