"Bribery" vs "Lobbying"

[mjr]

What would you call it if you had a person or organization that used money (in the form of a promised donation, for instance) to cur favor with a politician, political organization, or political party?

If you said "bribery", why isn't lobbying bribery?

Aren't they essentially the same thing?

[Gravekeeper]

Yes.

Because politicians like money and America's flawed political system has decided money is speech.

Next question~

[mjr]

Originally Posted by Gravekeeper

Yes.

Because politicians like money and America's flawed political system has decided money is speech.

Next question~

Would that mean that, in theory, every politician who has taken lobbying money has accepted a bribe?

And how would donations to a campaign be classified? That's kind of the same thing too, isn't it?

[jackfaire]

Lobbyists who give money to candidates absolutely are committing bribery.

Lobbyists who are performing their job as intended are not. Lobbyists are meant to go speak on behalf of a cause to members of congress. They are not meant to go "here's some money" rather they are meant to go, "here's the figures on how many of your constituents agree with how we want this issue to play out. Here's how we would like this bill to work"

Lobbyists are a way for people to get together and speak to the members of congress that aren't listening to their constituents or taking the time to figure out what they want.

Lobbying itself isn't bribery because talking to people and saying, "I want this" isn't bribery. Saying "I want this" followed by "Oh noes someone dropped this thick envelope of hundreds it must be yours" is bribery.

Earlier this year Jon Stewart along with First Responders and their families from 9/11 spoke in front of congress. They were lobbyists. Fred Rogers spoke in front of Congress he was a lobbyist. Some are professionals paid to be there speaking on the behalf of an organization and some are there because they believe in a cause. It's one of the reasons calling your congress people is considered so important. Lobbyists can't do everything and not every cause can afford a lobbyist. Some causes even have organizations that openly lie about what the people part of the cause actually want.