explain lobbying to me.?

Question

I understand the history of lobbying which seems to be the answer that im always giving, but how do you do it. Do you go to someone and offer them money for their campaign if they do something you want, and if thats the case how to you lobby congress, cause there kind of set arnt they

Answer 1

Add this legislation and i'll kick you down some cash!

Answer 2

Lobbying is the act of swaying a politician/s to vote for something which you or whoever you are acting on behalf of is sponsoring. This may be done with campaign contributions, voting blocs, endorsements or favors of some sort. Campaign contributions is pretty self explanatory, voting blocs would be like the NRA (National Rifle Association) asking their members to vote for a certain person, endorsements would be like the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) coming out in favor of a candidate and favors would be like someone throwing a $100 a plate dinner for a candidate and the candidate getting all the proceeds with no expenses.

There are set limits on a lot of the donations, however they are usually broken down to a maximum for individuals where they don't exceed the limits.

Almost every congressman is worried about being re-elected so he wants to keep the lobbyist's goodwill.

Answer 3

A corporation or special interest who wants to influence a government official, but doesn't want to go to jail for bribery, pays a lobbying company a fee to pass along the bribes for them. The lobbyists know which PACs and 527s to send the money to in order to avoid Federal Election Committee rules and to avoid an FBI investigation.

Answer 4

Read a book called "Gucci Gulch" (don't know the author) - came out in the 90s, was sort of a "Barbarians at the Gates" of the lobbying world. A good read, and I think it will tell you what you want to know.

Answer 5

Basically, you approach a politician, explain your views and tell them what you want. For additional leverage, you can attempt to bribe them in some manner. Usually you will represent an organization, and the politician should be aware of you and that organization, you can't just walk up to random politicians and do this :)

Answer 6

The best way to describe this is to actually assign you homework. You should check out the movie, "Thank You for Smoking." It is a movie about a lobbyist who works for Big Tobacco.

Essentially, a lobbyist sets meetings with different people in order to try and persuade them to his views or the views of his particular constituents.

Say for example I work for the NRA. My goal then is to court committee members who are working against the goals of the NRA, for example the gun control groups in congress. I would try to get them to attend luncheons, brunches... bring them to product demos, use the financial resources of - in this case, the NRA - to try and show them a good time as I try to get them to agree with our views.

It's not as much offering money for campaigns as it is trying to come to compromises with certain groups for the benefit of the group you are working for in order to better your position overall. It goes back and forth. Gun control wants the NRA limited. Gun nuts want the gun control people limited. So it becomes more of a game of compromise trying to give a little to get a lot in return.

The movie I suggested shows a lobbyist in action. It will help you understand just exactly what they do.

Answer 7

hang on a sec....


ok, basically, you go to someone who has political power, on behalf of your self or your organization, and try to persuade them to vote how you/your organization wants them to vote.

this can be done by making political threats or promises, and supplying friendship, entertainment, and other favors.

its almost like a lesser form of black mail.

they set up appointments/meetings with the politicians (dinners, lunch) and offer/promise monetary support or threaten them( If you don't vote how we ask you to, we are goin to convince ppl to vote against you..or something like that) inorder to pursuade them to vote a certain way, (the way that will be most bennifical to the lobbiest) on a bill or ammendment,

For example,

The National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League(people who are against abbortion) may say to a congress
"if you vote against making abortion legal, our organization is willing to make a genrous donation in return.

many times this is illegal, and if a political leader is found to have any sort of link to these bribes, the offical can be fined for "unscrupulous acts" and face impeachment or dissmissal.
it had a direct affect on their office and they risk deffemation to themelves and/or their political party.

its a secret "bargan"

is that the answer you were looking for?
hope i didn't give you 'the answer that your always getting'

Answer 8

Lobbying today seems like those who'd need to use dirty money to bribe those in authority and those who are lawmakers to kiss their butts.

Answer 9

Lobbying is what happens when a government gets too powerful.

Congress gets reelected once every 6 years, they aren't set.

Answer 10

legal bribery of a government official.