If a candidate takes in money from special interest, can they still serve the vo

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   ShootersCenterposted 12 years ago

   If a candidate takes in money from special interest, can they still serve the voters?
   
   If they take 100's of millions of dollars from special interest groups can they keep any of their campaign promises to the people or is it payback time to the special interest groups that paid to get them elected?

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   MilesArmbrusterposted 12 years ago

   Most politicians aren't in office to serve voters anyway. Making promises to get elected is actually the same as taking money from special interests. Both are merely self serving acts to guarantee their place of influence. What it really shows is that the politician is not interested in finding out what is the right way to serve the country. He then has to balance his loyalties to whichever benefactor - the electorate or the special interest - will be most beneficial in re-election. Meanwhile, money is wasted, decisions are made out of selfishness rather than principle, and the government goes around for another cycle of self preservation at our expense. I am pretty sure this is NOT what the founding fathers had in mind.

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      Larry Wallposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Many Congressmen do want to serve the people. The power structure of the Congress has become so warped that it takes a Congressman years before having the seniority to make a difference. He must still deal with party politics and election expenses.

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      ShootersCenterposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I hate the way the good ol boys network is in congress but it'll never change in my lifetime.

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   Petra Vlahposted 12 years ago

   Money talks and politicians lie...what else is new?  The ones with the money are making the rules and for the rest of us is just hope against hope

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      ShootersCenterposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      How can you tell when a politician is lying? When his lips are moving. I do believe that some of them think that they do what they are saying but our system changes them instead of them changing the system.

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   feenixposted 12 years ago

   The short answer to this question is yes, a candidate who accepts money from special-interest groups can still serve individual voters quite effectively.
   
   Moreover, the vast majority of so-called special-interest groups are comprised by U.S. citizens; thus, those groups have as much of a right to support political candidates and political parties as anybody else.
   
   To offset the power and influence of the special-interest groups, "The People" need to team up with each other and form their own special-interest groups.
   
   For example, thousands, or even millions, of working single moms could organize themselves to be a strong, influential and powerful special-interest group.

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      ShootersCenterposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I don't think that most individuals are informed enough or would even care enough to be involved but I wish they would. Most people still don't think their vote matters.

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   Larry Wallposted 12 years ago

   Everybody has a connection with a special interest group that has a lobbyist in Washington.
   
   I belong to AARP--they have a lobbyist.
   I am a Catholic--they have a lobbyist
   I am a Type II Diabetic--the Diabetes Association Has a Lobbyist
   I own three dogs--Animal Rights people have a lobbyist.
   I am a writer--News Organizations work hard to protect first amendment rights.
   I am opposed to abortions--there is a lobbying group for that and there is a lobbying group for the pro-choice people.
   My sister is a breast cancer survivor--another special interest group.
   I use oil and natural gas. They have a lobbyist.
   Unions have lobbyists.
   All groups have some kind of representation in Washington and make some contributions to candidates.
   Obviously some make more than others but everyone belongs to some special interest group.
   Those that want to protect their second amendment rights belong to the NRA, which as a lobbying group, puts the oil and gas industry to shame regarding influence.
   You want to preserve the environment and belong to the Sierra Club--they have a lobbyists.
   You are elderly and you want to protect Medicare and Social Security--there are lobbying groups doing that.
   The insurance industry, auto industry, construction industry, etc. etc. etc all have representatives seeking to influence members of congress through conversations, donations, in-kind services during campaigns and ways I probably never heard of before.
   
   So if a candidate takes money from a special interest group can he still serve the voters--the answer is yes. You just may not like the way he serves you, depending on which special interest group represents your particular beliefs, needs or ideas.

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      feenixposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Excellent response, Larry. Absolutely excellent.

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      Larry Wallposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you. People forget how many special interests they have as individuals.

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      ShootersCenterposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Larry, you always have some great answers. I can think of 5-6 organizations that I belong to that probably have their own special interest groups.

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   huckelburyposted 12 years ago

   It depends on the influence exerted by the special interest. Many organizations hedge their bets by donating to both candidates, hoping that each will remember the gift. Reality says that in a day when corporations are treated as persons with the same free speech rights, money influences the candidates' decisions. In a democracy, every voice has a right to be heard, but today, 1% of those voices shout while 99% simply whisper.

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