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Originally Posted by qdmcg
Jiggs,
1) How do you define a lobbyist, and how do you eliminate them?
Make it illegal for them to have access to representatives outside of a transparent town hall meeting set up by the lawmaker.
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Originally Posted by qdmcg
2) Are you familiar with the SC decision? Because that's not what it did
Please... So I guess all these people assume it wrong then?
"This decision was a terrible mistake. Presented with a relatively narrow legal issue,
the Supreme Court chose to roll back laws that have limited the role of corporate money in federal elections since Teddy Roosevelt was president." - Russ Fiengold.
"the worst Supreme Court decision since the Dred Scott case" and accused the court of opening the door to political bribery and corruption. - Representative Alan Grayson
"there's going to be, over time, a backlash ... when you see the amounts of union and corporate money that's going to go into political campaigns". - John McCain, who was "disappointed by the decision of the Supreme Court and the lifting of the limits on corporate and union contributions"
"Today's decision was a serious disservice to our country." - Republican Senator Olympia Snowe
"The ruling especially hurts the ability of parties that don't accept corporate contributions, like the Green Party, to compete." - Sanda Everette, co-chair of the Green Party
"With this decision, corporations can now directly pour vast amounts of corporate money, through independent expenditures, into the electoral swamp already flooded with corporate campaign PAC contribution dollars." - Ralph Nader
"The court has, in effect, legalized foreign governments and foreign corporations to participate in our electoral politics." - Pat Choate.
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Originally Posted by qdmcg
3) How do you propose making this work? What about any joe-schmoe who now wants to run for office? What about the fact that the majority of America isn't going to sit down to watch a debate? What about people who only use radio? It's not like politicians can't lie their asses off in debates
The final TV debates before the general election is what I'm talking about... Whether or not candidates lie isn't really the point, and up to the voter to decide. The point is fair exposure, not just for the top two dogs every four years.
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Originally Posted by qdmcg
4) Oh ok.
That's right. He asked a question, I gave an answer. If you wanna worship a debt-based ponzi scheme, that's your prerogative. But it is at the very root of the problem.