Builders end political contributions
It’s a pretty stunning move: Officials with the National Association of Home Builders on Feb. 12 decided that the group’s political action committee will no longer make contributions to candidates for U.S. Congress.
The reason? Association officials say that Congress hasn’t done enough in the last six months to stabilize the struggling housing market. You can read a statement from the home builders association here.
I have to admit, when I read this I was surprised. Organizations like the National Association of Home Builders have active political action committees, ones that spread tons of money around to politicians.
Then I began thinking: What if all special-interest groups like the National Association of Home Builders stopped making donations to legislators? How would that change our political system?
Maybe I’m naive, but I think I’d like a world without lobbyists and political action committees.
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2 opinions for Builders end political contributions
Cindy
Feb 15, 2008 at 8:41 pm
I’d also like a world without industry lobbyists. I’ve been a volunteer for a consumer org for a few years now and have been to the state capitol a number of times, to speak up from the consumer point of view on issues like lack of enforcement of building codes, shoddy construction, breach of warranty, etc. There is always at least one person there representing the building industry it seems, and I have never seen them bring anything that actually substantiates their claims. It’s more like regurgitated NAHB spin. At least I brought photos, documents, and talked about real cases/incidents. One time the builders passed out brochures on heart disease and said, “There’s bigger things to worry about.” Nothing like a patently obvious attempt to draw attention away from the issue that the meeting was about…a meeting tax payers paid for.
IMO there should be no paid lobbyists allowed. If people don’t care enough about their issue to lobby for free, then it must not be much of an issue, but just a corporate wish having to do with increasing profits. Sadly, such wishes are usually packaged as being good for consumers, if they’re publicized at all.
Dan
Feb 16, 2008 at 6:27 am
Hi, Cindy:
Thanks much for your well-written, and well-thought-out, comment. I agree with everything you said, and I appreciate the inside look at the lobbying industry. With all the paid lobbyists running around, is it any wonder that so many people are disillusioned with government? Is it any wonder that news pundits are always bemoaning the low voter turnout?
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