With all the box seats are sold out, Michigan taxpayers are all in the peanut gallery.
For each of the 148 State Senators, and State Representatives in Michigan, lobbyists spend about a quarter Million bucks each year.
According to Craig Mauger at the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, this year they are on track to keep it going.
Over the first seven months of 2016, January through July, lobbyists reported $21.7 million in spending, according to disclosures filed with the state at the end of August. That total, $21.7 million, is the most spent on lobbying over the first seven months of a year in Michigan’s history.
Its all innocent ..of course.
But please remember, your guy is in Lansing, and is outnumbered by trained agenda wielding operatives by a factor of 20 to 1.
Not only is there more money trying to influence Michigan’s elected officials, there are more lobbyists as well. There were 2,998 lobbyists and lobbyist agents registered in Michigan in 2015, up from the previous record of 2,959 in 2012.
And that means “20 to 1” is just the average.
But rest assured, all that money is only spent on positive outcomes, AM I RIGHT?
(4)Nuh Uh.
(0)
You are right. Lobbying is like having a $1 coupon toward a $2 can of beans. Manufacturers make the coupon (tax stimulus) available but you can only get this "prize" if you're in possession of the coupon. Only some shoppers will have the coupon while other shoppers will buy a $1 can of beans not having a coupon. The $1 and $2 can of beans are basically the same--both cans contain beans and cost maybe 50 cents to produce. There is then a 50% mark-up on the $1 can and 150% mark-up on the $2 can. Are you saving money with the coupon? Not really. But, using a coupon triggers involvement from a huge cottage industry-marketing. On it's face, the grocer makes the same profit from selling both cans of beans; but, with the coupon shopper the grocer would rather sell only the $2 can of beans hoping that only a few have the "prize". The grocer then makes 150% more on the $2 can of beans and by handling the coupon, makes even more. There's money to be made on those coupons and the more coupons the better. He sends in the coupon, receives $1 plus a handling charge, more profit. Pretty soon, the coupon flow dries up, leaving the grocer with a huge stock of $2 cans of beans. He's forced to sell those cans for 25 cents leaving him with a negative profit, eventually having the close his doors.
Lobbyists are nothing but dupers triggering a whole cottage industry worth billion$ marketing to those being paid by our taxes. Those coupons are taxes. Trickle-down duping for profit coming from all angles leaving consumers without funds to buy a can of beans.
And here, my friends, is why there's a need to keep you stupid as "Stupid is as stupid does".
Until our legislators are subject to a much stronger FOIA standard (including all meetings with anybody) and those presently hanging outside Capital chamber doors are physically identified (not that hard) any measures designed to fix this are half-hearted at best.
Our children cannot connect dots without the dots and their parents/grandparents are well aware of this.