The First Amendment (The right to petition)... the right to buy a vote?
"In the United States, the right to petition is guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution, and it specifically prohibits Congress from abridging "the right of the people ... to petition the Government for redress of grievances." Its roots within the colonies can be traced back to the Declaration of Independence,[4]. Historically, the right can be traced back further, to English documents such as the Magna Carta, which, by its acceptance by the monarchy, implicitly affirmed the right, and the later Bill of Rights 1689, which explicitly declared the "right of the subjects to petition the king"[5].Wikipedia
This right was intended for the peoples' voice not the peoples' money. Lobbyist have gotten out of control; with hundreds of millions of dollars to influence the legislators at their whim.' We the people' have very little influence as individuals.
Lobbying Overview
|
"Remove the revolving door by doubling the amount of time members and
staff are prohibited from going from legislating to lobbying. Stop
legislators from negotiating legislation while also negotiating
employment contracts for themselves with those who benefit from the
legislation. And keep former members who are lobbyists off the floor of
Congress." Top Spenders, 2007
|
|
