The liberal media demonized Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck in his run for U.S. Senate when he said he would like to see the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution repealed. His opponent socialist Democrat Michael Bennet also hammered him because he presumed the will of the people would be ignored if the repeal occurred and the Senatorial power was returned to the states. As it turns out, Mr. Buck was right.
Today Federal lobbyists ply their trade in Washingon, D.C., operating out of offices on K Street. This area is known as "Gucci Gulch," based on their love of expensive, Italian footwear. It seems the K Street lobbying firms have a new client these days, and it's a growing business. What is this "client" that pays lobbyists to represent them at the Federal level? it is state and local government. According to a recent Washington Times article, spending is up three hundred percent in the last decade from these governmental areas. In 1999, state and local government spent a total of $21 billion to lobby the Federal government. In 2009 this amount had increased to $84 billion. Guess where the billions came from? You! These are tax dollars that are spent by lobbyists to ask the Federal government to help your state or city in particular pieces of legislation.
Our Founders original intent was that the people's representative would be elected to the House of Representatives. But the state's representative would be the U.S. Senator. These reps would guard the sovereignty of the state and local governments, thereby limiting the power of the Federal government. However, since U.S. Senators are now elected by the people as well, this check to the system has been eliminated. While you may think lobbyists to be evil, in all reality someone on K Street is probably doing a better job of representing you and your interests right now than Senators Udall and Bennett.
Consider their voting records and views. Both are pro-debt ceiling, pro-patriot act, pro-socialist medicine, pro-environmental control and regulation, pro-education department, pro-gun control (and taking your weapons while the ATF gives them to drug dealers), pro-union, and pro-regulation. No wonder you need a lobbyist to represent you. How sad.
The system is broken. Ken Buck was right. Senators need to represent the affairs of state and local government. The amount of $84 billion comes from our taxes, and should be a big, fat zero instead. Which K Street lobbyist is representing your interests? You might be surprised. (Link here to Washington Times article.)
Maybe he's his old-lady.
Posted by: Powerball | September 30, 2011 at 09:18 PM
Powerball,
I thought that for a while too, but Shirley doesn't seem to have the polish. idiot would actually have an opinion that he would write about; you know, more than one sentence slams. He also called us all teabaggers, birchers and birthers in almost every one of his posts, liberally used quotation marks, and parenthesis.
Shirley doesn't quite measure up. I do kinda miss ole idiot hunter.
Posted by: Dennis | September 30, 2011 at 04:42 PM
I think idiot-hunter is back.
Posted by: Powerball | September 30, 2011 at 10:01 AM
Why should women vote when they must submit to their husbands?
Posted by: Shirley | September 29, 2011 at 07:46 PM
Greeley Report has pointed out a fundamental change to our Representative Government. Anybody who clamors we are a Republic, fails to correctly integrate this very powerful change to the founders intent. This can’t be glossed over.
There use to be a time when only property owners could vote.
Women could not vote.
The US and the World would be substantially different in my opinion.
Posted by: BobbyJ. | September 29, 2011 at 06:30 PM