Lobbyists and Government

Lobbyists represent every interest group in America. Representatives from the business, religious, labor, science, medical and other communities try to influence governmental policies. They sometimes lobby face-to-face with their elected leaders and sometimes by indirect means. One of the most used and effective means is to persuade the leaders’ constituents to lobby for them. From the beginning of our Republic, using the media to accomplish this has been a very effective tool. In recent years, however, the media has become increasingly concentrated, giving it more power to affect public opinion. Interest groups, of course, are aware of this development and spend more time and money trying to gain access to these limited media outlets to promote their particular agendas.

Not once did he challenge any of his assertions.

In my opinion, no challenge was forthcoming so as not to upset the show’s primary audience, who believe the reverend’s claims. These claims of abandonment and retribution by God in bad times are accepted by many so as to strengthen their belief that God blesses and protects them all during the other times.

In 2007, three presidential candidates, in a televised debate, said they did not believe in the theory of evolution—a “theory” so widely accepted by the scientific community around the world that it is now the basis for all the biological sciences, including medical research. These statements from three leaders who aspired to the office of President of the United States should have been cause for alarm, but none was exhibited—that I could detect—by the debate’s moderator, other participants, or the audience. Again, in my opinion, the lack of any alarm was because they knew many listeners agreed with the three non-believers.

I sincerely believe that if any in the audience had visited this Web site and read my book, Settled Science, there would certainly have been a gasp or two!

Religious beliefs and practices by individuals to attain psychological comfort from the sometimes horrible realities of life should always be respected by government and the media, but neither should allow itself to be used as an instrument to promote any particular religious belief. I sincerely believe that if any in the audience had read my essays and book, Settled Science, there would certainly have been a gasp or two!