Quote:
Originally Posted by Slava
Well at least there's no hyperbole in this thread.
I will just note that business contributing to candidates they support isn't actually attacking the integrity of our democracy. People who do nothing, don't vote and have no idea about what is going on do far more to erode our democracy than a concerned businessman that you disagree with.
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If that concerned businessman actually makes his case with the public, or supports a candidate who is doing so, that's democratic. If he's doing his lobbying at private meetings, for things that candidates aren't willing to openly put into their platforms, that's anti-democratic. So I disagree. I much prefer apathy to actively circumventing the democratic process.
And no, there's no hyperbole. Sprawl does hurt our finances and it's bad for the environment. Backroom lobbying (and flat-out lying to the public, with regards to the "development freeze") is bad for democracy. Wenzel and his ilk are putting their own self-interest above those things. Which is certainly within his rights, but it's also not a "good" way to behave. It is, at best, morally neutral and I personally do not like what he has done.