I made an off-handed comment in a post recently, that:
I think:
Federal Finance Reform (aka limited public financing of Elections)
and Transparency and Steep Taxing of Lobbyist Activities
-- should be Two Other Important Keys to any long lasting Progressive Deal that lasts.
Our government was established "for the People"
-- NOT for the "corporate people."
I knew Item 2 (Taxing of Lobbyist Activities) was a stretch. Hell, I knew Item 1 (Campaign Finance Reform) was a stretch too. But the FACT that we still need these things
still stands.
I expected critiques and challenges to my idea of "Taxing of Lobbyist Activities" -- and indeed I got them. Mostly along the lines of "Free Speech" violations, and no "Constitutional Authority" to Tax Lobbyists (as if what they are doing is "above the {commerce} law" or something.)
Afterall there are "Good Lobbyists" and "Bad Lobbyists" -- and they both have equal opportunity to buy convince our politicians.
Both camp have equal opportunity to "write our legislation" ... to insure their sponsors' loopholes, become "established laws."
Corporate Speech shall not be encumbered. Afterall they pretend to be people too -- SO Corporations must have a right to buy influence our elections, just like any special interest does. Fair is fair.
This -- our status-quo Lobbyist situation -- just strikes me as Wrong, in so many ways. That is why I'm asking for your help, because we got to find answer to this:
How can we reduce the impact of Lobbying Activity, and hopefully eventually, make it go away entirely?
There.Must.Be.A.Way.
I based my off-handed comment (about "Taxing of Lobbyist Activities") on the tried and true economic rationale:
If you want to see less of something
-- you Tax it.
QED.
Call it promoting the Domestic Tranquility,
by curbing interstate corporate-lackey commerce.
But once again I was assailed with the "No Constitutional Authority" critique -- you can't Tax Lobbyists -- because the Constitution {protects the freedom of speech}.
My Constitution says some good things about Speech (not Money-Speech btw) -- but it also says a lot about Raising Taxes too. Many "good reasons" are given for enacting new taxes -- despite the GOP's whiny protestations to the contrary:
The Constitution of the United States -- Article I, Section 8
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
[...]
To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
[...]
To establish Post Offices and post Roads;
To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
[emphasis added]
It seems to me, if I were to be a strict literalist, that the primary requirement needed to enact new Taxes is:
The basic need "to pay the Debts." Simply. Clear. Concise.
The business of Government (and our Constitution) allows it; indeed demands it: The raising of Revenues, as needed.
Oh the horrors! Alexander Hamilton and Adam Smith, must be rolling in their graves. The Free Market shall not be encumbered.
But the way I read it, we can use Taxes not only to Pay our Debts -- but also to curb activities, that DO NOT promote "the general Welfare;"
that DO NOT insure "the Domestic Tranquility" {when tied back to enumerated "national goals" of The Preamble}.
And what could be more disturbing to our General Welfare and Domestic Tranquility -- than the unfettered activity of over-paid Lobbyists, tasked with influencing, impacting, and otherwise writing creating OUR Legislation??? You know, the Laws {supposedly} of the People -- not FOR the Corporations.
I ask you. Naive, idealist, non-scholar, that I am.
Note: the terms "Lobbyist," nor "Corporations," appear nowhere in our founding documents. However "the Press" is indeed mentioned and protected in our very first founding principle of the Bill of Rights. Go figure!