Liberals and Conservatives

[kach22i]

Originally posted by CamB
"lobbying" ............We don't have it

You must have a form of private business being represented, right?

The public is supposed to be represented, that is a given.

I'm not sure that 300 years ago, 200 years ago, 100 years ago anyone had forseen the power of corporations today.

[tabs]

Originally posted by mikester


I think a perfect example, and I don't mean to pick on anyone in particular was the Vice President telling another member of the senate or congress to go "F" himself.

I think that is better than beating the ***** out of another Congressman with a cane on the floor of the House.

[CamB]

Originally posted by kach22i
You must have a form of private business being represented, right?

The public is supposed to be represented, that is a given.

I'm not sure that 300 years ago, 200 years ago, 100 years ago anyone had forseen the power of corporations today.

Not really - certainly not overtly. Lots of not for profits do it, but they are virtually always genuine special interest groups (collections of individuals with a bee in their bonnet). Corporate lobbying really doesn't happen much - maybe liquor industry?

I'm not saying it isn't there, but it certainly isn't institutionalised.

[EdT82SC]

I used to believe in our political system until I worked on a local political campaign a few years ago. I was high enough in the org chart that I got to see everything that was going on, and by the end I didn't want to vote for the guy whose campaign I was working on any more except that the guy he was running against was even worse.

The Republicans and the Democrats are not working for the people or the special interests (i.e. unions, corperations, AARP, NRA, etc.). The people and special interests are all just a means for the politicians to gain power. The only time the current system works at all is when you have a near 50/50 divide in power between the two parties. Things were much better 1994-2000 when we had a Republican controlled house and a Democratically controlled Senate. Spending was actually under control, and even decreased in those years. Since then we've been spending like a teenager with our parent's creadit cards.