Simply put… Lobbying of any kind is banned from contact with elected officials. The elected officials must obtain their feedback from their constituents via poll and direct contact.
Perfectly stated.
Lobbying is a legal term for bribe…
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No lobbying, no insider trading, no more making millions of dollars while simultaneously not representing the interests of the American people.
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Absolutely
I was told by a someone running for office that to get elected they must sign NDA & a binding contract by lobbies, PACs, NGOs, & Big billionaires to agree to passing policies, bills, & funding that the Corp. Control. If they do not do the bidding of the lobbies they much pay back all the campaign money. Bought and paid for by big funding. They are not elected if they refuse to sign. This Government is run by the corrupt! We wonder why the people are not heard- lawfare & binding contract.
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I disagree with an all out ban. I personally know of situations where a policy or legislation would have unintended and disproportionate negative consequences to a major American company. In such cases, major organizations should have the same rights as individuals to petition the government, voice their concerns and lobby for favorable outcomes.
I like the idea of using this format as a way for “The People” to become the “lobbyists”
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Businesses of many forms are have multi-definitions, including ‘individual’ and ‘person’.
@EthanHowardMfrr Can I get some clarity on what you are implying in this context?
We need campaign finance reform and stop the use of money as influence. Nothing unethical about lobbying or PACs, but the money needs to be removed. A lobby/PAC then becomes an interested group of voters on one issue. Example, the NRA, or labor unions.
It should not cost billions of dollars or going bankrupt to run a campaign to run for office. The vote with dollars favors the wealthy and the resource rich. Expensive campaigns shut out the middle and lower classes from becoming representatives of the largest segment of the population.
Just to show how money driven campaigns are, as an employee of a corporation I was “strongly encouraged” to contribute to the company PAC. That money supported politicians I did not want to support. As typical in this day and age, the rules are skirted and non-conforming behvior has penalties. I dont blame the corporation, the PAC manager basically states if you want any attention from a politican you need money and that’s how it is. That needs to change.
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USC Title 1-General Provisions Ch. 1: Rules of Construction States:
In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, unless the context indicates otherwise—
the words “person” and “whoever” include corporations, companies, associations, firms, partnerships, societies, and joint stock companies, as well as individuals
Read the code, there is a link to it in my proposal. This is also the chapter that defines ‘abortion’ and ‘marriage’ between two individuals.
The problem I see is that when lobbing the big companies can pay millions to a member of the government to get a bill passed, the smaller companies may not be able to pay, in turn the member makes lots of money to get a bill passed that may not benefit the American people, where the smaller may of had there’s benefit us. It’s almost like prices doubting. This has to stop every company every bill should have a free fair change with out any out side influence my opinion
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@Waverlycarmazzi I agree that “pay to play” is corrupt and absurd. No legislation should be the result of companies giving kickbacks to politicians. But I see that as an issue with bribery or coercion, not lobbying. Do I think we clamp down hard on what should be considered bribery, coercion or corruption? Yes, absolutely. At the same time, politicians aren’t geniuses. Sometimes they don’t think things through or have the knowledge base to understand all implications. So in cases where that is happening, I still support organizations being able to bring attention to those blind spots.
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I am looking more at the greed , like money takes over the logic then all they see is dollar sign and not the true problem, so there for they work on passing a bill with out researching what the bill is, why it was presented as well what it will do.
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Entities should be redefined, and capped to allow for equal economic influence in the auction that is Congress.
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I agree! It should be prohibited for politicians to become millionaires while seated.
If a politician is donated to by a company or corporation, that politician should have a vote ban on any bill or legislation pertaining to the corporation or company. Directly or indirectly. The same ban for a politician who owns any stock or stake in a company or corporation that poses a conflict of interest.
Anti-trust laws should include politicians knowingly and actively participanting in monopolies, that includes facilitating.
Frankly, all politicians in congress should be ban from what the common worker considers fratenizing on a personal level with any corporation or business entity, including personal or romantic relationships. Common folks in the workforce are fired for such.
I’ve had more than enough of these politicians getting rich while kicking the poor man down. No more! No more wasteful spending off the backs of blue collar workers who bust their tails trying to keep from starvation and homelessness.
