I am not ignoring that they were initially set up by the government
But you are ignoring that they have a government mandated job of encouraging growth in housing, and they face pressure to do so, including pressure to lend to people who where not the world's best credit risks, and could do so to a greater extent because the implicit guarantee enabled them to raise money cheaper than any purely private company doing the same thing could have.
but the reality is that there are plenty of things you cannot do legally with your money
And outlawing money used for speech is regulating or even outlawing speech, which is against both the first amendment, and the general principle of freedom of speech. Laws against dangerous fraud is against neither.
just as there are plenty of things you really
And lobbying congressmen isn't one of them, it can't be without violating the constitution.
Money still isn't free speech and to equate the two is absurd.
Money isn't speech, but restricting of money used in order to convey a message is restricting freedom of speech.
If I said "you can say 'x' if you want, but you can't breathe for 100 hours before doing so, I would technically be regulating your breathing, but I would really be regulating your speech. The same applies to forbidding the raising of money in order to exercise your freedom of speech. If you don't allow people to use the tools they need to get their message out, your restricting their speech, just as you would be if you sewed their lips shut.
Where is lobbying in the Constitution?
1st amendment
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Lobbying is using your freedom of speech, and its petitioning the government.
How in the world is lobbying a natural right?
Your right to free speech, and to address any government put in place over you are natural rights.
Are you talking about generally discussing someone in order to persuade them to your viewpoint or being an actual lobbyist?
Having discussions with officials in order to try to persuade them is what lobbying is. Lobbyists do more than that, but "outlawing lobbyists", means "outlawing lobbying", which means "outlawing having discussions with officials to try to influence them.
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lobbyist
One entry found.
Main Entry:
2lobby
Function:
verb
Inflected Form(s):
lob·bied; lob·by·ing
Date:
1837
intransitive verb : to conduct activities aimed at influencing public officials and especially members of a legislative body on legislation transitive verb 1 : to promote (as a project) or secure the passage of (as legislation) by influencing public officials 2 : to attempt to influence or sway (as a public official) toward a desired action
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