200 Years Of Lobbyists. What If?

By: Kenneth Stepp

I had to go there. What if lobbyists controlled Washington DC 200 years ago, the way they do today? They would have stifled progress the same way they do it today. So, what would America look like if that had been the case? Let’s unpack that and see.

First. The war of 1812 would now be an occupation. We would have military bases in Great Britain. And, we would “tell” the American people that we had been rebuilding that country, when in fact, we were simply allowing the monster corporations of that ere to rape any resources that may exist there.  Back home in America. The citizens could rest assured that we were there for humanity reasons. And as the printing presses banged out these fairy tales daily, we nod, smile and go on with our lives.

We would still be on horseback or horse drawn buggies. This because the Buggy and horse lobbyists would have collaborated to keep all that “new fangled hogwash” away from us. For our own good. Maybe instead of a war on drugs, we would have a war on tech. Tech would be a buzzword for all things evil. Like a gateway drug to sin or something. Even the papers would  tell stories of how, in a far away country that allowed a combustion engine to be built, led to the people exposed to it becoming completely mad and killing an entire village. Sounds about right.

Then there would be laws enacted based on morality. They would still be going strong today because there would be the zealot lobby team. And, it would be their idea of morality that framed the laws. Never mind that some sinful folks had a different set of values. This is America. Which means freedom can be defined by the one’s that can afford to make laws. We the people are just rubes that need strong government, not ideas of our own. God forbid. Free flowing ideas and desires not sanctioned by a few “geniuses”, would be a disaster.

Ok. I write all this in jest. Have you ever wondered what the people will say about this generation? It is my belief that as silly as the above seems. This is what we will be remembered as is the future. We the people will pay the exact price that we allow them to charge us. Think for yourself.

k@kstepp.com