Question

150-200 words.

Interest groups with normatively "good" causes often use profesisonal lobbyists; this is evident from AARP's expenditures. Do you believe there is an ethical issue with interest groups using lobbyists? Why or why not?

Answer 1

What is lobbying ?

Lobbying refers to the deliberate attempt to influence political decisions through various forms of advocacy directed at policymakers on behalf of another person, organization or group.

It is the act of attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of officials in their daily life, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies.

Professional lobbyists: These are people whose business is trying to influence legislation, regulation, or other government decisions, actions, or policies on behalf of a group or individual who hires them.

What does lobbying have to do with ethics?

Periodic scandals make many Americans skeptical about the role of lobbying in a democracy, but the right to try to influence legislation is protected under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Congress shall make no law abridging the right of the people "to petition the government for a redress of grievances." This protection assumes that people should be involved in the decisions that affect them and that advocacy for a variety of causes is a crucial part of good decision making.

What ethical dilemmas does lobbying present?

Since the ethical foundation of lobbying is the vigorous public debate necessary for informed decision making, ethical dilemmas related to lobbying tend to arise when various behaviors by lobbyists and lawmakers undermine the fairness and transparency of that process and do not contribute to the common good.

1. Fairness: The most obviously unethical (and illegal) practice associated with lobbying is paying a policy maker to vote in a favorable way or rewarding him or her after a vote with valuable considerations. If this practice were allowed, people and organizations with money would always win the day. Fairness questions also arise when some lobbyists have easier access to lawmakers than others. Frequently discussed is the problem of revolving door lobbyists-those people who once served as public officials who then go into the private sector and work to influence their former colleagues. In addition to relationships with lawmakers, they may, for example, still have access codes to offices, use lawmakers' exercise facilities, or otherwise have easier entrée to the corridors of power.

2. Transparency: One way to improve the fairness of the lobbying process is to make sure that possible sources of influence are visible to the public. This goal is behind various state and federal requirements that lobbyists register and file reports on the issues they have discussed with lawmakers.

3. Common Good: Lobbyists are advocates. That means they represent a particular side of an issue. In the advocacy model, lobbyists may do anything on behalf of their clients as long as it is not outright immoral or illegal. Jesuit political scientist Thomas Reese, S.J., himself a former lobbyist, argues that this model does not always translate well in the public sphere.

In a courtroom, two equally powerful attorneys go before an impartial judge. In the halls of Congress or the State Assembly or City Hall, the lobbyist often represents powerful interests, while the people have no representative. An ethical approach to lobbying must ensure that someone stands up for the common good. Lawmakers have an obligation to solicit the views of those who are not represented by powerful lobbying groups.