Forum Post: We the People , need to lobby congress.
Posted 12 years ago on March 22, 2012, 1:42 p.m. EST by FriendlyObserverB
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Does anyone know how to set up a lobby organization ?
OWS has generated discussions on many important issues that need to be presented to congress.
The founders of OWS might not be the right people to organize a lobby movement, but it's what we need.
If corporations can lobby congress , so can we the people.
We the people, need someone to present our concerns to congress. Writing a letter to our congress just doesn't happen often enough.
A "we the people" website , with an open forum of discussion, run on donations and membership, with moderators and representatives to present to congress issues brought up in discussion by "we the people".
It has been noted , there have been hundreds of concerns discussed on this OWS forum. We need to take this a step further.
If we need to get the money out of congress then how can we in good concience lobby congress?
Lobbying does not require money. That is the corrupt corporate way.
Successful lobbying only requires the voices of the many speaking up.
That's the way I see it. We need representation. Someone to take the concerns of " we the people" to congress.
From my understanding a town hall meeting is filled with business men. No one is there representing the hardworking man. We need a voice at those meetings.
The businessmen give money. We the People don't. Why should they listen?
There is that. Taking part in the process at all levels - most definitely.
But it is also as easy as taking part in the petition process. State level and Federal level.
We must use every tool that is available.
Yes of course, approach congress with a handful of petitions. Easily collected on the Internet. Lobbying is ournext move.
It has got to be a sustained process. While everything else continues in the same manner - outreach education protest. It must all be utilized to best result. The corruption is wide spread we must meet it in a multifaceted way.
Please explain.
We must pick and support our opening battles:
Money out of campaings.
Corporations are not people.
One subject at a time legislation.
No Riders on legislation.
Remove conflict of interest from government officials.
No insider trading allowed to anyone.
No earmarking federal funds ( another conflict of interest ).
Give teeth to the Department of justice and a mandate.
Give teeth to the EPA and a mandate.
Give teeth to the SEC and a mandate.
Give teeth to the FCC and a mandate.
All of these things and more in regaining government to serve the best interest of the people.
Ongoing and sustained - the process has started but there is no end this is a process which must be overseen by the American public and maintained the same way.
How do you propose we sustain this ?
Do you think sleeping in tents outside the whitehouse is enough.
Nope. But that is essential too. A strong showing of the American public. After All. We are The People that the constitution talks about. We will be very visible to the public at large in Washington and we must be covered by the press, as it would surly look wrong if the only coverage there was was the internet web casts. No this needs every form of communication that is available.
I understand the effect of a demonstration , but it should be accompanied with a carefully planned document of peoples concerns. And presented to an official government representative.
It's a surgical approach.
The march could be delivering a petition or a series of petitions. Put the word out just in advance of the march.
Okay , very good.
You forgot "no political parties". They are the incubators for all of these tyrants.
This must be handled as a straight constitutional issue - non-partisan.
Straight up right and wrong. No Gray - Black/White.
Yes, to effectively lobby Congress, we all meet at the voting booths and kick out every incumbent, Rep or Dem. In their place put independent representatives who have no allegiance to parties or big business. Then they will listen intently, without a bribe.
With the mass of numbers by " we the people" they will all listen.
So OWS, that wants money out of politics, should become lobbyists and give money to Congress to get the money out of Congress? Way to go there.
It beats being fired at with rubber bullets. But no , no money bribes would be necessary. Our strength is in numbers of a different kind. A handful of petitions speaks volumes.
Would Joseph Stalin change his policy because of petitions? He would use them to light the fire at your own execution. We must use force that even a tyrant will surrender to. A soft vote, one that replaces incumbents with clones of those they replaced has always failed before. A hard vote, one that replaces incumbents with non aligned representatives is our best strategy.
That will take time. First we begin with representation by lobby. If we can manage that, we may than grow stronger support and eventually stronger representation.
A corrupt Congress is like a cancer. It must be removed, not talked to. Did they listen to the 90% of the people calling for no bank bailout? Congress will not give up their power without a struggle. Their true nature will become apparent this November.
