Our political system in the United States is broken and may not be able to be fixed. It is sort of like that ad that used to be on TV years ago, "Help! I've fallen and can't get up!" Am I telling you something you don't already know? It is amazing that $800 million can be spent to get elected for job that pays a $400,000 a year salary and no one in the United States even questions the system as morally corrupt. It doesn't even matter if the funds were to come from overseas to elect officials that will govern America. As a nation, we really need to start questioning..."Why would someone donate that much money to a political party of one candidate?" Do contributors really like the politics of that party or do they like the political favors more? I think it is fair to say that no one would give away anything to someone without expecting something in return. What is occurring here needs to be explored because much of what we are going through today in this depression as a nation is a direct result of unbridled buying of power and influence - lobbying.
Lobbyists groups in DC and in State and local governments, and their combined power - drowns out the voice of the individual constituent in getting the ears of elected representatives. Your voice and mine are not heard. The voices of the collective many and big money speaks louder. These lobbyists represent a myriad of group and special interests such as banks, teachers, labor unions, trade associations, REALTORs®, manufacturers, banking, finance and a host of other minion that are seeking legislation or favor over the rights of others. Actually they are looking for more than being heard, they want more of their fair share than others. More often than not, their quest is not a noble quest, it is a self serving quest and there is an exchange of value. The exchange is - "If you do this...I will do that." The pledge of membership votes and donations from the ranks and file are used to change the opinion and sway public policy. This is a buying of that power. Now even though there are limits on what can be done or donated legally - family, friends and acquaintances of those elected are showered with favor from the lobbyist groups. This occurs regularly in Washington DC, and in state and local governments and is not counted as bribery. One would assume that it is illegal to do so, but it isn't. As far as I know it is not even required to disclose what a person's children, spouses, or relatives earn as a direct result of political favors. There is no accountability or disclosure here.
The loss in all of this is that the will of the regular inhabitants and citizens of the USA are trampled over. The effect is that we are treated like 3rd class citizens and will be given the bill for a party that we were not even allowed to attend. Despite the laws on the books and ethics - corruption and power seem to flaunt its deeds. Elected officials routinely sit on committees and receive favored mortgages and favors at the real expense of both private sector and tax payer funded projects they sponsored. They have already lined their coffers with profit even before the new pork bill is signed. Does this sound like insider trading? Yep! That is because it is! Now we know why Wall Street was not overseen, and why some politicians even thwarted the Bernie Madhoff investigation years ago and allowed the worlds largest Ponzi scheme to break nations! This is deplorable, and yet it seems totally acceptable to the US public. The public at large feels that American Idol, Michael Jackson are more news worthy than current events.
The government keeps a dispondant populus at bay with nonsense like Y2K, homeland security and "Swine flu' outbreaks as they rob the bank, export more jobs overseas, lower our standard of living and have even allowed a new slave class into our nation that they want to totally ignore their immigration status despite the fact it breaks the rule of law. Politicians have learned they can totally ignore "Vox populi" the voice of the people because nothing will be done to change anything. The wolves are truly guarding the sheep, because we allowed them to do so. Are you still wondering why the nation and real estate seems broken? I don't. The mystery is solved.
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It may be too late. Or, the recovery from the present corrupt administration may take so long we won't know our country when we recover.
The government is so corrupt and staffed and under the control of a cabal who is out in a planned manner to destroy the United States as we know it.
Don't listen to a word that they say. Watch what they do and you'll see that they are out to destroy our system of government. It took about 7 months to get a grasp on what is their plan, but now that it's clear, I'm hoping 3 years is not sufficient for the take over to be complete.
Of course, along the way, they and their cronies are getting very, very rich.
Jim,
More around campaign finance reform should happen, and it should be real. It has to be grassroots, however, and elected officials have to buy into it. It's happening in some places but not all. Media buys shouldn't be so expensive for campaigns, either, so I hold some of the media folks accountable as well.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I used to be a registered lobbyist in several states working for a well known company. While the company was wealthy, we did not grease the palms of legislators. Some lobbyists are definitely of the type you describe. Others (like me, I hope) were seen as collaborative, lending expertise and trying to help find a balance to make things work.
Compromise is a larger part of the political landscape than most people realize. I was sought for my perspective and not for my campaign contributions. (I didn't have a big enough budget!) I never played golf, flew to Palm Springs, or wined and dined legislators or their families. I met with them in their offices and played the professional.
So, let's please quit making direct assumptions that all lobbyists are evil and they all have hundred dollar bills spillling out of their briefcases. It isn't true. There are plenty of grassroots lobbyists in state capitals, and their voices are heard. Sadly, the din is mostly drowning them out in DC.
In my opinion, a bigger problem is uninformed legislators who don't take time to read bills (including some they are sponsoring) and fail to understand the consequences of the legislation. Lobbyists have to explain it to them, and sometimes those bills mysteriously disappear.
That happens with legislators who really give a hoot. Others just ask around, and who ever talks to them last before the vote gets the vote their way. I had a legislator once call me at my office asking me how she should vote on a bill. I hadn't read the bill, didn't have a vested interest in the bill, and told her she should read it. She wasn't very happy with me. Too bad...she wasn't doing her job.
Glad I'm not hanging around committee hearings any more! I'd rather hang out at my local Title Company!
Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate Yep! You nailed it. It isn't even the economy, but that is a smoke screen for the real power grab. Even the environment will suffer because under the new carbon credits plan you can pollute as long as you pay to have someone else not pollute. Ans who will it be headed by? Former politicians.
Marcy Eastham (Town & Country Realty) I do not think all lobbyiests are evil. However, the system has evolved quite a bit since you were involved. I used to live in DC for many years and have some knoweldge of setting up lobbying for paid registered lobbyists and understand the difference from the way it was to this new free for all. This is a total all out free for all. Anything goes.
Jim, the system is definitely broken--and has been for decades. With the millions spent by lobbyists, I sincerely doubt we'll ever return the government to one that is of and for the people.
John Mulkey, Housing Guru (TheHousingGuru.com) I think that Americans need to wake up. The iceberg has been hit, and this may be the last warning.
Maybe Americans haven't demanded change because 60 minutes hasn't covered the story yet?
Most Americans are happy with the status quo and this is why they haven't gotten off their couches to do more than go to the refrigerator for their next refill. Well, maybe they punched a different party card the last election hoping for real change....
No doubt it is ripe for undue influence and corruption, but it just needs a little reform like our financial system. We just need to outlaw ALL gifts or financial relationships between elected officials and lobbyists. Do car salesmen buy you dinners and take you to games before buying a car? Way to go America, teach the kids bribes are illegal/unethical and then allow the politicians to accept gifts (bribes)!
phil_ Ask real estate agents about accepting gifts from buyers or lenders! It will land you in jail,. but it OK for Senators, and Congressman to accept.