Is lobbying good or bad or both?

Answer 1

LobbyingLobbying has its advantages and disadvantages. On one hand, it is designed to help special-interest groups (which may be a group of a certain religion, belief, industry, etc) get their voices heard by members of the law-making body. On the other hand, lobby groups with large amounts of money are able to support campaigns and sway opinions, and therefore limit the mobility of politicians by creating the sense they are owed.

Money contributions under any guise nullifies the original intent of lobbying . Instead

bribery is now the main effect of the efforts on the part of the lobbying organization. No one donates money or gifts funds without the promise of a return, swaying votes or in effect buying congressand thereby making the general electorate voiceless.

In general, Lobbying would be considered a bad thing by the middle class private sector due to their comparative lack of influence. In this day and age, Lobbying has become a way for corporations, religions, and other private and special interest groups to submit their influence over the legislature and essentially circumvent the standard law-making procedure. While all political parties and groups involved with politics have lobbyists, many Americans feel lobbying has gotten out of hand and should be outlawed, but this comes at a double standard because you have to lobby the outlawing of lobbying for it to take any effect. However the practice of lobbying is currently protected by the model of government we have and since corporations and other special interests are legally considered a singular entity, they are represented as such in Congress.

I advise you to do you own research on the practise of lobbying and how it affects us before you decide whether it is good to have around, should be reformed, or outlawed altogether.