Lobbyists Are 'Solution,' Government Is 'Enemy' - GOP Congressman

^propaganda video from the event

Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg has been pounding Democratic Sen. Jon Tester over lobbyist fundraising in their tight Senate race, but Rehberg declared last year in a meeting with the influence peddlers that he probably would have chosen their profession over his own if he had been "smart."

And further, he declared they were not only honorable, but that he could not do his job without them.

"A lot of y’all’s type came to me and said, 'What are you nuts? You know, if we had the choice of either run for Congress or be a lobbyist, wouldn’t you like to try the Congress first?' And I fell for it," Rehberg said. "I ran for Congress. I probably, if I had been smart, I would’ve said nope, no, I think I’ll stay out of the political arena and go into lobbying.

"What I’m trying to suggest is I think lobbying is an honorable profession," he said.

www.huffingtonpost.com...



Lobbyists and corrupt politicians like him are the problem, not the government. People like him ruin the government.

This guy is running for senate and is currently a congressman. I hope no one in Montana would vote for this garbage.

rehberg.house.gov...
dennyrehberg.com...

AAARRGGGHHHHH!
That made my head explode.

But I think Lobbyists and the Govt. are the problem. Especially when people like that are in the Govt.

But as I've said before, people get into politics because it's profitable.
If there was nothing to be gained from it, most of them would have different professions.

Lobbying is a disease... not too long ago we called it "influence peddling".

They should ban government officials from going to work as a lobbyist for at least 10 years after they resign from government.

They'll never get rid of these maggots as long as the billionaires continue to own the government.

Put this GOP congressman's words another way: Government is "we the people", and lobbyists are money, so what he is saying is "money is the solution, the people are the enemy." It's a total sellout to the banksters and the 1%.

Lobbyists is another word for "briber"

Should be outlawed

reply to post by Iron7


It really is bribery, I have no clue how it is not illegal. Their propaganda video says lobbying is their constitutional right.....

reply to post by RealSpoke

"What I’m trying to suggest is I think lobbying is an honorable profession," he said

What he really meant to say is, "I could of made more money and had more power as a lobbiest. Who would of thought that as a congressmen I would be nothing more than a puppet for the big wigs?"

Lobbyists and corrupt politicians like him are the problem, not the government. People like him ruin the government.

Really? I don't know buddy, I'd say giving other people a monopoly on power over your life is not only quite a problem, but is also what allows the possibility for guys like him to have any power at all. What is that saying? Power corrupts... absolute power corrupts absolutely? I'm a classical Anarchist though, so maybe we should save this conversation for a different thread. Thanks for bringing this turd brains to light.

Peace.
S&F

reply to post by openlocks


I'm an anarchist at heart...but it just isn't realistic and would bring down the quality of life to have none. Anytime you cut police forces, crime goes up. Government just seems like a necessary evil to me.

reply to post by RealSpoke


I agree, lobbyists are part of the problem.

The records also suggest that lobbyists with personal connections to the White House enjoy the easiest access.

Republican lobbyists coming to visit are rare, while Democratic lobbyists are common, whether they are representing corporate clients or liberal causes.

www.washingtonpost.com...

So are you willing to take your messiah to task for his love of the lobbyists? Or will you be a hypocrite? Both sides are equally guilty.

Lobbyists are the reason, this Country, is bought and paid for !!!

This makes me sick.



S&F

Hmmm kind of like the chicken and egg "argument" government is not the problem?

How does one get that?

The reason lobbyist exist is to voice there opinions on laws that effect their livelyhoods in many ways. As government grows so does lobbying.

Then one day one fine upstanding congressman figured out they could get their campaigns financed for life if they passed more laws.

So mores laws pass,government powers grows the guy standing next to him thought, "Hmmm great idea" and that is how we ended up where we are.

Only way to get rid of lobbyists is to shrink the power and size of government no amount of "laws" is ever going to change that fact.

No amount of condemnation of lobbyists will ever change that fact Government is the enemy if anyone ever read those documents written by the founders they have all said in numerous ways government has never been friend to the people.

Anyone who seeks government "solutions" deserve the mastery they get.

reply to post by OccamsRazor04


My messiah? I don't like Obama. He just isn't as repulsive as Mitt Romney.

reply to post by neo96

The reason lobbyist exist is to voice there opinions on laws that effect their livelyhoods in many ways. As government grows so does lobbying.

What is one of the main reason government grows? dingdingding financial incentives from lobbyists.

Only way to get rid of lobbyists is to shrink the power and size of government no amount of "laws" is ever going to change that fact.

You can cut the government all you want, it will just grow back over time. Either you have some law stopping it from doing so or....

No amount of condemnation of lobbyists will ever change that fact Government is the enemy if anyone ever read those documents written by the founders they have all said in numerous ways government has never been friend to the people.

That's why half of the founding fathers favored a strong central government?

Originally posted by RealSpoke
reply to post by openlocks

 

I'm an anarchist at heart...but it just isn't realistic and would bring down the quality of life to have none. Anytime you cut police forces, crime goes up. Government just seems like a necessary evil to me.

I feel you, but then you're not really "an anarchist at heart", are you?

