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Democracy is dead ... lobbyists rule America-----16-point manifesto .....
MarketWatch ^ | Sep 1, 2009, 10:42 a.m. EST | Paul B. Farrell

Posted on 09/01/2009 9:11:26 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach

16-point manifesto for the new 'Lobbyist Nation of America'

ARROYO GRANDE, Calif. (MarketWatch) -- Democracy dead? Lobbyists ruling America? Lobbyists the new "Unseen Hand" of capitalism? Sadly yes.

And here's why: Ask any neuroeconomist, behavioral-finance quant, investment psychologist or other practitioner of the mysterious "science of irrationality" and they'll tell you that Americans have two self-sabotaging mental biases that killed democracy from within: "Denial" and "Magical Thinking" make us easy targets. Our brains are being manipulated by clandestine forces beyond our control. We can't see them or resist.

Yet we refuse to believe in this new Orwellian America. We prefer the world of magic, myth and illusion.

Yes, folks, democracy is dead. Oh, the illusion will be kept alive in our history books, in the rhetoric of politicians, in the manipulated minds of America's 95 million Main Street investors. The propaganda machine works. Like a child's fairy tale, democracy has been deeply imbedded in our brains for decades; we prefer believing old, familiar stories. They comfort us, even when no longer true. The real democracy, what so many fought and died for since 1776, is dead.

Lobbyists now run America, own America, rule America. Forget the 537 politicians you thought we elected to the White House, Senate and Congress to run America for us. No, they're mere puppets, pawns for the "Happy Conspiracy," an oligopoly, plutocracy, cabal, monopoly all-in-one -- a private club of America's richest few on Wall Street, in Washington and in Corporate America.

(Excerpt) Read more at marketwatch.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: democracy; lobbyists; usa
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To: Da Coyote
Go HERE for more information.
21 posted on 09/01/2009 10:53:26 AM PDT by redhead (Demand that congress abide by the 10th Amendment. O-care is ILLEGAL.)
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To: dfwgator

They’d still be for sale, and they’d stiil need the money to get elected. They might switch “sides” (from the lobbyists point of view), but they’d still be looking out for someone other than We The People.


22 posted on 09/01/2009 12:01:04 PM PDT by Wolfie
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

It is not the fault of business that pols shake them down for campaign funds. It is not their fault that unelected bureaucrats can pass regulations with the force of law that can destroy their business. Business did not invent crony capitalism, government did.

The influence of lobbyists is proportional to the power of the federal government. It is not their fault that the Supreme Court interpreted the commerce and general welfare clauses to mean that Congress can pass any law affecting any industry or facet of our lives.

It would be dereliction of duty to shareholders to not get the best deal they can out of our corrupt politicians and regulators. Blame the Supreme Court and Congress for the situation they made, not lobbyists.


23 posted on 09/01/2009 12:06:41 PM PDT by Jacquerie (SEIU - Purple people beaters)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
The rats controlling Congress started earmarks in the 1970s. It figures. It led to and was part of the GOP debacle in Congress in 2006.

Career politicians make it too easy for the lobbyists.

Remember: House Majority Leader Tom DeLay declared an "ongoing victory" against bloated federal spending. He had the nerve to say, in effect, that there was no more fat in the budget to cut, IIRC.

The GOP needs a new plank in its platform for term limits, e.g. four terms as a Representative, two terms as a Senator.

They need to repeal so much stupid legislation. It's too much to count. They can campaign on that next year, IMHO.

24 posted on 09/01/2009 1:05:11 PM PDT by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

P.S. Defund the marxist moonbats/czars too.


25 posted on 09/01/2009 1:13:13 PM PDT by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
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To: BikerJoe

>>>Gee, and every time I point something like this out, I’m told that lobbying is “First Amendment Free Speech”...<<<

Lobbying is not only free speech, it’s also protected as redressing the government for grievances. That’s not the problem.

The problem is that the republic with limited government has been transformed into a democracy with unlimited government. In a limited government, the lobbyists would still be there, but in a limited manner, since the government would also be limited. In an unlimited government, though, everyone is there to press for his or her agenda, and the process becomes a free-for-all.

Bring back the republic, and a lot of these concerns vanish, or at least become lessened.


26 posted on 09/01/2009 1:30:06 PM PDT by redpoll
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To: BikerJoe

>>>Gee, and every time I point something like this out, I’m told that lobbying is “First Amendment Free Speech”...<<<

Lobbying is not only free speech, it’s also protected as redressing the government for grievances. That’s not the problem.

The problem is that the republic with limited government has been transformed into a democracy with unlimited government. In a limited government, the lobbyists would still be there, but in a limited manner, since the government would also be limited. In an unlimited government, though, everyone is there to press for his or her agenda, and the process becomes a free-for-all.

Bring back the republic, and a lot of these concerns vanish, or at least become lessened.


27 posted on 09/01/2009 1:30:45 PM PDT by redpoll
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

btt


28 posted on 09/01/2009 7:00:20 PM PDT by Cacique (quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ( Islamia Delenda Est ))
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