Why do lobbyists have so much power? What do they do exactly?

Orginally lobbist were the people who would speak to congressmen about a problem. I am a business man who needs to have a road built to my factory. I hire a person to go to the Capital and explain my situtation to my elected representatives. The lobbist would explain that I was building a new factory and it would employ 250 people who would make an average wage of $18.00 per hour with a full benifit package (Insurance, vacation, sick leave, and retirement). He would explain that the unemployment in the area is 15% and the averge worker makes $14.00 per hour with few benifits. The lobbist would provide the congressman with the background information on how this would help the people and how this one factory could boost the economy of the area and improve the standard of living for everyone. Such a factory could be the start of an economic rebirth of the area. The lobbist was a source of background information and could help answer questions as they cam pu and do much of the research needed for congress to approve such a measure. Since the land has not been purchased yet the congressman could make the announcement that make the announcement about the new factory and appear to get the credit for bringing new business to the area. Everyone wins.

What happens in all too often is the lobbist will start by taking a campaing contribution to the congressman and that will buy him a chance to meet with the congressman. The lobbist may invite the congressman to visit one of my other factories, in Pheonix, AZ and it just so happens that the planning committee will be meeting on Friday afternoon of Super Bowl weekend. On Monday afternoon the factory will be starting production of the new product line that will be transfered to the new factory. The Company will put the congressman up for the weekend and he could meet with the Senior officers of the company in the Box at the Super Bowl Game on Sunday. The congress man might mention that his Son, who works in a competitors Accounting department is looking to move up to head an Accounting Department but there are few jobs like that in the congressmans district. It is too bad that he lives so far away that the congressman and his wife can not see their grandchildren that often. Thecongressman also knows several local contractors that could do some of the construction work on the new factory.

The lobbist takes this information back to the owner and the owner has his Human Resources start a search for a senior accountant for the new factory. The congressman calls his friends the contractors and suggests that they could "pad" their bid on thenew factory. He also calls the Senator, who is in his party and suggests that the General Contracting firm that is a major contribuitor might be interested in this new factory and could the Senator put in a word for the sub contractors. Again everyone seems to have won excep that the consumers end up paying more to make sure the "friends" make extra money and the congressman and senator have extra cash in their reelection campaing. They also have some friends who own them favors too.

The concept of lobbing is not bad it has been turned into a dirty business by a few corrupt people. There are many lobbists that provide a service that benifits the general population. For example having two different speed limits on highways, one for cars and one for trucks could cause major traffic jams and more accidents. A lobbist can also speak for a group of people and look out for their interests in the government. Lobbists also work with other branches and agencies of government. Something as simple as computerized reporting to make sure it is compatable with both a PC and Mac Computers. Several years ago this was a problem for schools whowere Mac users and the Government which used PC. Lobbing can be both good and bad depending upon the people doing it.