Getting access can sometimes be difficult, but there are various means one can try: email, personal letters, phone calls, face-to-face meetings, meals, get-togethers, and even chasing after congresspersons in the Capitol building. When getting access is difficult, there are ways to wear down the walls surrounding a legislator. Lobbyist Jack Abramoff explains:.
Access is vital in lobbying. Here we had a hostile senator, whose staff was hostile, and we had to get in. One of the ways in which lobbyists gain access is through assisting congresspersons with campaign finance by arranging fundraisers, assembling PACs, and seeking donations from other clients. Many lobbyists become campaign treasurers and fundraisers for congresspersons.
This helps incumbent members cope with the substantial amounts of time required to raise money for reelection bids; one estimate was that Congresspersons had to spend a third of their working hours on fundraising activity. An even steeper possible reward which can be used in exchange for favors is the lure of a high-paying job as a lobbyist.
This helped the lobbying firm exert influence on that particular congressperson by going through the staff member or aide. At the same time, it is hard for outside observers to argue that a particular decision, such as hiring a former staffer into a lobbying position, was purely as a reward for some past political decision, since staffers often have valuable connections and policy experience needed by lobbying firms.
Research economist Mirko Draca suggested that hiring a staffer was an ideal way for a lobbying firm to try to sway their old bosses—a congressperson—in the future.
Increasingly, lobbyists seek to influence politics by putting together large coalitions and using outside lobbying to sway public opinion. It contrasted this with indirect lobbying, which it defined as efforts to influence Congress indirectly by trying to change public opinion.
Mobilizing Public Opinion : Large health notices on tobacco products is one way in which the anti-smoking lobby and the government have tried to mobilize public opinion against smoking. Increasingly, lobbyists seek to influence politics by putting together coalitions and by utilizing outside lobbying to mobilize public opinion on issues.
As an indirect tactic, lobbyists often try to manipulate public opinion which, in turn, can sometimes exert pressure on congresspersons, who must frequently appeal to that public during electoral campaigns. One method for exerting this indirect pressure is the use of mass media. Interest groups often cultivate contacts with reporters and editors and encourage these individuals to write editorials and cover stories that will influence public opinion regarding a particular issue.
Because of the important connection between public opinion and voting, this may have the secondary effect of influencing Congress. First, communicate to policy makers that there is public support behind a particular issue, and secondly, increase public support for that issue among constituents. In a sense, using these criteria, one could consider James Madison as having engaged in outside lobbying.
After the Constitution was proposed, Madison wrote many of the 85 newspaper editorials that argued for people to support the Constitution. These writings later came to be known as the Federalist Papers. Lobbying today generally requires mounting a coordinated campaign, which can include targeted blitzes of telephone calls, letters, and emails to congressional lawmakers.
It can also involve more public demonstrations, such as marches down the Washington Mall, or topical bus caravans. These are often put together by lobbyists who coordinate a variety of interest group leaders to unite behind a hopefully simple, easy-to-grasp, and persuasive message.
A number of interest groups have sought out electoral politics as a means of gaining access and influence on broader American policies. All electoral politics are interest politics in some sense.
Over the course of American history, a number of interest groups have sought out electoral politics as a means of gaining access and influence on broader American policies. In , they nominated LaRouche for President of the United States on the Labor Party ticket, along with numerous candidates for lower office.
In , LaRouche changed his political strategy to allow him to run in the Democratic primaries, rather than as a third party candidate. Privacy Policy. Skip to main content. Interest Groups. Search for:. Interest Group Strategies. Direct Lobbying Direct lobbying is used to influence legislative bodies directly via communication with members of the legislative body. Learning Objectives Describe direct lobbying. Key Takeaways Key Points During the direct lobbying process, the lobbyist introduces to the legislator information that may supply favors, may otherwise be missed or makes political threats.
Direct lobbying is different from grassroots lobbying, a process that uses direct communication with the general public. Key Terms legislative bodies : Legislative bodies are a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend and repeal laws. Direct Techniques Lobbyists employ direct lobbying in the United States to influence United States legislative bodies through direct interaction with legislators. Learning Objectives Identify the direct techniques used by interest groups to influence policy and what groups would use them.
Key Takeaways Key Points Revolving door is a term used to describe the cycling of former federal employees into jobs as lobbyists while former lobbyists are pulled into government positions. There have been several efforts to regulate the lobbying sector including the Lobbying Disclosure Act of and the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act. Direct lobbying is different from grassroots lobbying, a process that uses direct communication with the general public, who in turn, contacts and influences the government.
