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Really? Most individual people don't lobby because they don't have the money to do it. That's why it's almost always a corporate lobbyist. Why do you think it's

by Lich 5y ago

Really? Most individual people don't lobby because they don't have the money to do it. That's why it's almost always a corporate lobbyist. Why do you think it's a good system to have concerns heard only for those who have financial wealth? That skews government policy towards elites and the wealthy, and favors corporate benefit and health. Do you really believe the government is in service to corporations or to the American people? Even when it is an individual, it's almost always a billionaire like Bezos or Bloomberg who is trying to STEAL American taxpayer money so that they can go on their stupid space trips.

jimbob45 5y ago
That sounds like you agree with the current state of things though. You agree that citizens should form groups to lobby to counter corporation lobbying. You agree that the government should (and does) give these groups money to lobby via tax statuses and tax incentives. The only disagreement is that you believe these groups should be given more money.
avgcorrection 5y ago
> Really? Most individual people don't lobby because they don't have the money to do it. Meta-comment but this is how all HN threads on topics like this turn out: - Topic: Perpetual rights to all clean drinking water in Nigeria put up for auction - Half the thread: It’s nuts that rich people are able to just buy something that should be a basic human right - The other half: Excuse me, but who said that only rich people can buy these rights? There’s no law that is stopping them from buying this right. Regular people can crowdfund those $20B if they really want. Another option is for the citizens of Nigeria to vote with their feet and move to another country if access to clean drinking water is so important to them. And should clean drinking water be a human right anyway? What if we lived in the vacuum of space and there was no drinking water, huh? Didn’t think of that, did you. And human rights are basically tantamount to slavery since ...
SyzygistSix 5y ago
It definitely can be expensive to lobby on the national level, which is why groups like the EFF come about. But some state and local level politicians make themselves available to the public. Sometimes it takes time more than money.

by Lich 5y ago

jimbob45 5y ago

That sounds like you agree with the current state of things though. You agree that citizens should form groups to lobby to counter corporation lobbying. You agree that the government should (and does) give these groups money to lobby via tax statuses and tax incentives. The only disagreement is that you believe these groups should be given more money.

avgcorrection 5y ago

> Really? Most individual people don't lobby because they don't have the money to do it. Meta-comment but this is how all HN threads on topics like this turn out: - Topic: Perpetual rights to all clean drinking water in Nigeria put up for auction - Half the thread: It’s nuts that rich people are able to just buy something that should be a basic human right - The other half: Excuse me, but who said that only rich people can buy these rights? There’s no law that is stopping them from buying this right. Regular people can crowdfund those $20B if they really want. Another option is for the citizens of Nigeria to vote with their feet and move to another country if access to clean drinking water is so important to them. And should clean drinking water be a human right anyway? What if we lived in the vacuum of space and there was no drinking water, huh? Didn’t think of that, did you. And human rights are basically tantamount to slavery since ...

SyzygistSix 5y ago

It definitely can be expensive to lobby on the national level, which is why groups like the EFF come about. But some state and local level politicians make themselves available to the public. Sometimes it takes time more than money.