3 ms·
What you described sounds like a citizen lobbying effort and that type of lobbying is indeed an essential part of a democracy. However I think a distinction mu
by bogomipz 9y ago
What you described sounds like a citizen lobbying effort and that type of lobbying is indeed an essential part of a democracy.
However I think a distinction must be made between citizen and petition lobbying and and the big-moneyed-corporate special-interest lobbying. When people are decrying the general term "lobbying" its mostly the latter.
- humanrebar 9y agoDoes the NRA count as citizens or a special interest? What about Planned Parenthood? The AFL-CIO?
- bogomipz 9y agoPerhaps read the hyphenated adjective "big-moneyed" that precedes the term special-interest in my comment. The NRA, Planned Parenthood and the AFL-CIO all make 10's of millions of dollars in direct campaign contributions[1][2][3]. This is not at all the same as what the framers had in mind with the right to “petition the government for redress of grievances” in the First Amendment. Big-moneyed special interest and influence was specifically something that James Madison was concerned about. I recommend reading "The Federalist Papers." [1] https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?id=D000000591 https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?id=D00000059... [2] https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/lobby.php?id=d000000088 https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/lobby.php?id=d000000088 [3] https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=d000000082 https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=d000000082