We always hear the term "special interests". Typically the average American thinks of men with three piece suits and $100 dollar bills used as matches for their Cuban cigars. In some cases this is true. Anytime you have government involvement in any facet there arises the need for advocacy. Many times this advocacy is specialized, and needs the services of lawyers and lobbyists. There is nothing wrong with lobbying. There is, however, something wrong when lobbyists and corporations placing their interests over the interests of the people.
This raises two points. First, is that if you want to decrease the need for lobbyists than we need to reduce the role of government in every facet of our lives. If government wasn't so intrusive in areas like energy, agriculture, and business than we wouldn't need as many special interests groups. Government should only adhere to the roles granted to it by "we the people" in our Constitution.
The second point is that on our side of the aisle we need to reject crony capitalism. Crony capitalism is the special treatment and unfair practice of favoring certain industries and economic endeavors with the power, and financial resources of government.
In a recent article in Politico, the headline reads, "Chamber of Commerce gives ultimatum to GOP." This is not a joke. The business community who normally would be on the side of free enterprise and liberty is now pushing our reps and senators into the trap of amnesty.
Folks, this article is not about immigration reform, but allow me to make a point. We already had immigration reform. Simpson-Rizzoli in 1986 was supposed to secure the border and grant amnesty to the 2 million illegal aliens in our country. Well the only part that worked in the bill was the amnesty part. The border was never secure and today we are about to do the same thing again. I thought the definition of insanity was to do the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Oh, I forgot we are talking about Washington politics, the very definition of insanity.
The GOP needs to stand up and tell the Chamber of Commerce that they can take their threats and put it some place. Those representatives were elected by you and I. We the people do not want to bullied by the corporations and businesses who don't give a rat's posterior about immigration. These entities only see cheap labor. We need to stand up and say that no more will we play the game of crony capitalism.
We need to embrace a tax reform system that levels the playing field for all businesses not just the privileged few. We need to do away with economic "incentives" and "subsidies" which many times are political pay offs and unfair advantages to big corporations over local businesses.
If the GOP wants to win and wants to appeal to the middle class, it's time we stop ladling the gravy on the pork and actually say we are a free market economy and that we will be held hostage by corporations who throw billions in campaign contributions. If you want to give money fine, but it will not buy our votes.
The only way this system will collapse is if you and I show our reps that they do not need the millions in legal bribes from the corporations and lobbyists. If we show them that the only thing that helps them is if we vote for them. The only way we should vote for them is if they believe in our constitution and not the gravy train of crony capitalism.
Links:
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/05/chamber-of-commerce-2016-election-immigration-106577.html?hp=l9
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