Forum Post: Join us in the fight to make your opinions heard on Capitol Hill
Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 18, 2011, 1:03 p.m. EST by LobbyDemocracy
(615)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
How can we overcome the influence of the $3.5 billion dollar lobbying industry? How can we make sure the perspectives of everyday Americans are being considered by our elected leaders? There has been a lot of talk of taking the money out of politics, and preventing big business and special interests from kidnapping the system. Although, I am supportive of these efforts, it has been an ongoing struggle, and very little progress has been made. The Supreme Court has made it clear that they see political contributions as part of the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech. To succeed in getting the money out of politics we would need either a new bench on the Supreme Court or a constitutional amendment. These are both very slow processes and I am looking for a more rapid solution.
I am founding a lobbying organization to represent the interests of the majority. The organization is not starting with a political slant or agenda. The direction of the organization will be determined by our members. We are just here to help make sure that your voice is heard in the political process.
We will be polling our members to determine what issues we will represent. Any issue that receives 65% support (or opposition) nationally we will represent. Once the national threshold is reached, we will sift through the data district by district. Any district that is aligned with the national polling data, we will contact the elected leaders of that district with the perspectives of our members. We will include both the national and district specific polling data to show the support of the issue.
Your elected leaders will have the opportunity to respond to their constituents via the website. We will keep track of the conversation between our members and their elected leaders, as well as how your elected leaders vote on the issues. You will be able to see what issues your representatives stood with you, and when they are not looking our for your interests.
If you are interested please check our www.lobbydemocracy.com. If you like what you see, or have questions, please let us know here so that we can rise to the top of the list and be seen by others.
We have been noticed … and while we have the world’s attention let’s not squander the opportunity.
We now need to focus … focus on how government and fairness in this country can be returned and belong to everyone not just an elite governing few.
We need a position – a unifying theme – something that everyone will get behind … something that people can grasp and something that the 1% will understand.
If we wish to win.. and to win long term, we must settle on the most important change we wish to achieve. Preferably it is one that everyone who is not one of the 1% agrees with.
Very seldom are there situations where virtually everyone agrees the same change needs to happen. If we press a platform that is diverse then we will be opening ourselves to division within ourselves, and as result providing those who have every incentive for the current rules to stay unchanged - weak points for them to exploit.
Remember united we stand and divided we fall.
Does everyone believe Student Loans should be forgiven? No! Does everyone believe we should simply withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan? No! Does everyone oppose the NRA? No! Does everyone believe in a women’s right to choose? No! Should they? That is a different question. To have such debates and to be part of the debate we need first to get back the government of our country! We will not do this if we list many many demands. We will not move forward because we will be endlessly debating amongst ourselves. Save those debates for later – later until there can be a real debate - rather than simply rules and stances decreed by those who weigh everything with a single criterion – namely “what’s in it for me!”
Currently the 1% does not take us seriously – they have hunkered down and are waiting for this surge to fizzle and burn out. We too will likely tire if we do not have a understandable major goal - a shining beacon to carry forward.
Beware of those who were initially critical and deriding of us – and yet are now those who position themselves as our champions. I do not want to be lectured to as to how we need to act because we don’t understand the political process – especially by those who for years have been at the beck and call of the 1%. I don’t want headlines blaring forth our victory only to find whatever we thought we had achieved is whittled away in a legislative process.
The legislation that becomes law should be a law for the 100%.
I plead with everyone who is part of or considering to be part of this movement – put aside issues that divide us – adopt the incontrovertible single point and aim of what I believe we all demand. Let’s get our government back!
To start, let’s not wait until next year to hold a National Meeting, let’s challenge our elected representatives NOW! If Grover Norquist can require all Republicans to sign a pledge to never raise taxes – then we can ask and expect that every representative, every senator, every governor, every mayor, and in fact every elected official sign a pledge that they will not take money from any corporation, PAC, organization, and that they will only accept a maximum of $500.00 (the amount is not significant it could be $100 or $1,000) per individual. Let’s make sure that those who do not sign on to the pledge will not receive one vote the next time they run for office, and anyone who is elected and who has accepted monies from other than individuals will face a recall.
This will be the start – let’s have our elected officials declare – go on record – as to where they stand – let’s make them go public so we can create a bulletin of shame . Let’s also make it clear that any company, PAC, Union, organization and/or individual who in the past has donated (either transparently or otherwise) more than the threshold we agree on, that will now not sign our pledge to limit what they provide and to cease and desist lobbying – they too will be put onto the Wall of Shame and will suffer the isolation and of boycotts until they do sign on.
