Supple Cow

I was mulling over what I wanted to say about this, but since roachboy broke the ice, I might as well just say what I'm thinking at the moment and wait for the replies to roll in.

Placing a large burden on the populace is not a failing of democracy. Not taking responsibility for ourselves as members of a democracy is a failing of the populace. Whether it feels this way or not, doing something other than helping to run the government for a living is a privilege that comes with responsibilities. It is not a free ticket to stay uninformed and pretend that politics and the government do not exist.

Lobbyists are just people who take this responsibility to an (almost sick) extreme. Getting rid of the lobby is not going to make people watch more c-span, think for themselves, or fail to get bored with politicians who actually exhibit responsible leadership qualities. Leaders who actually do their work with the public good in mind often lack the ability (and the time) to grab the attention of voters. Given that, I can't see how killing the lobby is going to make people vote for that kind of leader. The loudest dog at the pound gets the most attention.

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"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
(Michael Jordan)