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Pay-to-Play is Bad for Business
Growing up, my father would often tell stories of his days as a professional musician. A major lesson he imparted on me is that a musician should never pay to…
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Flickr – Kelly DeLay
Here’s another story to file under, “both parties are part of the problem:” see lobbyists comma Democratic national convention.
The Hill reported today that top officials at the Democratic National Committee met with some of the country’s top lobbyists to entice them to help fund the party’s 2016 convention. In exchange for providing top dollars, lobbyists representing companies like H&R Block and General Motors will receive “VIP treatment,” such as commingling with influential members of the DNC, photo ops and, it goes without saying, exclusive face-time with Democratic candidates.
Lobbyists and other wealthy special interests are able to give this kind of cash thanks to an under-the-radar rider slipped into last year’s must-pass budget bill known as the ‘cromnibus.’ That provision dramatically increased the contribution limits for donations to national parties, and it was written by Democrats and attached to the bill by Republicans. Never let it be said that the parties can’t work together.
The trading of donations for special perks not available to the rest of us is a bipartisan problem with a bipartisan solution: we need to pass common-sense rules regulating how lobbyists are allowed to contribute to our elected officials.
Issue: Money in Politics
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Growing up, my father would often tell stories of his days as a professional musician. A major lesson he imparted on me is that a musician should never pay to…
Archived
A number of states and localities have made disclosure reform a priority, producing innovations worth emulating. These institutions, unrestricted by congressional gridlock, offer proving grounds for a variety of reforms.…
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12 national groups, including Issue One, have endorsed the 21st Century Democracy Agenda, a comprehensive policy platform to reduce the influence of money in politics and ensure that everyone has a…