Campaign Contributions
So what is a Lobbyist? - Lobbying is a form of advocacy with the intention of influencing decisions made by legislators and officials in the government by individuals, other legislators, constituents, or advocacy groups. A lobbyist is a person who tries to influence legislation on behalf of a special interest or a member of a lobby. Governments often define and regulate organized group lobbying that have become influential.
The ability of individuals, groups, and corporations to lobby the government is protected by the right to petition in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Lobbyists use time spent with legislators to explain the goals of the organizations they represent and the obstacles elected officials face when dealing with issues, to clients.
Lobbying activities are also performed at the state level, and lobbyists try to influence legislation in the state legislatures in each of the 50 states. At the local municipal level, some lobbying activities occur with city council members and county commissioners, especially in the larger cities and more populous counties.
Since 1998, 43 percent of the 198 members of Congress who left government to join the private sector have registered to lobby using the 'revolving door of their influence. The Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 and Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 increased regulation and transparency of lobbying activities.
In 2009 U.S. President Barack Obama signed two related executive orders and three presidential memoranda on his first day in office to limit Campaign Contributions and Fund Rising. Campaign Contributions and Lobbyist are a serious problem and clear and present danger to our country.
Definitions - Lobbyists and Campaign Finance ...
There are 13,000 lobbyists in DC that spend annually $3.5 Billion.
What are Lobbyists ?
The ability of individuals, groups, and corporations to lobby the government is protected by the right to petition in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Lobbyists use time spent with legislators to explain the goals of the organizations they represent and the obstacles elected officials face when dealing with issues, to clients.
Lobbying activities are also performed at the state level, and lobbyists try to influence legislation in the state legislatures in each of the 50 states. At the local municipal level, some lobbying activities occur with city council members and county commissioners, especially in the larger cities and more populous counties.
Since 1998, 43 percent of the 198 members of Congress who left government to join the private sector have registered to lobby using the 'revolving door of their influence. The Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 and Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 increased regulation and transparency of lobbying activities.
In 2009 U.S. President Barack Obama signed two related executive orders and three presidential memoranda on his first day in office to limit Campaign Contributions and Fund Rising. Campaign Contributions and Lobbyist are a serious problem and clear and present danger to our country.
However U.S. Supreme court took off all restraints on corporations contributing to candidates during the Bush years.
What is Campaign Finance? It refers to the fund raising and spending that political campaigns and candidates do for their election campaigns. Campaigns have expenditures, ranging from the cost of travel for the candidate and staff, rent on auditoriums for speeches, as well as the purchasing of air time for TV advertisements, and cost of developing the advertising. Candidates need Campaign Contributions Money to be elected. Election campaigns need 100’s of millions of dollars.
Campaign Contributions Can Lead to Political Corruption and Bribery
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U.S. the majority of U.S. Tax Payers are finally in agreement that campaign donors that expect illegitimate government favors such as pasting specific legislation being enacted or defeated on their behalf, in return for their contributions amount to bribery, and are breaking the law, corrupt, and are criminals.
Political Contributions affect various parts of our society's institutions which support governmental and social success. Correct handling of political Contributions is a must if we want our country's ability to regulate of corruption and effectively maintain free and fair elections, effective governance, and a democratic form of government.
Retail - 500 million
Health – 500 million
Real Estate/Finance – 465 million
Energy – 408 million
Communication/Electronics – 360 million
More Definitions ….
Let's define what we are going to be referring to as a Pig in this blog …
What separates a good honest hard working, sincere patriotic elected official or government employee from the Pig, who is a clear and present danger to our country … Pigs are …
- Over-Paid
- High Living
- Self-Absorbed
- Corrupt
- Engaged in Pork Barrel Politics
- Politic-ing
- Part of the Good Ole Boy Excessive Spending Network
- Influenced by lobbyists, and makes funding decisions funneling tax payer money to gift-ing lobbyists (corporations, organization, groups, foreign countries)
- Prejudiced by, large campaign contributors (usually backed by foreign powers i.e communist
- Promotes liberal and progressive points of view ….
More Characteristics of a PIG …
- Does little to contribute to the betterment of our country. Has a high basis salary, low productivity, golden benefits, retirement, bonus and big expense account, and does little more than spend tax payers money.
- A Pig’s Goal is to increase spending rather reduce spending so he/she introduces and support various veracious spending bills, plus refuses to support cutting government spending. Spends more on what he/she calls the taxpayer’s behalf.
- Excessive self admiration. An attention whore. Fixated with power and money. Greedy, gluttonous, always hungry for more power and/or money that benefit self.
- Network of his/her peers. Pork barrel and good ole boy political network to support beliefs and goals. Flag waver but really waving own flag.
- Works off polls not what is right for
- Promotes progressive and liberal points of view. Avoids taking a stand on issues. Never look at the conservative view.
- Dodges direct questions regarding his/her political point of views …
Is the PIG unique to the federal government only ? No, pigs are at the state, county, city level working as employees and elected officials ...
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