Issue Position: Special Interests

Issue Position

"It will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood." -- James Madison

Many politicians speak out against "special interests", but very few often know what the phrase really means, or have the courage to actually follow through with what they say. In my time in Charleston, I never once voted in favor of a new regulation or a new tax or fee. Often times, I had to do this alone. This is the first step towards limiting the power, and ultimately, shutting down the venue upon which special interests thrives.

Special interests are really just different lobbying groups or organizations who would choose to gain profit or power from government by deviating our society further away from the common rule of law. And there are many special interest groups currently perpetuating this trend in Charleston. When politicians talk about limiting the influence of special interests, they usually merely mean limiting the influence of their OPPOSITION's special interest. For instance, Republicans will typically talk about limiting the power of Big Labor's special interest. Democrats typically talk about the influence of Big Business. But neither party actually recognizes that this influence--or "special interest"--can only be rendered moot by removing the venue upon which these special interest groups gain power at the expense of the rest of society. In other words, the debate has been more about who controls the power, not about relinquishing the power, and giving it back to the individual, and to the family.

But these two special interests just referenced are only the ones that are often times brought up to the public's attention to score political points from emotional preconceptions. There are many more special interests at work in Charleston ripping off the public at will by externalizing their costs through high-jacking the force of government. Gambling casinos, hospitals, insurance companies, public sector unions, private sector unions, utility companies, health care groups, trial lawyers, tourism businesses, drilling companies, and ideological groups such as "environmentalists" or "pro-choice" lobbying coalitions--all at some point are just as active in seeking the same control over power and manipulating common law for their own benefit.

These special interests seek to in some way, break the right over the individual to Life, Liberty, and Property. Some of them pay lip-service to "free markets", but none of them honestly believe in the real meaning of them, or understand sound economics. In order to achieve their objectives of increased power and influence, there are a whole host of tools these special interest groups have devised.

Under this umbrella of corruption, eminent domain laws, centrally planned taxes, bureaucratic regulations, and campaign kick-backs all have become tied together to plunder and loot the public at large. Some wish to plunder one group over another, some wish to loot the public treasury; others desire to force the majority to "give" to the minority. Still other groups wish to force a minority to provide for the "majority". In reality though, this system of picking winners and losers is completely arbitrary, and has caused ALL groups to become impoverished over the long run. In this game of short-term thinking and irrational behavior, few of the groups become enriched. And the rule of law becomes further diminished.

Every time this occurs, a new precedent becomes institutionalized and set in stone. This moral hazard behavior becomes reinforced--that whenever there is a need to "compete", the government is there to help force out the competition. Fewer jobs are created, lower wages are offered, less commerce moves into our state, and prosperity becomes a thing of the past. Ultimately, the moral character of the people is what is lost on society. Creating conditions where constitutional government is upheld is the best way to minimize this hugely corrupt industry of government lobbying.

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