JaKsaa on Letters from an American

[JaKsaa]

Thank you Ed Guerrant

How American Lobbyists Threaten Democracy

NPR Fresh Air Podcast | August 14, 2024 4:51 PM ET

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Casey Michel shines a light on Americans lobbying for foreign governments in Washington, in many cases representing brutally repressive regimes and countries that oppose U.S. interests. Laws requiring registration of lobbyists and disclosure of their efforts have been little-enforced, and thus ignored by countless agents who've reaped huge profits from their work. Michel's new book is Foreign Agents.

[J L Graham]

I have read repeatedly in the MSM that popular public initiatives are "blocked by the (insert wealthy interest here) lobby like it's a law of nature that cannot be overcome. I have read that laws written by "powerful lobbies" are passed by Congress nearly verbatim. Isn't that a T-rex i the room? Like a form of organized crime inserting itself between the public and "our" representatives, and little is done about it? Is that the government we were promised in school? Or something broken?

Thanks to Biden and Harris/Waltz for seeking alternatives. Trump, on the other had can't wait to cut the taxes of the very wealthy yet again.

[Jon Rosen]

Well there has been almost NO legislation passed in the past two years of any kind let alone pro lobby legislation, as the current House is totally dysfunctional and couldn't pass a bill to pay for ice cream these days due to Mike Johnson and the maga constituency. So I doubt there is any current legislation that would meet your accusation.

[Gail Adams VA/FL]

Interestingly most of that cookie cutter legislation I’m reading about is targeted towards state legislatures. There’s been reporting that the more powerful lobbies’ suggested legislation is being passed verbatim by those legislatures.