This Week: lobbyist jobs protected by the Constitution.

[FloridaPat]

3 occupations are protected by Consitution: journalists, religious leaders, and lobbyists. Lobbyists because the people have the right to redress congress.


Definition of redress: # damages: a sum of money paid in compensation for loss or injury
# right: make reparations or amends for; "right a wrongs done to the victims of the Holocaust"
# act of correcting an error or a fault or an evil

How to We the People get the right too.

[napi21]

1. As I understand it, there is language in the Constitution that

says the PEOPLE have the right to petition their representatives. The SC viewed lobbyists as those representing "the people" in that petition right. The problem occurs when BRIBES are involved!

[patdem]

2. I agree..since corporations cannot vote it should be ILLEGAL for them

to hire lobbyiests! Do not outlaw lobbying, just require it to be funded by VOTER money..and NOT corporate money. Of course there would be hew and cry because all the MONEY and BRIBES would be stripped out of lobbying..OH WELL!

[TahitiNut]

3. The "K-Street Project" contravenes the Constitution.

The "K-Street Project" requires that lobbyists who're given access to a Congress under Republican majority control be Republican and make campaign contributions solely to Republicans. As such, Democrats are precluded from lobbying. Since the Republicans are abridging the rights of people who dissent from the majority's views they are abridging the rights of those whose petitons are the most important!

This is a blatant admission of quid-pro-quo ... access, not for the purposes of political dissent, but for the purposes of maximizing campaign funds in return for favors. After all, if only those who are politically aligned are permitted access, where's the dissent? Where's the dialectic? Where's the accommodation for anything other than a single-party regime?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

4. As someone who wasn't born in this country I feel lobbying is bribery

I don't think the Constitution approves of bribery of elected officials, yet that's how lobbyists function. Anything whatsoever (even a stick of gum) given to try and get the elected official to pay attention to, or voting in favor or against an issue, is bribery. The takers of these favors should go to prison.