Does anyone else think special interests are killing democracy?

In an effort to be more accepting and inclusive of special or minority interests our politicians have swung too far, abandoning the mainstream issues and electorate. They do this out of a sense of greed: they think they already have a lock on mainstream voters, so they focus their attention of getting more and more people to come under their tent. They choose to ignore or appear mystified by declining participation in elections, when this is the most important signal that working people in this country are fed up with them all.

Sorry but it's not just liberal interests in fact I think it's quite the opposite. The word is Corporate. The middle class in America is disappearing before everyone's eyes and it's all in the name of special interests otherwise known as corporate greed. AND sorry, but even though Global warming may not effect you in your lifetime in a way that you care much about it will effect your children and grandchildren if nothing is done now.

As for gay marriage, why not live and let live? Why would letting people who love each other get married threaten anyone? Just say it's ok and move on. The only people who seem opposed to it are the uptight bible thumpers and excuse me but those politicians that preach all that? Aren't they the ones always caught with their phone numbers in a madame's book, cheating on their wives, or addicted to drugs? Yes the democrats had the Lewinsky incident, but at least Clinton had a budget surplus and the world was a happier place (except for some republicans who just had to go on a witch hunt and now look at the country!)

I absolutely agree that things need to get done but the system is so bogged down, where to start?

I agree while I dont think that every liberal idea is unimportant, I think the government and the media should have priorities. We are all ordinary Americans and to each their own. I am conservative as well mainly with spendnig issues and foreign policy. i noticed that you didnt mention anything about religion and that is the way it should be you can be conservative without being a bible thumper. Special interested are what you make of them, I don't like to hear that PETA has stopped the construction of a desperately needed power plant over the nest of a rare bird in a tree that needs to be removed. I agree gun rights also get to much attention, I have guns and would not do without but hten again I do not oppose chcking records before buying one. I still think that there are issues that are more signifigant to the majority of peoplethat get less attention because of liberal ideas. I think the oil companies need to be reigned in before we worry about gay marriage. Personally I dont care one way or the other I just want to please the majority first--FIX THE ECONOMY.

I couldn't agree more if I had written the question myself. Our government officials have become prostitutes to their profession and it is wearing on the nations people. There is no attempt by at least 80% of our representatives to do anything other than pave way for their legacies and remain a career politician. Just look at our primaries. Democrats and Republicans bash each other to the point that if the common man would say such things, they would never again be friends. They basically point out how one candidate is incompetent compared to them and then they are their best friend when it comes time for the general election. Elections have become a joke. Whoever can sling the most mud in the other direction comes out on top and our nations interests are left out to dry.

I agree with most of what you have said, except that it isn't only the "liberal" interests that are being catered to. Look at the gun rights lobby which has divided our country into believing that either you want no one to have the right to a weapon or you think everyone should be able to have a tank in their garage. The truth is always in between, but the interest groups on both sides make too many of us believe that you must choose sides instead of finding rational, reasonable solutions to legitimate concerns on both sides of the spectrum. All of this distracts from the real issues that, quite frankly, our leaders in government are neither prepared nor equipped to deal with.

Not exactly. Organizations like the NRA or ACLU, that are just a vocal group of citizens with common concerns on specific topics are Democracy at it's best. I see nothing wrong with citizens banding together to make themselves heard.

Corporate Lobbying on behalf of industry is collective bargaining with the government- it's socialism at best, and bribery at the worst. There is absolutely no reason that a corporate entity should have any voice in our government. Business will go on just fine, without help from the Federal Government.

It is not the liberal groups that are the problem in getting things done. The real special interest groups are the oil companies, insurance companies, the medicine manufacturers and the large farm conglomerates that what to keep thing the same. And put huge amounts of money into campaigns to protect their interest.

Hey Mac!

Sorry, but its even more sinister than you think...Democrats (the party) are not actually "Democrats" (the system of resolution,) nor is our government "Democratic," we are living in a economic FEUDAL SYSTEM...

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS IN THE BANK, YOU ARE A SERF, A SLAVE, AND NOTHING YOU CAN SAY OR DO WILL MAKE THE SLIGHTEST BIT OF DIFFERENCE UNDER OUR CURRENT SYSTEM...

Special interest groups are not to blame, they have no real power and are only tools that the system pretends to listen to in order to keep legislation looking busy so that the bloodsucking leeches that run our government will have fresh, poorly protected piglets to bleed as they bow and scrape in darkened sepulchers to the Lords of Finance who actually decide any significant policy outside of the government's normal function, which is to assure the public that everything is safe and taken care of so they can get on with collecting taxes...

Do you REALLY think that anyone with enough green to have "Nude supermodel oil wrestling night," in their backyard every weekend GIVES A FLYING F#CK ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE?! HELL NO!!! They WILL ALWAYS act like Paris Hilton and Muslim nut-jobs are REAL ISSUES, when more damage has been done to our country and our soldiers BY THEM and OTHER AMERICANS than all the "terrorist" cells in the world...ITS A SNOW JOB.

No current political party has the sack to make the important changes...We are only left with two options...We can smile and nod while we make "real social progress," by electing minority officials and make sodomy a constitutional right...Or we can take up arms against a sea of trouble, and realize the dream of liberty that our founding fathers wanted for us...Freedom from tyranny...Why do you think they designed the constitution to keep the federal government weak? So that once we grew strong enough to defend ourselves from invaders, we could destroy the federal authority and live as free cities without the burden of federal law and live as DEMOCRATS, by definition, each community governs itself WITHOUT an elected representative being necessarry...

I don't call what the congress was doing for the last six years Liberal Interest. The liberals didn't bring up gay marriage, they say its none of your business. The liberals don't bring up abortion they say if you don't believe in one don't have one. For the last 12years the only interest getting fed has been Conservative interest and look were that has landed us broke not only in money but the infrastructure is shot. No, time for the conservatives to wear the blame hat they had the congress for 12 long years. With nothing done but fool you people so they could steal you blind.

I agree! All congress does these days is work on making sure their pockets are full and the hell with the country! As far as I'm concerned it's the Corporations running America now, not our politicians! Our government is supposed to be run by the people, but I think most of the people are to busy with daily living to pay attention to what is going on! We have lost all our freedoms and nobody seems to care!!! The people of AMERICA need to WAKE UP, it may be to late already!!!