So the chairman does that, writing to the FCC demanding a ruling — any ruling — while explicitly stating that he is asking for no particular outcome. This, of course, is precisely what John McCain did on behalf of Paxson Communications in writing two letters to the FCC in which he asked for a vote on the pending television station acquisition.
It must be said of McCain that he has invited such astonishingly thin charges against him because he has made a career of ostentatiously questioning the motives and ethics of those who have resisted his campaign-finance reform and other measures that he imagines will render Congress influence-free. Ostentatious self-righteousness may be a sin, but it is not a scandal.
Nor is it a crime or a form of corruption. A: The Constitution guarantees the right to petition government. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. The Supreme Court said in a case:. Supreme Court : [The] rights to assemble peaceably and to petition for a redress of grievances are among the most precious of the liberties safeguarded by the Bill of Rights.
Lobbying is an integral part of a modern participatory government and is legally protected. In the U. The legal framework in support of lobbying notwithstanding, lobbying should continue to play a role because of its many benefits.
With lobbying, personal interests are aggregated into lobby groups; strengthening their voice, constant pressure is applied to government legislatures whose attention can often be pulled in various directions, and finally with lobbying, legislatures are provided with expert knowledge of a subject matter they may not normally be educated enough on to provide for their constituents.
National Conference of State Legislatures. United States Senate. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Investopedia. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification.
I Accept Show Purposes. Your Money. Personal Finance. Your Practice. Popular Courses. Table of Contents Expand. Why Is Lobbying Legal? Lobbying Disclosure Act of Participatory Democracy. Lobbying Affects Everyone.
Why is Lobbying Important? Lobbying Access. Privacy Policy. Skip to main content. Module Interest Groups and Lobbying. Search for:. Free Speech and the Regulation of Interest Groups Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you will be able to: Identify the various court cases, policies, and laws that outline what interest groups can and cannot do Evaluate the arguments for and against whether contributions are a form of freedom of speech. Should corporations have the same rights as people?
Practice Questions How might disclosure requirements affect lobbying? How might we get more people engaged in the interest group system? Are interest groups good or bad for democracy? Defend and explain your answer. Why does it matter how we define interest group? How do collective action problems serve as barriers to group formation, mobilization, and maintenance? If you were a group leader, how might you try to overcome these problems?
Is it possible to balance the pursuit of private goods with the need to promote the public good? Is this balance a desired goal? How representative are interest groups in the United States? Explain your answer. Evaluate the Citizens United decision. Why might the Court have considered campaign contributions a form of speech? Would the Founders have agreed with this decision?
How do we regulate interest groups and lobbying activity? What are the goals of these regulations? Do you think these regulations achieve their objectives? If you could alter the way we regulate interest group activity and lobbying, how might you do so in a way consistent with the Constitution and recent Supreme Court decisions?
Show References Baumgartner, Frank R. Truman, David. The Governmental Process. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, chapter 4. Federal Election Commission was a Supreme Court case that granted corporations and unions the right to spend unlimited amounts of money on elections revolving door laws laws that require a cooling-off period before government officials can register to lobby after leaving office soft money money that interests can spend on behalf of candidates without being restricted by federal law.
Valeo , , U. Federal Election Commission , , U. Licenses and Attributions.
0コメント