OT: Washington Corrupted to the Core by Lobbyists – 60 Minutes Piece

[briansd1]

It’s interesting that the posters here all seem against the Citizens United decision and the notion that corporations are people.

[markmax33]

[quote=aldante][quote=SD Realtor]Campaigns funded by constituents is not the answer either. The solution is all quite simple:

Any campaign funds contributed by any individual shall be divided equally among all candidates. This includes funds from the candidates themselves.

This gaurantees everyone gets the same amount of money.

No contributions shall be allowed by corporations.

We should also do away with endorsements from any unions or other organization that may have an interest (or presumed interest) in any one candidate or party winning an election.

If we could strip away lobbying, contributions, and endorsements and put the advertising campaigns on equal footings I think we would have very interesting elections.

I think we would also do well to reduce the campaign season and compress the primaries and such so that politicians can spend more time governing and less time campaigning.[/quote]

Sounds pretty good. Attacks the idea that campaign contributions are attached to the first amendment……[/quote]

Until the Supreme Court ruled that they were people and the allowed the PACs. Sounds like legislation from the bench to me.

[Huckleberry]

Here’s the next progressive story in this saga of despicable corruption…

Congress Members Took Part in Insider Trading: Abramoff Claims:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/45249857

[swave]

[quote]All great ideas. The only mainstream guy even attacking this issue is Dylan Ratigan and I think he deserves a ton of credit for it.[/quote]

Also Lawrence Lessig:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/national-affairs/lawrence-lessig-on-how-money-corrupts-congress-and-how-to-stop-it-20111005

[KSMountain]

[quote=markmax33][quote=aldante][quote=SD Realtor]Campaigns funded by constituents is not the answer either. The solution is all quite simple:

Any campaign funds contributed by any individual shall be divided equally among all candidates. This includes funds from the candidates themselves.

This gaurantees everyone gets the same amount of money.

No contributions shall be allowed by corporations.

We should also do away with endorsements from any unions or other organization that may have an interest (or presumed interest) in any one candidate or party winning an election.

If we could strip away lobbying, contributions, and endorsements and put the advertising campaigns on equal footings I think we would have very interesting elections.

I think we would also do well to reduce the campaign season and compress the primaries and such so that politicians can spend more time governing and less time campaigning.[/quote]

Sounds pretty good. Attacks the idea that campaign contributions are attached to the first amendment……[/quote]

Until the Supreme Court ruled that they were people and the allowed the PACs. Sounds like legislation from the bench to me.[/quote]
I haven’t read the decision but wasn’t the opinion written by Roberts? He’s a pretty smart cookie. It would be interesting to see what rationale he used to justify the decision.

[SK in CV]

[quote=KSMountain]
I haven’t read the decision but wasn’t the opinion written by Roberts? He’s a pretty smart cookie. It would be interesting to see what rationale he used to justify the decision.[/quote]

Decision written by Kennedy, with separate concurring opinions by Roberts and Scalia and some criss-crossing joins by Alito and Thomas. Dissent written by Stevens, joined by Sotomayor, Bryer and Ginsburg.

Corporations, like Soylent Green, is people.

[Arraya]

Short-term profit maximization encourages and rewards sociopathic human behavior. The corporate structure is not humanities best work for fostering moral, rational and responsible behavior. It won’t last.

[Author]

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