Why is lobbying legal?

Isn't it just bribery? OK, I know politicians benefit from the perks, but isn't it obvious that it's out of control?

So bribery now consists of campaign contributions and Congressional fact finding missions to, say, Aruba. They can't take "gifts." Those things have to be targeted to the office and not the man.

It needs to be tightened up still more, of course, and will need to be tightened up in the future when loopholes are discovered in any law written by human beings.

What needs to be completely illegal is that revolving door between Congress (or the Pentagon or the FDA or the SEC or...) and those lobbying firms. We need to have a 5 year waiting period between one position and another for everyone but Senators. Theirs needs to be 10, due to the length of their terms in office.

Until we do that, we'll have the rampant corruption we've got now, with government oversight packed with industry insiders and industry lobbying groups stuffed with government insiders.

i think it might be only 1 year though.

doesn't matter, because there's an easy way around it. they get an assistant to technically do the lobbying. the ex-official sticks to phone calls and meeting arrangements and stays out of the capitol building.

what would REALLY do it is if congresspeople had to where a live mike and camera and a web hookup 24/7. now THAT might do something!

talk about reality tv!

The up-side is that people themselves and via their organizations can present arguments to their government for supporting their point of view.

The down-side is that representatives are corruptable. There have been a lot of attempts to stem the abuses. And yes politicians faced with the need to pay for campaining are susceptible to money. Money gets access and money influences policy. CFR was an attempt to reduce that.

Its not a great system but while it has an evil profile its better than having no access to government at all.

Say it ain't so joe....

it seems that all the gifts and $ could be regulated w/o restricting the right to petition. of course, this benefits the rich corporations who run the gov't at the moment so I won't hold my breath.

they can't accept gifts more than something modest like $25 or $50. they can't accept a gift of a vacation in aruba.

but, there's always a way around these things.

they CAN go to trade conferences in aruba and have their expenses paid for that. it's not considered a gift, it's work. they can get away with this because who's to say it's NOT work? it is a trade conference after all. they make sure to have enough of a conference to make the papers and everything.

they can't accept gifts, but the state of government CAN accept gifts, so a senator can accept a gift on behalf of his state, and hold it in his office. he just has to fill out the right paperwork. he'll most likely have to surrender it to the state when he retires, but that's years away, and often the governor will decide that the state will gift it to the senator on retirement after all....

corporate interests just have more money, period, to pay people to hound Congressmembers day and night...

once they leave congress, the corporations can shower them with money.

We have to be cordial. It's our job.

you have 100 extremely cordial people to discuss matters with their elected representatives, and they have five...who's going to get the attention?

Last year a program that assists the development of quality teachers for inner city schools was threatened with having 90% of their budgeting cut by the state government. I was part of a group that went to the state capital and made the rounds talking to politicians and the news media to raise awareness of the issue. The efforts led to 50% of our funding being restored and publicity on the news that led to private donations that helped fill the remainder of the shortfall...for this year. Next month, we're back on the road and will have to do it again.

Yes, lobbying, in theory, is the ability for a citizen (sic) to petition their government...unlike the British system where there was no redress to the clergy & royalty and very little even to the House of Commons.

I've always favored a 5 year waiting period for any former government employee to work with as a registered lobbyist. This doesn't mean they can't find a job...look at how quickly Tom Ridge turned his duct tape into a Home Despot job.

The problem is the Beltway has become an influence peddling town of major proportions virtually unaccountable, and all but in contempt, of the rest of the nation. Lobbyist are just a classic example of how the corporate welfare system screws us all.

a finger

You tell your representative what you want them to do.

"Professional" lobbyists cannot legally pay their pols to effect policy. The rewards are more subtle: Campaign contributions, writing legislation, etc. Theoretically, anyone can do this.

--IMM

It's important to keep in mind that we don't run around Capitol Hill with sacks of money in our hands.

What money we do give our is from our PACs, not our corporations. The money in the PAC does NOT come from the corporations. The money in the PAC comes directly from US citizen employees of the company. If you're interested in seeing exactly who's comtributing to a PAC, go to FEC.gov and type in the name of the company, and if they have a PAC it'll show up.

The gift limit for Congressional staffers is $50 at once, and no more than $100 in a year. Companies do not give every person they know $99 worth of gifts every year. We give a sleeve of golf balls here, a coffee mug there. Not exactly nefarious stuff.

And the best lobbying is not done in front of the Member, it's done before the legislative director or a legislative assistant in charge of writing a bill. Also, committee staff are important people to get to know.

As for junkets, yes they do occur, and yes expenses are paid. But, staffers in DC are not allowed to travel more than 100 or so miles from Washington for no more than 4 days. For international trips, no more than 7 days. And these junkets DO have legitimate purposes, although everyone has fun too.

that gets to me & that seems to be "uniquely" Republican story. Also, I don't know much about lobbying and it's interesting to hear from people who actually know about it professionally.