What would you do to stop the influence lobbyists and special interest groups have on Congress?

Question

American policy for the most part is determined by special interest groups and lobbyists. What would you do to stop it?

Answer 1

Make all government employees from small town councilmen to the President of the United States live the same lifestyle as the poorest person in the country for the length of his or her term of office.  No perks, no gifts, no special favors allowed.  Period.  That way we would know that anyone who chose to take office would be doing so out of a real concern for the people.

Answer 2

Outlaw lobbyists and have government-funded elections.  Each candidate for a certain office gets the same amount of money, and TV and radio networks must give each candidate a certain amount of free airtime.

Answer 3

I would outlaw it, but good luck getting past Pelosi and her clan of offenders in the Democratic party, they already refused to do so.

Answer 4

I don't know, liberals what do you think? Your about to elect one of the most influenced men in the world.

And don't immediately defend obama by saying mccain is the same way. THATS NOT A DEFENSE! Thats what 5 year olds do. Wrong is wrong, and because I bash obama that doesn't mean I am a mccain guy.

Answer 5

I think that we all underate the wisdom of the people.  Money can help, but ultimately the facts must be there.  The people decide.  Do they decide well?  Yes.  Do you think that any other candidate in the last election, faced with the choices in foreign affairs could have done better?  Bush made many mistakes, but frankly, foreign entanglements are so messy, could any one else have done better?  Perhaps.  But foreign affairs are messy, no matter who is president.  Consider the villification of Lincoln in the conduct of the Civil War.  Consider the villification of Truman over the Korean War.  When Truman left office he was totally discredited.  Much of it was very unfair.  The press even dwelt on the neckties he was wearing.  How petty.

Answer 6

You can't outlaw lobbying, it is guaranteed by the 1st Amendment--petition for the redress of grievance.

What you can do is reform campaign financing.  In fact one of the best plans to do this was pushed by John McCain years ago in partnership with a Democrat, Russ Feingold, the McCain-Feingold Bill.

Of course it's always the party with less money that fights for campaign finance reform, and the party making more money that fights against it.  It was funny to read the answer, a few above me, that blamed Nancy Pelosi for fighting against campaign finance reform.  For years it was the Republicans who insisted no reform ws needed.  But now that Bush has so damaged the Republicans' reputation that it's the Democrats who have more money, the Republicans have suddenly decided campaign financing is crooked and needs reform.

I would be very happy to see federally-funded elections. Every -serious- candidate gets 25 million dollars and that's all they can spend.  AND broadcast networks are required to give candidates free time, maybe 30 minute each per week, and candidates aren't allowed to buy ads.  Most political TV ads are negative and deceptive and don't really contribute anything useful to the process anyway.

The problem is that money has gotten to be not just the most important thing in politics but the ONLY important thing.  The candidate spending the most money wins 95% of the time.  So before a candidate can even announce his candidacy he has to make deals, he has to sell out.  So by the time you even SEE the candidate, he has already sold out.  

Answer 7

I'd rather have the non-profit organizations whispering in our Congressman's ears than the business groups.