Welcome back, citizens! As we get started today, think back to Ulysses S. Grant,
the famous Civil War general. You may recall that after the war, Grant was elected the 18th
President of the United States. During his time in the White House, Grant used to enjoy walking
the few blocks to the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., then taking a seat in the lobby and enjoying
a cigar and a drink. Many of those beverages were paid for by political advocates who met him in the
hotel lobby, most of whom hoped to gain favor with the president and perhaps influence his decisions.
Grant used the term "lobbying" for the practice, but the history of individuals
and groups attempting to influence government officials goes back much further than that.
Our objectives today are to summarize the history of lobbying, describe various forms
of lobbying in the United States, identify and describe various types of lobbying groups,
and describe the conflicts of interest in the practice.
Lobbying can be defined as the act of legally attempting to influence the actions, policies,
or decisions of government officials and bodies. Despite Grant's use of the word,
the term "lobbying" actually originates in the gathering of members of parliament in hallways
and lobbies in the British government. Evidence exists that the practice can be traced back to
Rome and Greece, as individuals worked behind the scenes to influence government officials.
It has become increasingly common in modern times,
and increasingly profitable for lawmakers, as they often receive much more than Grant ever dreamed.
Pause here for a moment to consider if you think elected officials should be able to receive gifts,
such as money, from those seeking to influence laws. Why or why not?
Jot down your answer in the guided notes.
Usually, lobbyists are seeking a new law,
a change to a law, or maintaining an existing law that others may oppose.
Often, big businesses pay for lobbying influence on legislators to influence laws or otherwise
establish relationships between the government and the business that are beneficial to the business.
In other words, businesses are willing to spend some money on lobbying in hopes of making even
more money. Many businesses and other lobbying groups have vast financial resources at their
disposal. Lobbying is regulated by the government to prevent the worst abuses from developing into
bribery, which is giving money or other gifts in order to persuade someone to do something.
As you might suspect, the ethics involved with legally influencing lawmakers are controversial.
Even though lobbying is legal, there are some who consider it a form of bribery. When
elected officials have a duty to act on behalf of those who put them in office, receiving money or
other forms of compensation can be a conflict of interest. A conflict of interest is a situation in
which an individual, while serving one interest (receiving gifts from lobbyists, for example)
could work against another interest, such as representing the citizens who elect you to office.
Lobbyists generally focus their efforts on the legislative branch where laws are
created but may also try to influence the judicial branch to advance their causes.
Lobbying usually involves direct face-to-face contact and is done by many types of people,
associations, and organized groups. Those include private sector, corporations,
government officials, and other groups, but could even come from voters or a block within
a congressional district or state. But most lobbyists are professionals who are paid to
influence laws or other government actions on behalf of a group or individual who hires them.
To do that, a variety of tactics are used. For example, lobby groups spend considerable
amounts of money on advertising to help get candidates elected who will support their goals.
Some lobbyists are now using social media to reduce the cost of traditional campaigns
and to more precisely target public officials with political messages.
In the end, it all comes down to money. Many citizens have trouble
with the fact that lawmakers can be influenced by businesses and groups.
Still, any failure of government officials to serve the public interest as a result of
lobbying remains controversial but legal. The questions remain: is it bribery,
and is it ethical? Take a moment here to ponder those questions and write down your thoughts.
While lobbying is a general term most associated with big businesses, there are other groups with
specific goals regarding legislation. The first is advocacy groups. These are organizations whose
motives for action are often based on political, religious, moral, or commercial positions.
Lobbying is only one method used by such groups to achieve their goals. Other methods include
the use of social media, publicity campaigns, and even litigation, which is legal action in court.
One type of advocacy group is those who work against defamation, which is damaging the
reputation of an individual or group — something we discussed earlier in the lesson on the First
Amendment. Anti-defamation groups usually exist to protect civil rights for specific groups.
An example is the Anti-Defamation League, an organization that advocates against
prejudice and for civil rights. While its focus is on anti-Semitism or prejudice
against Jewish people, they also battle all religious, racial, and ethnic hate.
Another is watchdog groups. Organizations that are usually non-profit, which means they
aren't seeking to make money like a business. Watchdog groups rely on donations and provide
oversight on alleged abuses on a topic, such as environmental practices. Media advocacy groups
are a relatively new concept. They use mass media to promote fair application of public policies,
targeting groups and communities that are often disadvantaged. Another new type of
advocacy group is called astroturfers. These are groups that mask who's funding
a message in hopes of giving it credibility without tying it to the financial source. Doing
so disguises the organization's intended influence on the subject. Take a moment to consider whether
you think astroturfing should be allowed, and write down your answer in the guided notes.
Often referred to as P ACs, political action committees emerged in the 1940s during labor
reforms. They were established after Congress made it illegal for unions to give direct
contributions to political candidates. PACs, which contribute to political candidates,
make it possible to do so indirectly. PACs are tax-exempt, meaning they don't have to pay taxes.
They receive this status when they register with the Federal Election
Commission and spend more than one thousand dollars to influence a federal election.
To give you an idea of the influence of political action committees, consider this:
in the 2018 elections that included all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives
and 33 in the Senate, PACs donated more than $29 million to candidates of their choosing.
Do you think PACs should be legal? Why or why not? Pause for a moment to write down your answer.
A final type of organization for lobbying is called special interest groups.
These are simply organizations made up of people who hold similar views or goals on a topic.
Groups like this advocate for their special interests, which also forms a base of support
for both political candidates and current and potential legislation.
Special interest groups can include organizations such as labor unions and business groups, but also
professional groups such as the American Bar Association, whose membership includes lawyers.
Other special interest groups include diverse organizations such as AARP, the American
Association for Retired Persons; MADD, or Mothers Against Drunk Driving; and the Sierra Club,
an environmental organization with chapters in all 50 states. Have you heard of other organizations
that you think might be a special interest group? Pause and write down your answer in your PDF.
While political candidates and office holders receive direct benefits from lobbyists and
other groups, they are not the only ones influenced. Many of these groups provide
funding to sway your opinion on topics, largely by paying for advertising for candidates who
will support their measures. However, it is the influence of money and other gifts
to current and potential legislators that remains the primary subject of controversy.
If legislators are elected by citizens, those people then expect them to serve their interests,
not corporations and other organizations. It seems as if it comes down to a choice for elected
officials: Do you serve your constituents who elected you and entrusted you to represent them,
or do you serve those who are giving you money and other benefits? While the government provides
some oversight for lobbying, the most important scrutiny comes from informed citizens who monitor
their elected officials and their voting records, then use the ballot box to render judgment. It's
all part of a citizen's duty to vote, debate, and participate. And remember to always be clever.