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Reforming or eliminating lobbying to minimize undue influence on government while preserving democratic participation is a complex but crucial challenge. Here’s a comprehensive plan with possible solutions:
1. Improve Transparency and Public Disclosure
- Real-Time Reporting: Mandate real-time reporting of lobbying activities, including meetings, spending, and communications with government officials, on a publicly accessible online platform.
- Lobbying Expenditure Disclosure: Require detailed, itemized disclosures of how much is spent on lobbying, what issues or legislation are being targeted, and which politicians or officials were engaged.
- “Lobbyist-for-a-Day” Programs: Institute public education campaigns or interactive resources where citizens can review or experience lobbying activities in a way that demystifies its workings, showing how policy influence is achieved.
2. Limit Lobbying Spending and Campaign Contributions
- Cap Spending on Lobbying: Set strict limits on the amount any organization can spend on lobbying efforts per year, reducing the ability of wealthy organizations to dominate policy discussions.
- Restrict Campaign Donations from Lobbyists: Ban lobbyists and lobbying firms from making direct campaign contributions, preventing financial influence over candidates.
- Prohibit “Bundling” of Donations by Lobbyists: Prevent lobbyists from bundling large numbers of donations on behalf of their clients to skirt individual donation limits, which effectively buys greater access.
3. Limit the “Revolving Door” Between Government and Lobbying
- Enforce Cooling-Off Periods: Enact stricter cooling-off periods that prevent former government officials, lawmakers, and their staff from working as lobbyists for at least five years after leaving public service.
- Long-Term Restrictions for High-Ranking Officials: For top government roles (e.g., cabinet members, senators, representatives), consider lifetime bans on lobbying for industries they regulated or worked with directly.
- Ban Reverse Revolving Door: Restrict lobbyists from taking regulatory or policy positions in the agencies they previously tried to influence, to prevent regulatory capture by private interests.
4. Increase Regulation and Oversight
- Strengthen the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA): Enhance the LDA with stricter definitions of lobbying to cover all significant forms of influence, including public relations campaigns, indirect lobbying, and grassroots lobbying.
- Create an Independent Oversight Body: Establish an independent commission to monitor lobbying activities, enforce disclosure requirements, and investigate violations. This body could impose fines, recommend reforms, and ensure compliance with lobbying laws.
- Require Registration for All Forms of Lobbying: Broaden registration requirements to include “shadow lobbyists,” those who are paid to influence government officials but currently avoid disclosure due to loopholes in the legal definition.
5. Restrict Lobbying in Specific High-Impact Sectors
- Limit Lobbying in Public-Health and Defense Sectors: Consider special restrictions for lobbying in areas like public health, defense, and environmental regulation, where corporate interests may conflict with public safety and welfare.
- Ban Political Lobbying by Foreign Entities: Implement a complete ban on political lobbying by foreign governments and their representatives, to prevent foreign interference in domestic policy.
6. Increase Public Participation and Counterbalance Corporate Influence
- Public Financing of Campaigns: Provide public funding for political campaigns, leveling the playing field for candidates and reducing dependency on large donors and lobbyists.
- Citizens’ Advisory Boards: Set up citizen advisory boards that review major legislative proposals and allow for citizen feedback on issues heavily lobbied by special interests, which can influence final legislative language and provide a counterbalance.
- Public Lobbying Programs: Establish government-funded programs or grants for nonprofit and public-interest groups to lobby on behalf of citizens in key policy areas like healthcare, education, and environmental protection.
7. Penalize Undue Influence and Conflicts of Interest
- Enforce Criminal Penalties for Corrupt Lobbying Practices: Implement tougher penalties for lobbyists and government officials found to engage in corruption, bribery, or conflicts of interest related to lobbying.
- Introduce a “No Gift” Rule for Lobbyists: Completely prohibit lobbyists from offering any form of gift or perk to lawmakers and government staff, eliminating the current exemptions that allow many gifts to pass as “business expenses.”
