how lobbies work
the term lobby came into use in the american political landscape in the 1800s in u s statehouses in the northeast the very first lobby in the united states congress was the room outside the chamber which was one of the easiest places to run into house representatives this was generally where people were able to meet with politicians have their say and try to persuade them to vote a certain way 1the term s meaning began to shift as people gave up meeting in this physical lobby as mentioned above a lobby is a group of individuals or companies that use their influence over public officials it also means the action of trying to exert influence over other individuals lobbyists are particularly active and well funded by certain industries notably pharmaceuticals oil and gas insurance aerospace and defense utilities banks and real estate lobbies and lobbyists are paid substantially by their clients to sway the decisions of lawmakers to pass legislation for the industries they serve lobbies are often seen negatively because of the influence they exert and the amount of power they hold that s why they can circumvent the democratic process and conduct what most people call back office deals it may not seem fair to the average citizen that an interest group can seemingly buy a vote but that is how it works in politics despite anti lobbying rhetoric spewed by many candidates on the campaign trail the candidate if elected into office does little or nothing to put an end to special interest money in fact these politicians often expose themselves as hypocrites when they accept donations from lobbies although they are generally looked down upon some lobbies can have a positive impact on society such as those tied to environmental groups education and human rights special considerationslobbyists who walk around washington d c and state capitals may serve a positive role in illuminating or clarifying issues that are germane to industries or professions but they are generally viewed pejoratively as special interest groups practical minded people should note that competing interests in a democratic process are natural where lines may be drawn however are in cases that are considered harmful to society by a majority of americans for instance there is a debate about whether guns and tobacco fit into this category the same goes for processed foods sugary drinks and expensive drugs some do not like the lobbies that push their agendas also if a lobby simply outspends a competing interest to get what it wants the question of fairness arises there are lobbies on the other hand that are seen as positive where the public good is concerned some of them are even considered essential these lobbies are tied to environmental groups education and human rights to name a few these lobbies may not be as well funded as the industries and interest groups that oppose them but at least they have a voice many citizens liken the actions of lobbies to bribery because they may promise politicians financial support and backing during their political campaigns in exchange for votes on legislation types of lobbyinglobbying can take on a few different forms the two most common are example of a lobbythe national rifle association is one of the most well known lobbies in the united states the organization was founded in 1871 the organization had roots in the promotion of shooting sports and hunting over time it expanded and became an advocacy group for gun owners around the country 2the nra calls itself a major political force whose effectiveness is due to several factors including the organization committed about 1 59 million to its lobbying efforts in 2022 4