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Transparency in politics has actually been shown to help rather than hinder lobbyists: http://www.congressionalresearch.org/TransparencyProblem.html http://www

• tyfon 8y ago
  But they can still have lunch with members of the general public (including lobbyists) in secret and make secret arrangement then present another argument for their motives in public. If it was impossible to contact a politician in secret the amount of legal (you get a nice consultant position after the political career) and illegal bribes would hopefully go down. This does not stop a politician from doing something in the hopes that it will be rewarded later without prior contact though. Also to add, this is a pipe dream, something that the current crop of politicians would never accept as it would reduce them to merely being a spokesperson for the people they represent.
  • DoctorOetker 8y ago
    "If it was impossible to contact a politician" this is why we should be voting on ideas and not on politicians. my opinions don't accept bribes for their new garage doors...
  • xwvvvvwx 8y ago
    As I understand the research, it's specifically public voting records that give lobbyists a lot more power over members of congress (donations can be made conditional on certain votes, and lobbyists can verify that they are getting what they are paying for).
• bediger4000 8y ago
  Interesting, but maybe lobbyists aren't 100% in it to get their putative goals. Maybe, just like managers, they get a lot of enjoyment out of manipulation and exercise of power. That would certainly explain a lot.