[rayiner]

Your proviso is irrelevant to my point: You've concocted this world model that tells you that criminal defense attorneys lobby in favor of stiffer prison sentences because it serves their monetary interests. My point is that your world view is wrong; its not about the merits of your hypothetical ban.

[downandout]

My world view is that anyone that stands to directly profit from laws that are likely to increase the inmate population or average sentence length should not be able to play a part in getting those laws passed.

[mkopinsky]

So the government shouldn't only be deciding who can or can't lobby on a particular issue, but which side of the debate each respective party can or can't be on? "I'm sorry sir, but given your circumstances you may only support these Approved Beliefs."

[downandout]

Again, we're talking about a very specific subset of laws here - criminal laws - that benefit a very small subset of people and businesses in the US.