3 ms·

If only they were lobbyists.

by chopsueyar 16y ago

jacobolus 16y ago
This is lobbying.
- chopsueyar 16y ago
  Writing a letter?
  - guns 16y ago
    Notable industry figures likely weigh more heavily in this regard, but tens of thousands of emails from constituents is something a Senator could _at least_ use as a talking point, if nothing else. Anyway, the EFF has a prefab letter to customize and send out. Shouldn't take anyone more than a minute.
    - gnosis 16y ago
      Sending the letter by email is better than nothing. However, handwritten letters usually have more weight. If you have the time, write the letter out by hand, and word it your own way rather using the boilerplate the EFF provides. Then mail it to your Senators by snail mail.
  - jacobolus 16y ago
    Yes. Obviously these aren’t professional lobbyists (that’s the word for someone who is paid explicitly to write such letters). But they are lobbying. You can do it too, whenever you want. That’s (a big) part of the point of a representative system of government (one of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the first amendment, in the case of the US). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_petition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_petition
    - chopsueyar 16y ago
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbying_Disclosure_Act_of_1995 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbying_Disclosure_Act_of_1995 "The term "lobbyist" means any individual who is employed or retained by a client for financial or other compensation for services that include more than one lobbying contact, other than an individual whose lobbying activities constitute less than 20 percent of the time engaged in the services provided by such individual to that client over a six month period." 87 guys signed one letter and sent it to a committee (not all 100 senators). I know these 87 guys are awesome, but that is not how Senators are influenced. Now, if they took the Senators to lunch or dinner, flew them to exotic locales to play golf, and gave the senator's relatives cushy jobs in various tech companies, well, I would be more optimistic about the outcome and I would consider these 87 people lobbyists.
- billpg 16y ago
  Are you sure? Did I miss the bit where they give lots of cash to the politicans? (Isn't that what lobbying means?)
  - Ras_ 16y ago
    That's bribing.

If only they were lobbyists.

jacobolus 16y ago

This is lobbying.

chopsueyar 16y ago
Writing a letter?
- guns 16y ago
  Notable industry figures likely weigh more heavily in this regard, but tens of thousands of emails from constituents is something a Senator could _at least_ use as a talking point, if nothing else. Anyway, the EFF has a prefab letter to customize and send out. Shouldn't take anyone more than a minute.
  - gnosis 16y ago
    Sending the letter by email is better than nothing. However, handwritten letters usually have more weight. If you have the time, write the letter out by hand, and word it your own way rather using the boilerplate the EFF provides. Then mail it to your Senators by snail mail.
- jacobolus 16y ago
  Yes. Obviously these aren’t professional lobbyists (that’s the word for someone who is paid explicitly to write such letters). But they are lobbying. You can do it too, whenever you want. That’s (a big) part of the point of a representative system of government (one of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the first amendment, in the case of the US). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_petition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_petition
  - chopsueyar 16y ago
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbying_Disclosure_Act_of_1995 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbying_Disclosure_Act_of_1995 "The term "lobbyist" means any individual who is employed or retained by a client for financial or other compensation for services that include more than one lobbying contact, other than an individual whose lobbying activities constitute less than 20 percent of the time engaged in the services provided by such individual to that client over a six month period." 87 guys signed one letter and sent it to a committee (not all 100 senators). I know these 87 guys are awesome, but that is not how Senators are influenced. Now, if they took the Senators to lunch or dinner, flew them to exotic locales to play golf, and gave the senator's relatives cushy jobs in various tech companies, well, I would be more optimistic about the outcome and I would consider these 87 people lobbyists.
billpg 16y ago
Are you sure? Did I miss the bit where they give lots of cash to the politicans? (Isn't that what lobbying means?)
- Ras_ 16y ago
  That's bribing.