A few years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that, in essence, money is equivalent to free speech. Under the First Amendment to the Constitution, individuals and corporations can exercise that “right to speak” through campaign contributions. By this logic, those who wish to speak the loudest need only donate more money. Who is speaking the loudest for Mayor Ralph Becker’s … [Read more...]
Lobby on the Dark Side – Payday Loan Industry
...continued from part one. Many lobbyists work to protect the businesses or rights of those they represent. But there are darker agendas. One of the most powerful lobby groups is the payday loan industry and Representative Brad Daw - Orem, knows first hand just how powerful they can be. Daw had been a representative for 8 years and he introduced legislation to regulate … [Read more...]