Are laws essentially for sale to the highest bidder?

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cdtm
Been thinking about the most influential special interest groups, and how they get what they want. They all have one thing in common:

Money.

It's no secret money turns the wheels of politics. You look at Opensecrets.org and such, and these groups are throwing around money like they're Scrooge McDuck.

But just how bad is the problem, really? Is there an unofficial list, where such and such amount will get you a law passed? Will politicians, who ar always desperate for money, ever go against their self interest and NOT push for a law from the deepest pockets?

If all politician do is cater to the deep pockets, that means they're not really running things. And neither are we, the people.

There's another angle to this, though. Let's say you're a feminist, or NRA member, or whoever. That means it's YOUR money going into these pools. If we're talking millions/billions, are you really getting your money's worth?

How much did that anti-harassment law cost you?! A few hundred million, every year, for the rest of the life of the organization?


So essentially, we have the dollar trumping the will of the people, and the lifeblood of special interest groups being perpetually siphoned off, for relatively very little return. Someone's getting rich as hell in all this, that's for sure.

Putinbot1
Often, put position can get you off the hook too.

Robtard
In sort: Yes, they are.

It's why there seems to be a separate penal system for the very wealthy. Where a poor person who steals a car worth 20k gets 20+ years in a federal pound you in the ass prison and a wealthy person who steals 200million gets 10 years (out in 4 for good behavior) in a nice comfy resort-prison.

You think a poor kid could avoid murder charges by saying "But it wasn't my fault, I suffer from Affluenza"? Nope.

Bernie Madoff was one of the few exceptions, he got something like 100+ years for stealing 65billion and ruining thousands of lives financially, but that's because some of his victims were the very wealthy/elite themselves and you just don't do that. He's in a comfy prison though, with zero anal rapes and a reflecting pool in the common yard.

Surtur
Two words: affluenza teen.

dadudemon
Originally posted by cdtm
Does money buy laws?

Yes.

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jaden_2.0
My favourite thing about the US electoral system is that senators can loan their own election campaigns money from their own businesses at any interest rate they want then the taxpayer becomes liable for repaying the loan back.

CroftAlice
There's no honour amongst thieves

Flyattractor
Can't this be sumed up with the simple word of "Corruption" cause I am pretty sure that has existed as long as humanity has!?

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