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Are the people using their power and money to influence the law the problem? Or are the people elected to office who then are swayed by the influence of money

Are the people using their power and money to influence the law the problem? Or are the people elected to office who then are swayed by the influence of money and power to shift the laws in favour of the rich and powerful? Is asking for corruption the root of the problem, or is the root of the problem the people in power who use corruption to enrich themselves?

ceejayoz 4y ago
What if it’s possible for both to be problems?
- anonym29 4y ago
  newsclues seems to be seeking the root of the problem. I'm no US history expert, but I don't figure there were PACs and SuperPACs influencing electoral politics when this country was founded. The congresspeople seem to have been here before the corrupt lobbying industry arrived, which would suggest corruption within the members of congress themselves arose first. Please feel free to correct me if wrong.
  - ceejayoz 4y ago
    I assure you, lobbyists existed from the beginning. The rich - heavily represented in the Founding Fathers - have always had friends and "friends" looking to use their influence. Go outside the US and you'll see the same phenomenon; Viking chiefs will have had their buddies, the French kings had their courtiers, etc. PACs and SuperPACs exist because the rich willed them into existence.
    - anonym29 4y ago
      I believe you, but do you know of any books or resources where I can learn more about this?
  - twoodfin 4y ago
    There has been money and corrupt back-room dealing in politics as long as money, politics, and back rooms have been around.
    - anonym29 4y ago
      I believe you, but do you know of any books or resources where I can learn more about this?
chiefalchemist 4y ago
Donors don't write the laws. They don't take an oath to serve WTP. And so on. They are a symptom. They are not the root problem.
- rcme 4y ago
  > Donors don't write the laws. You’ve said that multiple times, as if you can just will it to be true through repetition. Of course, the statement is categorically false. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/10/us/politics/crypto-industry-states-legislation.html https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/10/us/politics/crypto-indust... https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/us/alec-a-tax-exempt-group-mixes-legislators-and-lobbyists.html https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/us/alec-a-tax-exempt-grou... https://archive.nytimes.com/dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/05/23/banks-lobbyists-help-in-drafting-financial-bills/ https://archive.nytimes.com/dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/05/23/...
  - camgunz 4y ago
    Indeed it's very false. Lobbyists oftentimes push legislation their clients wrote. You gotta be pretty ignorant to believe otherwise.

ceejayoz 4y ago

What if it’s possible for both to be problems?

anonym29 4y ago
newsclues seems to be seeking the root of the problem. I'm no US history expert, but I don't figure there were PACs and SuperPACs influencing electoral politics when this country was founded. The congresspeople seem to have been here before the corrupt lobbying industry arrived, which would suggest corruption within the members of congress themselves arose first. Please feel free to correct me if wrong.
- ceejayoz 4y ago
  I assure you, lobbyists existed from the beginning. The rich - heavily represented in the Founding Fathers - have always had friends and "friends" looking to use their influence. Go outside the US and you'll see the same phenomenon; Viking chiefs will have had their buddies, the French kings had their courtiers, etc. PACs and SuperPACs exist because the rich willed them into existence.
  - anonym29 4y ago
    I believe you, but do you know of any books or resources where I can learn more about this?
- twoodfin 4y ago
  There has been money and corrupt back-room dealing in politics as long as money, politics, and back rooms have been around.
  - anonym29 4y ago
    I believe you, but do you know of any books or resources where I can learn more about this?

chiefalchemist 4y ago

Donors don't write the laws. They don't take an oath to serve WTP. And so on. They are a symptom. They are not the root problem.

rcme 4y ago
> Donors don't write the laws. You’ve said that multiple times, as if you can just will it to be true through repetition. Of course, the statement is categorically false. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/10/us/politics/crypto-industry-states-legislation.html https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/10/us/politics/crypto-indust... https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/us/alec-a-tax-exempt-group-mixes-legislators-and-lobbyists.html https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/us/alec-a-tax-exempt-grou... https://archive.nytimes.com/dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/05/23/banks-lobbyists-help-in-drafting-financial-bills/ https://archive.nytimes.com/dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/05/23/...
- camgunz 4y ago
  Indeed it's very false. Lobbyists oftentimes push legislation their clients wrote. You gotta be pretty ignorant to believe otherwise.