Lobbying= Bribery

California is in a deep recession, we're talking billions of dollars, yet lobbyists are pulling thousands of dollars out of their pockets to give to legislators and the legislator's families to get them to vote for their way.

From January 2008 through June 2009 lobbyists gave legislators and their co-workers and friends approximately $610,000 worth of gifts. Lobbying is legal, but there are restrictions. Legislators are allowed to receive only $420 in gifts from a single organization, but there is no limit on how many gifts the leader's and friends and relatives may get. This comes in handy when little Susie wants to go see "Disney's High School Musical: The Ice Tour". Daddy the legislator and 17 of his co-workers and his family get to come along too at the expense of AT&T. It has been reported that lobbying organizations have given $34,000 in gifts directly to the spouses and relatives of legislators and their staffs during the last 18 months.

Another example, a group of lawyers from the California Department of Insurance took a trip to Las Vegas, paid for by the insurance companies they regulated. The company paid $2,268 to lodge the lawyers, $1,300 to feed and transport them, and $1,076 worth of meals, drinks, and spa treatments to one of the lawyer's wife.

A database shows lists of all the gifts, including Britney Spears concert tickets, 424 meals at Spataro restaurant, kegs of beer, free travel to Hawaii, and hundreds of King's tickets, which I don't understand because the Kings are no good now.

In my opinion, that is messed up. This extreme lobbying is like (barely) legal bribery. Not only are these companies spending money on useless things when our state needs the money the most, but they are using material goods to influence the leaders who make the decisions that effect us. I think laws should be made about restrictions on lobbying because the level they have taken it to is not okay.