Lawmakers should learn from the past Alaska is experiencing political corruption more widely than most other states, (as evidenced by) current federal prosecution records. Public confidence in government is being harmed. Here’s one reason why. In the Alaska Constitution Article II Section 12, the direction to formulate legislative rules of procedure for effective lawmaking is amplified by this command: “The Legislature shall regulate lobbying.” If regulating lobbying was not part of effective legislative procedure, this provision would have been placed elsewhere in the Constitution for use. Furthermore, even the public instinctively understands that unregulated lobbying sabotages representative government. Therefore, you’d think that this constitutional command would have prompted some legislative rules for lawmakers about regulating lobbying. But the published text of Alaska State Legislative Rules proves that all legislatures since statehood have sidestepped doing so. Instead, for years legislatures have just passed superficial laws about registering lobbyists and their compensation and forbidding gifts/considerations that could bribe government officials. But this restrains corruption no better than trying to stop water overflowing from a tub using mops and towels while leaving the faucet turned on. What could really be done about corruption, and lobbyists having more influence than citizens? Using constitutional authority, our legislature could pass a rule (a law is unnecessary) using Theodore Roosevelt’s successful practices toward improper special interest power (see his first State of the Union Address). It could read: “Any verbal, electronic, visual or written communication to any legislator from any group or individual must promptly be made public record with rare, supervised exceptions.” This remedy has been available to know and use for decades. Why are politicians so unconscious of honesty and transparency that they won’t use our political heritage or the simple power of learning from the past? Stuart Thompson Wasilla
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