Dictatorship and Democracy. Devils and Angels. We are with the Angels.
That is our point of view as far as comparing these two political examples. Stalin & USA.
Writing a letter isn't that difficult a thing to do but it just takes a rather eloquent person to put words to the frustration that everybody else feels. If you are willing to work on the letter just message me.
Well if you are interested, I would like to write a letter to the Whitehouse.gov website. They have a " we the people " link , where petitions can be submitted and signed . Also they have a feed back link for improving the platform.
I would like to ask the website " We the People " to add an open forum for general discussion by we the people .. something similiar to what we have here on OWS. with a few added features ..
here is a Quote on the site from President Obama,
“My administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and efffectiveness in government.”— President Barack Obama
FriendlyObserverB, If you have not already, check out the book "Republic; Lost - How money corrupts Congress and a plan to stop it" by Lawrence Lessig. He spends a lot of time addressing the effects of lobbying. It is a very recent book by a Harvard Law Professor. I think he correctly diagnoses the problem and offers several potential solutions. He admits that the likelihood of any of them actually coming to pass is slim, but he likens the fight to one that a parent would do for a child with cancer. I don't think you will be disappointed.
You register ONE lobbyist to speak on behalf of OWS.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2061887_register-as-lobbyist.html
You will also want to register a few lobbyists for each state congress. Each state has different rules.
It's pretty easy.
As far as DC lobbying goes, your lobbyists job is sign-in everyday and sit around and hope to get to talk to someone about your issues. If you want donations that puts you in a whole different class and under completely different rules. Try to accomplish this first.
Well that is a bit of information. But why sit around and hope to talk to someone. Could a meeting be set up? On a weekly basis with congress, or even monthly. This would give " we the people time to discuss issues on forum and set up a petition on certain discussions.
There are thousands of registered lobbyists, thus with the sign-in and stand around all day thing. It's a full time job. Only very powerful interests can get around it. I'm personally against us trying to get around it too. Lobbying should be a level playing field, in my opinion. Money begets corruption.
A lot of non-profit (non corporate or huge NGO) lobbyists use legal teams to read over legislation. The Congressmen don't have time to read over everything they vote on, so getting some legal aids to help explain to them in simple terms what they are voting on is really important. A large enough movement will still command respect and attention, though.
Well as I look at it right now, the only voice we the people have is an occasional poll conducted by some media outlet. With a proper website where we the people can discuss issues uncensored is what we need. Give " we the people" a true voice. As for getting through to congress we won't be hanging around the office waiting for them. They will be watching us.
Then what you really want is a cable news network.
That's Al Gore's plan.
No just a website where everyone is welcome to discussion. And the pressing concerns are presented to congress by representation of we the people.
Lobbying Congress is useless. Lobbying YOUR specific representative might have some impact, but you need to include some MONEY to get noticed.
You really want to get resonance? Run a 3rd party candidate against your local repesentative.
You OWS nitwits need to listen to a savant like me. All the bellowing and protesting and blocking of streets and universities has ZERO effect, ZERO. Find a couple solid 3rd party candidates and support them with work and MONEY and challenge where it will hurt, electoral power.
It's funny, but there are only around 10 or 20 diehards left on this site and the rest is those of us who laugh at them. They can't even pull together a hundred people to protest anymore and keep begging people to join in on this "day of..." that never works out. I would almost feel embarrassed for them if it weren't so funny.
The candidates need to realize they need to support us, since we the people have the real power. More power than money. Democracy.
It's interesting to note that a lot of people commented on "lobbying congrfess" but not one person has any idea how to do it. The comments are full of people who haven't a clue. Well that may be the reason why the OWS haven't been lobbying.
So, as a alternative I am going to give you seveal links that provides you with the basic information on what is involved in being a lobbyist.
http://www.nahc.org/Meetings/Pol/08/Handouts/202.pdf
http://lobby.about.com/od/The_Congress/qt/The-Congress.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_2121940_lobby-washington.html
If you have the wherewithall to become a lobbyist then there are answers out there on how to do it - it's not that hard to find info on it.
The hard part is "doing it".