Discussion post response
Further the dialogue by providing more information and clarification. Minimum of 1 scholarly source, which can include your textbook or assigned readings or may be from your additional scholarly research.
Discussion Post:
Option 1: What are the pros and cons of lobbyists as a tool for special interest groups? Should former members of Congress be allowed to become lobbyists? Explain your answer.
In order to influence any legislative or administrative action, lobbying refers to direct or indirect communication with any official or his staff in the legislative or executive arm of government or in a quasi-public agency. And a lobbyist does this, or to put it another way, a lobbyist advances the agenda of interest groups. The advantages and disadvantages of lobbyists are numerous. The advantages include the fact that they may influence legislation on a certain regulation that is not in the best interests of the general public. A group or person who engages a lobbyist can also use that person’s position to influence government choices, actions, or policies. Governments frequently define and control organized group lobbying that has gained sway. A lobbyist will assist interest groups in accomplishing their intended objectives since they are a profession that argues for the interests of interest groups. The lobbyist, on the other hand, does harm to the government by advancing the interests of a certain organization. Since the interests they advocate are not those of the entire state, but rather of a certain group of individuals. For instance, in the 2016 Trump election, there was a significant lobbying effort in the shape of campaigns against Hillary Clinton, and the result was that Trump won the popular vote and Clinton lost. After then, the world witnessed the effects of lobbyists’ advocacy. There is little question that special interest organizations employ and deploy lobbyists as a weapon as a result.
Should former members of Congress be allowed to become lobbyists?
Yes, former members of Congress are permitted to work as lobbyists if they do it in the interests of the country. Although the Constitution does not specifically say this, if the goal of the lobbying is to further the interests of the state, they are permitted to do so by law. For example, Former senator Bob Dole has been a lobbyist with Alston & Bird in Washington, D.C., since 2015. He worked behind the scenes to develop high-level communication between Taiwanese officials and President-elect Donald J. Trump’s team in his capacity as a foreign agent for the government of Taiwan. He strove to build strong ties between Taiwan and the US administration for the noble cause. A former senator then became a lobbyist as a result.