- Public Audit of High-Risk Legislation: Require independent audits of the legislative process for high-impact bills (e.g., major tax reform, healthcare, defense spending) to ensure transparency and reveal any undue influence from lobbying.
8. Promote Grassroots and Public Lobbying as an Alternative
- Subsidize Grassroots and Citizen Advocacy Groups: Support nonprofits and grassroots organizations that represent broad public interests by providing subsidies or grants to allow more citizen voices to reach lawmakers.
- Establish a Public Policy Platform for Citizen Input: Develop a digital platform where citizens can provide feedback on pending legislation, submit petitions, or advocate for issues in a formal process that lawmakers must review.
- Host Open Congressional Hearings with Public Input: Require congressional hearings on highly lobbied issues to allow for public testimony, expanding the range of perspectives presented to lawmakers beyond those of well-funded lobbyists.
9. Encourage Corporate Responsibility in Lobbying
- Require Ethical Lobbying Codes for Corporations: Corporations could be legally required to publish ethical codes of conduct for lobbying, including limits on spending and restrictions on lobbying around specific, high-stakes legislation.
- Public Reporting of Corporate Lobbying Agendas: Corporations that engage in lobbying could be required to publish annual reports that outline their lobbying priorities, positions, and intended policy outcomes.
- Shareholder Oversight of Corporate Lobbying: Mandate that corporate boards disclose lobbying activities and budgets to shareholders, allowing investors to evaluate and potentially veto lobbying activities that don’t align with shareholder values.
10. Consider Eliminating Lobbying Altogether in Certain Forms
- Ban Corporate Campaign Contributions and Lobbying in Policy Areas: Some proposals suggest eliminating corporate lobbying in areas where conflicts of interest pose a high risk, such as defense and healthcare, allowing only registered nonprofit or public-interest lobbying.
- Replace Private Lobbying with Public Interest Representation: Create a government office dedicated to investigating and representing public interest in policy debates. This office would engage with Congress on behalf of the broader population, allowing only unbiased, public-funded advocacy.
Expected Benefits of These Reforms
- Greater Government Accountability: By limiting and regulating lobbying, government officials may be more likely to serve public interests over private ones.
- Increased Voter Confidence in Democracy: Reducing corporate influence could restore public trust in the political system, helping citizens feel that their voices carry weight.
- Balanced Representation: Public-interest groups, small businesses, and grassroots organizations would have greater opportunities to influence policy alongside large corporations.
- More Equitable and Transparent Policy Outcomes: Reforms could result in policy outcomes that more accurately reflect the needs of the public, as opposed to those of a select few with significant financial resources.
This framework prioritizes balance, preserving essential rights to petition government while implementing safeguards against undue influence. The goal is to create a system where lobbying is transparent, accountable, and serves the broader public interest.
@earthworks
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Congress needs input from the business community just as much as it needs input from individual citizens, maybe more.
I would favor a definition of lobbying that restricted contact between congress and any organization other than individual citizens to those contacts, initiated by a member of congress or a committee of congress, seeking input. All such contact should be on the record and conducted in the halls of congress except where the input includes congressional observation or inspection of conditions.
I agree that no arm of any organization or business should be able to contact any member of congress except publicly and on the record and only when intiated by congress; furthermore, no entertainment, travel expense or emolument of any kind should be afforded any member of congress during such consultations.
Perhaps lobbying should be defined legally in just such a manner.
It’s already illegal for members of congress or anyone in the administrative or judicial branches to accept bribes. We’ve just allowed the courts to define the term far too loosely.
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This should be merged with
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That’s a great example of big companies, that’s why I say lobbies need to not be allowed, this would put everyone on the same playing field, as well if the bill is important to the person(s) pretending it then there information on would explain it in its fullest, as long the bill is only on one item and not a bunch put in there, to slip by, as they have been doing, more the time, its laziness, of them to do everything at one time, thing get miss, thing get put in, members miss what the bill is all about, this way it all comes down to being fair to the bill, presenter(s) as well a much clear bill information, plus not hours trying to read everything. As well I believe there should be a time that everyone has a chance to read the bill, research or ask questions before it’s time to debate the bill or vote on it.