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General Category >> Politics, Religion (Tall Table) >> Cost of buying a politician is becoming rediculous
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Message started by Midnightrider on 12/10/12 at 16:55:28

Title: Cost of buying a politician is becoming rediculous
Post by Midnightrider on 12/10/12 at 16:55:28

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/borowitzreport/2012/12/billionaires-warn-higher-taxes-could-prevent-them-from-buying-politicians.html#entry-more

Title: Re: Cost of buying a politician is becoming redicu
Post by 360k+ on 12/10/12 at 19:27:37

The article says if the taxes go up on the rich they won't be able to afford buying politicians votes anymore??? I say, great, lets raise the tax rate to 99% for absurd incomes. After all, should these people have any more advantage than you or I? The supreme court made a ridiculous decision about unlimited contributions anyway. Of course, these "contributions" are completely "above board and legal". Yeah sure they are... when you are the legislature and make the laws, you make darn sure of it! This is what gets me about congress; they change the wording of an illegal activity, and with the stroke of a pen the new wording makes it - TA DA - fully legal! Take for instance, bribery. Political bribery is illegal, but change the terminology to "lobbying" and voila - FULLY LEGAL! You're still giving money to a politician to buy his vote, but they've made it fully legal by changing the terminology. These folks have another whole agenda, and we are being screwed everyday by them hoping we are too dumb to see the reality of it.

Amazingly, in the article they use Sheldon Adelson as an example??? Give me a break! Adelson has approx $25 billion dollars!!! Yeah, thats right - 1 person with $25 Billion! He could spend a $million on lunch tomorrow and not even blink (altho I have to admit, I wouldn't mind an invitation to lunch). ;)

Afterthought... Think about it... a congressman doesn't spend $millions campaigning to get a $165k job.

Title: Re: Cost of buying a politician is becoming redicu
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/12/12 at 07:17:34

NOt trying to create friction, IM just a "word" kinda guy. Lemmee help ya here. IN order to aid in spelling, & this applies to lots of words, understand the root of it & what the word is really saying can be a big help. Ridiculous makes sense, because it is pointing to something & defining it. It says that the subject is "Of a substance worthy of ridicule". Re, as a prefix, tends to direct an action, as in Re pay or Re distribute. I wouldnt know how to go about diculousing again,,

Title: Re: Cost of buying a politician is becoming redicu
Post by WebsterMark on 12/12/12 at 08:33:30

tax rate to 99% for absurd incomes
compared to some poor dude in BF Egypt, your income is absurd so let's tax you at 99% and send it to him.

After all, should these people have any more advantage than you or I?

Hey, there was a guy in Russia about 100 years ago who said the same thing. Only took 50 million people dying to get rid of him. Maybe you can do it with only 10 million deaths. You'd be a hero...

and the answer to your question is yes.

Title: Re: Cost of buying a politician is becoming redicu
Post by WebsterMark on 12/12/12 at 08:38:38

Sheldon Adelson started his life in what looks like lower middle class at best. He is where he is today because he wanted to be rich. He was smart and worked hard. He did what I don't want to do and even if I did want to be that rich, I don't have the talent he has. Hats off to him.

Title: Re: Cost of buying a politician is becoming redicu
Post by 360k+ on 12/12/12 at 17:19:57

427077666170675874677E150 wrote:

OK, Adelson was born a poor white kid, or whatever... I was in the same boat as Adelson growing up. I too worked hard and made a success of my life, but why should he have more influence in my government than I have? Just because he's rich doesn't mean that he should be able to buy the government that he wants. In other words, it's supposed to be democracy, not aristocracy!

Title: Re: Cost of buying a politician is becoming redicu
Post by 360k+ on 12/12/12 at 17:28:21

5B444245585F6E5E6E56444803310 wrote:

OK JOG beat the hell outta me for a word... haha, just kidding. Yep, ridiculous was probably not the right word to use in that sentence. I worried about it and probably didn't get more than 8 or 9 hours sleep that night. 8-) I was merely stating how I felt about the ruling. This is one of those things about laws that I was talking about in another thread. The ruling may be based on "constitutional law", but when you look at it on the surface, it almost says that our gub is for sale to the highest bidder (including international influence).

