i mean real lobbyists though, we can speak up and put our word out there but having someone actually standing in front of congress or in the supreme court is a huge difference. all im saying is to try and start some kind of donation, maybe 5 bucks each, less the someone spends on a pack of cartos or an atomizer. and like you said we have numbers, thats why i think this is a good idea and the more numbers we generate and the more people that donate the closer we get to the goal of helping our cause. and there are different kinds of lobbyists, some whine and dine, some manipulate by making it seems like the public is working against them, some actually make the public go that way
sending in the paper work won't bring any attention to it. phone calls will bring attention to it but only in huge numbers, thats why im suggesting a lobbyist. a true lobbyist (in my opinion) will hire people to make phone calls on a constant basis to make our numbers seem even larger then they are. and i know this may seem shady and wrong to people but this is how polotics is and if we dont do it who will?
There are some advantages to having a full-time paid lobbyist in your corner if you have more money than supporters, but legislators know the difference between a lobbyist and a concerned citizen...so unless that legislator is looking for campaign donations, they'd rather hear from a citizen who cares enough to stand up for what they believe in than somebody who is paid to push an agenda.
Last week I went to my own State's capitol to testify in front of a committee, and although I'm hopeful that my testimony may have helped educate and perhaps even change some opinions what *I* got out of it was the chance to participate in my government....and it occurred to me that having an opportunity to give my opinion directly to our elected officials is a privilege granted by our system that most of us never realize. I don't particularly like public speaking, but I care about these issues and I care about my government.
As I was walking up the steps of the Oregon Capitol building, I was struck by the engraving on the entrance:
THE MIND OF MAN
KNOWS NO EMPLOYMENT
MORE WORTHY OF ITS POWERS
THAN THE QUEST OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
IN HUMAN AFFAIRS
NO GOAL OF ITS LABOURS
THAT IS SUPERIOR TO
THE DISCOVERY OF THE GOOD
IN THE GUIDANCE OF LIFE
Since becoming involved with CASAA, I've seen how corruption has infiltrated our system of government and I have to admit to losing some faith...But those words remind me that the most common way that a system "of the people, by the people, and for the people" fails is because too many of us people leave that stuff to
other people rather than getting involved. Do YOURSELF a favor and get involved.
