2 ms·
Nearly all of US problems can be traced back to the insanely powerful lobbying (citizen united, etc). The gun lobby, the private prison lobby, the healthcare lo
by ehsankia 4y ago
Nearly all of US problems can be traced back to the insanely powerful lobbying (citizen united, etc). The gun lobby, the private prison lobby, the healthcare lobby, the tax filing lobby, etc. Corporations not only buying politicians for dirt cheap to keep their own profits high, but also spreading lies and propaganda brainwashing part of the population into believing the bullshit they're peddling.
Just look at the story of Wendell Potter [1], an ex US health exec who basically came out and detailed all the lies he spread about Canadian healthcare. So many people in the US believe those lies still to this day.
[1] https://www.npr.org/2020/06/27/884307565/after-pushing-lies-former-cigna-executive-praises-canadas-health-care-system https://www.npr.org/2020/06/27/884307565/after-pushing-lies-...
- zarzavat 4y agoThe first step is for Americans to stop using the word “lobbying” and call it like it is: corruption. When a politician receives benefits for passing certain laws (often hard cash to their campaign!) they are a corrupt politician. The term “lobbying” is the same kind of linguistic exceptionalism involved in the word “expat” vs “immigrant”.
- epakai 4y agoIt goes back further. Sunshine laws of the 70s enable vote buying and coercion. Addressing the lobbying issue would play a big part, but ultimately the ability to apply public pressure on how representatives vote is going to provide enough leverage to control those votes. Make votes (and many committees) secret like every good election. There will still be corruption, but individual legislators will be less beholden to private interests and the party line.