While we do all this we need to keep in mind that we live in a democracy – or at least wish to. In the society we live in we need to respect that we will have differences of opinion. We must make it clear that the expression of one’s views is still everyone’s right.
I will be the first to sign the pledge …. Will you join me .. and demand that every elected official declare themselves to be with us … or not .. and that they doo so publicly.
Yours truly,
Alex P
I appreciate your stance. Although I think that money in politics clearly needs to be assessed and reevaluated, I think that we can bring the voice of the American people forward and overpower all of that money. It is a parallel process to the campaign finance reform structure. The campaign finance reform structure has also become more complicated because of the creation of super PAC's. Even if the candidates did not accept the money, super PAC's have no limitation to what they can spend. Even if you succeeded in getting everyone to sign your pledge it would not take the money out of politics.
Good luck on your attempt, and I wish you luck. Please also take the time to consider supporting my attempt to address the issue from another direction.
Nominate a 3rd party. They'll hear that.
A 3rd party is only viable if the OWS makes that its priority. That means lots of work. Sitting in the park with signs is lazy. It served its purpose. The next step must be to organize the 3rd party, choose candidates in every district, and blow the crooks out of office and into prison for the bribes and kickbacks.
The entire protest needs to focus on the BRIBES.
Make it clear. The solution is only a 3rd party. Quit wasting time sitting in the park. Go home, nominate a 3rd party candidate and elect him/her.
Of course everybody is aware of bribery. Failing to focus on bribery is another blunder. Bribery needs to be the key to the protest.
Failure to create a 3rd party is because all Americans including the OWS people are in the propaganda media trance that has all Americans convinced that a 3rd party is impossible. Complete ignorance to this propaganda is missing from OWS.
It is ridiculous to suggest bribe (CAMPAIGN FINANCE) reform.
For 3 decades they keep claiming to do this and all you people can't catch on to the bribes is their reason for living. They love their bribes.
Only public funding with no ads from anybody (an obvious bribe) will prevent bribes.
The OWS ignoring bribery -- proves they are in the same deep trance as the rest of Americans. Read more http://overthecoals.blogspot.com/
I am worried that there is nothing that would prevent the members of the new third party from becoming entrenched in the system the same way the Republicans and Democrats are now. I think we need to change the way that we interact with our elected leaders and change the structure of the entire system.
Utopia. The Commies tried that. It didn't work.
We need a 3rd party or this protest will fail soon.
A 3rd party takes work. Sitting in the park with signs isn't work.
My 3rd party would have enough power to force the justice department to prosecute all the Republicans & Democrats for their bribes. I would destroy them. I'm not a wimpy, whining liberal.
Whoa whoa, we want a surgical strike not a carpet bombing.
I still say we rearrange the furniture, replace broken furniture, fix the plumbing, and change the lightbulbs rather than full building renovation.
A 3rd party is only viable if the OWS makes that its priority. That means lots of work. Sitting in the park with signs is lazy. It served its purpose. The next step must be to organize the 3rd party, choose candidates in every district, and blow the crooks out of office and into prison for the bribes and kickbacks.
The entire protest needs to focus on the BRIBES.
Make it clear. The solution is only a 3rd party. Quit wasting time sitting in the park. Go home, nominate a 3rd party candidate and elect him/her.
Of course everybody is aware of bribery. Failing to focus on bribery is another blunder. Bribery needs to be the key to the protest.
Failure to create a 3rd party is because all Americans including the OWS people are in the propaganda media trance that has all Americans convinced that a 3rd party is impossible. Complete ignorance to this propaganda is missing from OWS.
It is ridiculous to suggest bribe (CAMPAIGN FINANCE) reform.
For 3 decades they keep claiming to do this and all you people can't catch on to the bribes is their reason for living. They love their bribes.
Only public funding with no ads from anybody (an obvious bribe) will prevent bribes.
The OWS ignoring bribery -- proves they are in the same deep trance as the rest of Americans. Read more http://overthecoals.blogspot.com/
I am not talking about carpet bombing. I hardly think that bringing the voice of the American people to the debate on Capitol Hill can be seen as any type of bombing.
I am not even making a decision on what furniture is broken, and what needs to be replaced. I am just proposing a structure in which we can all decide what issues we can agree need to be addressed.
So you want the protests to coalesce into another third party.
I doubt third parties can make it.
But I'll tip my hat off to you if it does.
I did not say that I wanted a third party. SteveMiller posted that and has not been heard of since. I simply want the voice of the American people to be heard, and have a proposed system to help make that happen.