Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller for September 02, 2010

Money is the grease that lubricates the wheels of government.

Pretty much the same mechanism in Canuckistan. At least the same result.

Screw the Public! Make straight the way of the money-bearing Lobbyist!

BTW, Compare PBS (today’s and yesterday’s).

It’s the Golden Rule; them that has the gold makes the rules.

… yeah and they go right into his pocket as “campaign contributions” (see yesterday’s Pearls Before Swine).

Well you really can’t see it in this picture, but I think there’s probably a Minotaur in the upper corner having taxpayers for lunch.

This explains why there’s an entrance with no need for an exit.

…and, if you’ve noticed, there is NO way the public can ever reach government. Well put.

Ain’t that the truth?

Sigh. It’s probably always been this way, but it feels like the power of the corporate owned lobbyist is greater now than ever.

Brilliant stuff Wiley. LoL Baslim!

I thought the lobbyist entrance was through the backside of his chair.

How come no college has a Lobbyist BA or BS?

Wow, look at all those lobbyists from the government employees and teachers unions!

Why complain? Is Capitalist system at work, da? Is, how you say, incentive to “work smarter, not harder:” get enough money to influence system?

Da… money makes world go ‘round.

For every labor lobbyist, there are at least ten from big business trying to screw the workers.

Good idea Wildcard, maybe the public should band together and pay for our own lobbyists.

wait …. where are the hoops and traps?

But Guntoting, the politcos already declare that everything they do is for the public, and look where that’s gotten us.

As for business lobbyists, there are two main kinds. The first is fundamentally honest and lobbies to keep Congress informed of needful legislation or potential damage from ill-conceived laws. The second kind is fundamentally dishonest, as they wheel and deal for special favors intended to give them an unearned advantage over competitors. The first is concerned with defending his rights and the second intends to violate someone else’s.

Of course the line between the two types can be blurry in today’s mixed economy, but for a clear depiction of the difference, read Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” for an understanding of what a free economy should look like.

(Red: That notion that businesses screw the worker is right out of Karl Marx. Where were you taught that?)

If the public had their own lobbyists, big money would hire lobbyists to lobby our lobbyists. After all, we’re already paying the target of the current lobbyists and we know how successful that’s been.

Are we sure this official’s title isn’t… “Former Liberal Educator, now Liberal Government God”

Or how about, “Department of Hope and Change.”

We already have a college devoted to producing lobbyists. It is called “Congress”.

pschearer, yeah, that’s why there are so many rich teachers around, driving BMWs and M-B…oh, wait.

chrismaple: billdog’s jape was aimed at the Tea Party, Palin, and Beck, hence the religious metaphor. It would not apply to Ayn Rand, as you say.

Rand’s philosophy, as far as I can tell, was that of a highly intelligent and articulate two-year-old – self-interest is all there is, and altruism and selfless service to others are rubbish. (She reminds me of Stewie Griffin, come to think of it.)

When future archeologists unearth our culture, I hope they find a cache of your strips! That’ll explain it all.

love ya.

Just outside the cartoon frame is the Chicago City Limits sign!

More of this.

There probably USED TO BE an opening to his office for the public in there, but one of the lobbyists brought in a wall panel to block it up.

I recently had a discussion with a wealthy Ayn Rand tea-partier type. He was 100% behind the military-industrial complex but thought that spending tax dollars to feed hungry American children was a waste of money. When I mentioned to him that Exxon/Mobil paid $0 in federal income tax last year, his response was that corporations shouldn’t have to pay taxes. This dude is one sick puppy.

^ The unpaid taxes went to pay the wages of the thousands of workers they added to their workforce.

One advantage of being from a low-population state like the Dakotas or Wyoming: it’s easier to get in to see your elected officials. I say nothing about how easy it is to get them to listen to you.

The lobbyists have way too much influence over who gets in the servants’ entrance.

The “public entrance” is too big….

if money is the grease, then hypocrisy is the vaseline of political intercourse

Great Ayn Rand put-down, Scaaty!

Amen Billdog – I’m just curious to know who hasn’t experienced getting screwed by business?

so true !!!

Notice when the amount of money a Congressman has taken over a lifetime from a lobbying group is mentioned, how small the amounts —usually in the thousands, millions…. tens of millions.

These relatively meager contributions gain lobbyists BILLIONS in benefits – often tax loopholes.

Million,000,000 Billion,000,000,000

They earn 1000 to 1 on their investment. And our pig-headed avoidance of figuring out a way to make public financing work COSTS us that 1000.

i agree with the last comment money is being used too loosly

Hey, how does Wiley know how my representative/senator in both state and fed levels operate?