Key Terms Honest Leadership and Open Government Act : The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, signed September 15, by President Bush, requires a quarterly report on lobby spending, places restrictions on gifts to Congress members, provides for mandatory disclosure of earmarks in expenditure bills, and places restrictions on the revolving door in direct lobbying. Lobbying Disclosure Act : The Lobbying Disclosure Act of signed into law by President Bill Clinton was revised in to require the registration of all lobbying entities to occur shortly after the individual lobbyist makes a first plan to lobby any highly ranked federal official.
Indirect Techniques Grassroots lobbying asks the public to contact legislators concerning the issue at hand, as opposed to going to the legislators directly. Learning Objectives Identify the indirect techniques used by interest groups to influence legislation. Key Takeaways Key Points A grassroots lobby puts pressure on the legislature to address the concerns of a particular group by mobilizing that group, usually through raising public awareness and running advocacy campaigns.
Key Terms indirect lobbying : Grassroots lobbying, or indirect lobbying, is a form of lobbying that focuses on raising awareness in the general population of a particular cause at the local level, with the intention of influencing the legislative process. Cultivating Access Access is important and often means a one-on-one meeting with a legislator.
Learning Objectives Describe how lobbying and campaign finance intersect. Key Takeaways Key Points Getting access can sometimes be difficult, but there are various avenues: email, personal letters, phone calls, face-to-face meetings, meals, get-togethers, and even chasing after congresspersons in the Capitol building. Key Terms access : A way or means of approaching or entering; an entrance; a passage.
PACs : A political action committee PAC is any organization in the United States that campaigns for or against political candidates, ballot initiatives or legislation.
Mobilizing Public Opinion Increasingly, lobbyists seek to influence politics by putting together large coalitions and using outside lobbying to sway public opinion. Learning Objectives Differentiate between direct and indirect lobbying efforts. Key Takeaways Key Points Efforts to influence Congress indirectly, by trying to change public opinion, are often referred to as indirect lobbying.
Increasingly, in order to influence elections, lobbyists have put together large coalitions and mobilized outside lobbying efforts aimed at swaying and controlling public opinion. Key Terms indirect lobbying : Efforts to influence Congress indirectly by trying to change public opinion.
These efforts depend on the fact that politicians must frequently appeal to the public during regular election cycles. Using Electoral Politics A number of interest groups have sought out electoral politics as a means of gaining access and influence on broader American policies. Learning Objectives Give an example of an interest group making determined use of electoral politics.
We still have time to put an end to these reductions—but we must act quickly and efficiently. We did that and did it well , but we were still unsuccessful. So now Congress—and Congress alone—must step in and stop this cut from taking place. If we want to get on the federal radar, rally bipartisan support, and ensure that a budget neutrality waiver passes through both the House and the Senate, then we need to use every second of our remaining time to act decisively.
That is enough time to accomplish our goals—with immediate action and the right strategy. We were preoccupied with the proposed PTA and OTA payment differential , and we dedicated most of our advocacy energy to fighting that instead. At the end of the day, we earned a small victory in the fight against the PTA and OTA cuts—but we lost the war against a detrimental payment change. I genuinely believe that people are blowing the NCCI changes out of proportion.
Victory will not only take time and a heck of a lot of effort; it will also require funding. And our resources need to go directly toward this fight—nowhere else. We also must be strategic about where our resources go. Awareness campaigns are helpful, yes. They can rally widespread support; they can encourage people inside and outside of PT to advocate; they can bring awareness to an unrecognized issue; and grassroot efforts are looked at favorably. However, financing awareness campaigns should not be our only strategy —especially this late in the game.
We need to go straight to the source, because right now, our grassroots advocacy efforts are not working. Congressional leaders get a lot of information about controversial topics from a lot of different sources. So, in order to raise awareness among the people who can actually take action i. That fact often gets lost in the shuffle, due in part to the depictions of government we see in Hollywood and the news.
But at the end of the day, we decide whether they keep their jobs, and they want to know what we care about. They want to hear real stories from people who live in their districts. Besides, with elections around the corner, legislators are in the market for forging community connections. On the topic of relationships, navigating Washington is all about relationship-building and convincing the right people to act on our behalf.
If pharmaceutical companies can lobby the government to promote opioids, then we can and need to lobby for our own cause.
If we want to win, we have to play the game. Dozens of other specialties are slated to receive Medicare cuts—and those providers are just as upset as we are. I believe this is the way to go. Together, we could take a stronger stand and even have a voice in the negotiations for the next Medicare payment model change. But we must be strategic, decisive, collaborative, and ready to adapt to whatever obstacles are thrown in our way.
We must go straight to the source, and right now—due to the political climate and situation—lobbyists are the best way to do that. Can we count you in? Hey Heidi I had just a moment to reply. Thanks for your article. This is a conundrum for sure.
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