Various and sundry thoughts on Political Science, Alaska, backcountry skiing, kayaking, and facial hair.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Lobbying
An interesting post on lobbying which may be relevant to some of my students here.
3 comments:
Matthew McReynolds
said...
This is a good article and very informative, and I agree with the author that it is not the over exaggerated version of lobbying where politicians gravel at the feet of their wealthy constituents. However, it points out that more money has been spent this past quarter on health care special interests than any quarter ever before. It is sad but true that lobbying is a political way of life and both sides participate in it, all at the purpose of taking voters voices away. The flaw in lobbying is that it deliberately sweeps the needs of the many under the rug for the benefit of the few, and that is a shame when policy makers let money speak louder than voices and give in to special interests. Especially in a topic like heath care where you are talking about fundamental human dignity. If you are sick and there is something out there to make you better but you cannot afford it does not mean you deserve to suffer or die, especially in this modern age of medical technology. Imagine if the 133 million spent on lobbying last quarter went towards sick people that actually could use it.
I think that lobbying absolutely impedes progress in by stopping reform. Businesses just do not have peoples best interests at heart, especially when they're spending $133 million last quarter. They interests are profit. You would think the democrats would be able to enact strong policies with their majority, but something has stopped them again and again. I think lobbyists and special interests are a bi part of that.
I'm going to have to strongly disagree with Drutman (the author) on this one! His "one dimensional stick figure" is just that. It's a straw-man fallacy. Money doesn't buy power, it buys exposure. Exposure 'buys' public opinion, which 'buys' votes. Votes are power. If A=B and B=C, then A=C... Money DOES buy power.
One has only to look at the past Colorado election where a ballot item (58) that would benefit all Coloradans – by lowering oil subsidies, and giving the difference to education – was opposed by a $20 Million dollar add campaign paid for by big-oil...
3 comments:
This is a good article and very informative, and I agree with the author that it is not the over exaggerated version of lobbying where politicians gravel at the feet of their wealthy constituents. However, it points out that more money has been spent this past quarter on health care special interests than any quarter ever before. It is sad but true that lobbying is a political way of life and both sides participate in it, all at the purpose of taking voters voices away. The flaw in lobbying is that it deliberately sweeps the needs of the many under the rug for the benefit of the few, and that is a shame when policy makers let money speak louder than voices and give in to special interests. Especially in a topic like heath care where you are talking about fundamental human dignity. If you are sick and there is something out there to make you better but you cannot afford it does not mean you deserve to suffer or die, especially in this modern age of medical technology. Imagine if the 133 million spent on lobbying last quarter went towards sick people that actually could use it.
I think that lobbying absolutely impedes progress in by stopping reform. Businesses just do not have peoples best interests at heart, especially when they're spending $133 million last quarter. They interests are profit. You would think the democrats would be able to enact strong policies with their majority, but something has stopped them again and again. I think lobbyists and special interests are a bi part of that.
I'm going to have to strongly disagree with Drutman (the author) on this one! His "one dimensional stick figure" is just that. It's a straw-man fallacy. Money doesn't buy power, it buys exposure. Exposure 'buys' public opinion, which 'buys' votes. Votes are power. If A=B and B=C, then A=C... Money DOES buy power.
One has only to look at the past Colorado election where a ballot item (58) that would benefit all Coloradans – by lowering oil subsidies, and giving the difference to education – was opposed by a $20 Million dollar add campaign paid for by big-oil...
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