Title: Re: Cost of buying a politician is becoming redicu
Post by Midnightrider on 12/12/12 at 18:27:48

"Sheldon Adelson started his life in what looks like lower middle class at best. He is where he is today because he wanted to be rich. He was smart and worked hard." Buying politicians is exhausting work! He's a real hero LMAO

Title: Re: Cost of buying a politician is becoming redicu
Post by WebsterMark on 12/13/12 at 05:19:24

but why should he have more influence in my government than I have? Just because he's rich doesn't mean that he should be able to buy the government that he wants

1) because he's got an interest in that world that apparently you don't.
2) he's no different than the American Lung Association for example. They collect money, hire lawyers and lobby government for their goals. He's doing the same thing, but by himself. Lobbyist serve a purpose; some good, some bad, but the government can't function without 'lobbyist'.

Title: Re: Cost of buying a politician is becoming redicu
Post by 360k+ on 12/13/12 at 07:23:41

4A787F6E69786F507C6F761D0 wrote:

1) I don't have an interest in my government???

2) Lobbyests are required???

We have the best government money can buy - literally! I rest my case.

Title: Re: Cost of buying a politician is becoming redicu
Post by Jerry Eichenberger on 12/13/12 at 10:14:53

Unfortunately, most of you don't have a real clue about lobbying, or why lobbyists are necessary. Sure, there are crooks, but most lobbyists perform a vital function - education.

We did some lobbying in our old law firm. For instance, I'm heavily involved in the aviation industry, one full of technical nuances that the average person, including the average legislator at both the state and Federal levels, knows nothing about. Without a technical lobbyist who can help the legislator understand the effects, or after effects of proposed legislation, we'd have bills enacted that are either foolish, dangerous, or non-sensical.

When a bill comes before Congress or a state legislature, it is the technical oriented lobbyist who meets with the legislator's staff and tries to educate them on what's good or bad about the proposed bill.

Legislators can't be expected to be technical experts on the subjects of every bill that comes before them, nor can they have the time to try to do independent research themselves, or have their staffs do it. 20 minutes with a lobbyist can easily cut thru the chaff of a proposed bill, and give the legislator insights that he/she would never get on their own.

Before you paint an entire group of people with a broad brush that holds no paint, please educate yourselves to know what you're talking about.

Title: Re: Cost of buying a politician is becoming redicu
Post by LostArtist on 12/13/12 at 12:09:22

there are different levels of education provided by lobbyists as well though, not every "teacher" is good and they have still have a profit motive, which of course may or may not be in the best interests, now that isn't always true and some lobbyists I'm sure are good and needed for sure, but don't deny that there have been significant lobbying efforts based solely on profit motives

Title: Re: Cost of buying a politician is becoming redicu
Post by Jerry Eichenberger on 12/13/12 at 12:26:11

LA -

Of course you are correct. There are bad apples in every barrel. All I wanted to say was not to paint all lobbyists with the same brush.

Now, who knows how the word "lobbyist" came into being?

Title: Re: Cost of buying a politician is becoming redicu
Post by 360k+ on 12/13/12 at 20:17:29

454A464C474A414D4A5D484A5D2F0 wrote:

When a bill comes before Congress or a state legislature, it is the technical oriented lobbyist who meets with the legislator's staff and tries to educate them on what's good or bad about the proposed bill.

As a private pilot for about 30 years... been there, done that. As such, I ask the question... your "educators" work for whom (think big picture here)? I'm sure the quid pro quo and campaign contributions aid the poor uninformed congressman how to vote, so that the benefit of his/her constituency receives the most benefit - right? Not attacking you, I'm just saying I have been on the other side (politically) of aviation lawsuits, along with many MANY other pilots. Planes, like motorcycles, are hazardous and, thus, a lucrative segment for lawyers.

Quote:

Legislators can't be expected to be technical experts on the subjects of every bill that comes before them, nor can they have the time to try to do independent research themselves, or have their staffs do it. 20 minutes with a lobbyist can easily cut thru the chaff of a proposed bill, and give the legislator insights that he/she would never get on their own.

Before you paint an entire group of people with a broad brush that holds no paint, please educate yourselves to know what you're talking about.

Ha! You're giving wayyy too much credit for our legislators being intelligent and logical here. Most - MOST - congressmen today would be hard pressed to run a lemon aid stand successfully, let alone our country. There are a few exceptions, but most of these greedy &$@holes have their "party" or personal agenda stuffed so far up their personality they've forgotten their real purpose is to serve.