The thing is, we can't just look at govt now, we have to look at it in a historical perspective. The wealthiest and most powerful few have ALWAYS sought to oppress, exploit and violate the many, through hierarchical structures such as the church and state. Also, you can't separate the big wig capitalists from the politicians. They have always been married and have always worked in collusion. In fact, they are the government. For instance, without the government there would of been no massive institution of slavery, which was a capital venture. There would of been no segregation (Jim Crow) laws, no zoning laws to corral large groups of the black community into project housing, all which where attempts to create a permanent lower caste of people who would remain wage slaves and not ever accumulate any large chunks of the big wigs capital gains.

The govt IS the reason why there is so much crime and poverty in the black community, we can't forget that. They have the guns to oppress, exploit and force their will upon the people. The big wig capitalists just tell them where to point the guns. Now, that doesn't mean we should just abolish the entire system immediately, as many Tea Partiers call for. I agree with you, that would lead to an even worse situation. But what does need to happen, is people need to recognize that govt empowers tyrannical corporations and politicians, and we need to figure a way out of govt. All of our political efforts should be designed towards reaching this end, the cessation of govt, and we must do it in the safest and yet speediest method possible.

Sorry, really went off topic now.
Peace.

reply to post by openlocks


Yeah but, organized crime could form, do whatever it wants...steal peoples land, force women into sexual slavery, extort people to kill any sort of free market. Government is just as evil as humans, without government our evil would oppress others in different forms.

Lobbiests AND big government are the problem. Both are corrupt.

Judicial Watch - Obama White House is a Lobbyist Haven
Politifact Truth o meter ... Obama's Lobbyist Rules are a Promise Broken
Report Reveals Lobbyist Influence is Alive and Well in Obama's White House

Like I've said ... Republican/Democrat = same/same

Pull money out of the picture if you want a functioning country. It has been taken over by jackyls and currently is being opposed by socialists.I don't want Romney but at least I may not have to worry about being picked up because I'm a war vet.

Originally posted by RealSpoke
reply to post by openlocks

 

Yeah but, organized crime could form, do whatever it wants...steal peoples land, force women into sexual slavery, extort people to kill any sort of free market. Government is just as evil as humans, without government our evil would oppress others in different forms.

But at least then things are seen and acknowledged for what they are, there is no manipulation or trickery hiding what is really happening. Nobody would argue, besides the mobster, that organized crime is inherently good or productive. People would rally against it. And they sure wouldn't be going around parading these guys like they are some sort of godly figure. People DO think govt is good and productive though, and parade around cheering it on. The thing is, everything you mentioned that COULD happen without govt, IS HAPPENING WITH GOVT!

The US Govt is the largest organized crime syndicate the world has ever seen, point blank period.

PS. I would not say humans are inherently evil. That is a Middle Ages piece of propaganda created by the church to bring in more followers. All the social, biological and neuropsychological science points to the opposite in fact. Surround a child with violence, greed and corruption (govt and its corporate system) and that child has a 85% chance of becoming violent, greedy and corrupt. Surround a child with love, generosity and sound principles, and that child WILL grow up to be a loving, generous and ethical adult.

reply to post by openlocks

Nobody would argue, besides the mobster, that organized crime is inherently good or productive.

I don't know...the mafia could help save our property from human vultures staking out your private property since there wouldn't be state police around. That's actually how they started off.

With more property owners came more disputes that needed settling, contracts that needed enforcing, and properties that needed protecting. Because the authorities were undermanned and unreliable, property owners turned to extralegal arbitrators and protectors. These extralegal protectors would eventually organize themselves into the first Mafia clans.

en.wikipedia.org...-feudal_Sicily

. Then over time it becomes more and more power and eventually turns into some type of government. Humans strive for leaders and structure, we're social primates that naturally live in family groups.

And I don't think humans are evil, we just have an evil side, like chimpanzees and most other animals.

Originally posted by RealSpoke
reply to post by openlocks

 

Government just seems like a necessary evil to me.

I can swing with this. As George Washington said, "At best government is a dangerous servant, at worst a fearful master."


I think you all need to think as to why lobbyists even exist. They exist because an overreaching state has its fingers in everything through regulation and taxation. Of course if the government could pass a regulation tomorow that could hurt your business or help your competition, you are going to lobby for laws and regulations that help you, not kill you. The underlying problem is too much government. If the state would keep its fingers out of everyone's business, there would be no need or incentive for lobbyists.

reply to post by RealSpoke

I don't know...the mafia could help save our property from human vultures staking out your private property since there wouldn't be state police around. That's actually how they started off.

No, they started off as a business venture to make money and compete with the biggest mob (US Govt), and that is exactly what they did. They made money however they could get it because they were determined to level the playing field a bit. Anyways, am I right by saying that you believe that because there have been families who organized themselves into small but very corrupt and violent gangs, we should thus all support the biggest gang (US Govt)? This logic will get messy very quickly, so I'll let you dwell on it some more.

Using Chimpanzees as an argument for Govt. is just funny. By that logic, the physically strongest in our society should be our leaders and everyone else should be subservient to them. In our case it's those born not with the most physical strength but material and social wealth that "lead us". If I didn't know you better, I would swear you were making a case for why I should be voting for Mitt Romney.