Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Lobbying shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Lobbying offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Lobbying at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Lobbying? Wrong! If the Lobbying is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Lobbying then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Lobbying? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Lobbying and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Lobbying wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Lobbying then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Lobbying site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Lobbying, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Lobbying, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.



Lobbying is a concerted effort designed to achieve some result, typically from government authorities and elected officials. It can consist of the outreach of legislative members, public actions (e.g. mass demonstrations), or combinations of both public and private actions (e.g. encouraging constituents to contact their legislative representatives). As a professional occupation it is also known as "government affairs" or "public affairs". Practitioners may work in specialist organizations or as part of government relations or as public relations consultancies.

Etymology The supposed origins of the term "lobbyist" vary. One story states that the term originated at the Willard InterContinental Washington in Washington, DC, where it was used by Ulysses S. Grant to describe the political wheelers and dealers frequenting the hotel's lobby in order to access Grant who was often found there, enjoying a cigar and brandy.

The term "lobbying" more likely originates from the Palace of Westminster, where the term was in use in the 1840s. Congress: Where did the term "lobbyist" come from?, C-Span, September 21 2000. Retrieved August 4 2007. Members of the British Public can go to the Parliament's Central Lobby and request to meet with their representative Member of Parliament. Central Lobby, BBC, June 20 2005. Retrieved August 4 2007.

Research done by Deanna Gelak, a former president of the American League of Lobbyists, for a forthcoming book on lobbying to be published by TheCapitol.Net in 2008, shows that the term "lobbying" appeared in print as early as 1820:

{{cquote2] (America's Historical Newspapers)-->

Lobbying by country United States Many jurisdictions, in response to concerns of corruption, require the formal registration of lobbyists who come in contact with government representatives. Since 1995, under the federal Lobbying Disclosure Act ( et seq.), most persons who are paid to make direct "lobbying contacts" with members of United States Congress and officials of the federal executive branch are required to register and file reports twice a year.

However, there are ongoing conflicts between organizations that wish to impose greater restrictions on citizens' attempts to influence or "lobby" policymakers, and groups that argue that such restrictions infringe on the "right to petition" government officials, which is a right guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

For example, in January 2007, the U.S. Senate considered S. 1, an omnibus "ethics reform" bill. This bill contained a provision (Section 220) to establish federal regulation, for the first time, of certain efforts to encourage "grassroots lobbying." The bill said that "'grassroots lobbying' means the voluntary efforts of members of the general public to communicate their own views on an issue to Federal officials or to encourage other members of the general public to do the same." This provision was opposed by a broad array of organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Right to Life Committee, and the National Rifle Association, who argued that attempts by constituents to influence their representatives are at the heart of representational democracy, and that neither such contacts nor efforts to motivate such contacts should be considered "lobbying." On January 18, 2007, the U.S. Senate voted 55-43 to strike Section 220 from the bill. However, other proposed regulations on "grassroots lobbying" remain under consideration in the 110th Congress.

Another controversial bill, the "Executive Branch Reform Act, H.R. 984, would require over 8,000 Executive Branch officials to report into a public database nearly any "significant contact" from any "private party." Although promoted as a regulation on "lobbyists," the bill defines "private party" as any person or entity" except "Federal, State, or local government official or a person representing such an official." Thus, under the proposal, anyone who contacts a covered government official is in effect deemed to be a lobbyist, unless the communicator is another government official or government staff person. The bill defines "significant contact" to be any "oral or written communication (including electronic communication) . . . in which the private party seeks to influence official action by any officer or employee of the executive branch of the United States." The bill is supported by some organizations as an expansion of "government in the sunshine," but other groups oppose it as an infringing on the right to petition by making it impossible for citizens to communicate their views on controversial issues without having their names and viewpoints entered into a government database. Memorandum: "Congressman Waxman advances grave new threat to citizens’ ‘right to petition’ government officials," by Douglas Johnson and Susan Muskett, J.D., National Right to Life Committee, February 20, 2007. The U.S. Department of Justice has raised constitutional and other objections to the bill. Letter from Richard D. Hertling, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legislative Affairs, U.S. Department of Justice, to the Honorable Henry A. Waxman, Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, U.S. House of Representatives, March 8, 2007.

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected congressional efforts to regulate grassroots communications as a form of “lobbying," on constitutional grounds. In 1953, in a suit involving a congressional resolution authorizing a committee to investigate “all lobbying activities intended to influence, encourage, promote, or retard legislation,” the Supreme Court narrowly construed “lobbying activities” to mean only “direct” lobbying (which the Court described as “representations made directly to the Congress, its members, or its committees”), and rejected a broader interpretation of “lobbying” out of First Amendment concerns. States v. Rumely, 345 U.S. 41 (1953). The Supreme Court thereby affirmed the earlier decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which said:

{{cquote2|In support of the power of Congress it is argued that lobbying is within the regulatory power of Congress, that influence upon public opinion is indirect lobbying, since therefore attempts to influence public opinion are subject to regulation by the Congress. Lobbying, properly defined, is subject to control by Congress, . . . But the term cannot be expanded by mere definition so as to include forbidden subjects. Neither semantics nor syllogisms can break down the barrier which protects the freedom of people to attempt to influence other people by books and other public writings. . . . It is said that lobbying itself is an evil and a danger. We agree that lobbying by personal contact may be an evil and a potential danger to the best in legislative processes. It is said that indirect lobbying by the pressure of public opinion on the Congress is an evil and a danger. That is not an evil; it is a good, the healthy essence of the democratic process. . . .| v. United States, 197 F.2d 166, 173-174, 177 (D.C. Cir. 1952).-->

European Union History Lobbying in Brussels was only born in the late 1970s. Up to that time, “diplomatic lobbying” at the highest levels remained the rule. There were few lobbyists involved in the system and except for some business associations, representative offices were rarely used. The event that sparked the explosion of lobbying was the first direct election of the European Parliament in 1979. Up until then the Parliament consisted complex, and companies increasingly felt the need of an expert local presence to find out what was going on in Brussels. The foundation of lobbying was therefore the need to provide information. From that developed the need to influence the process actively and effectively . The next important step in lobbying development was the Single European Act which both created the qualified majority vote for taking decisions in the Council of the European Union and enhanced the role of the Parliament, again making EU legislation more complex and lobbying more important and attractive for stakeholders. In short, the stronger the EU developed from a Member States organization to an own political player in the world, the more policy areas it covered, the more important it became as a lobbying target. With the Enlargement of the European Union in 2004 this development has taken a further step, bringing in not only a lot more players and stakeholders but also a wide range of different political cultures and traditions.

In the wake of the Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal in Washington and in light of the massive impact that this had on the lobbying scene in the United States, the rules for lobbying in the EU — which until now only consist of a non-binding code of conduct — may also be tightened Green Paper on European Transparency Initiative European Commission, 2006. Retrieved August 4 2007.

Current practice The fragmented nature of EU institutional structure provides multiple channels through which organized interests may seek to influence policy-making. Lobbying takes place at the European level itself and within the existing national states. The most important institutional targets are the European Commission, the Council, and the European Parliament.Kierkegaard, Sylvia (2005) How the Cookie (almost crumbled). Computer Law and Security Report Vol.21 Issue 4 The Commission has a monopoly on the initiative in Community decision-making. Since it has the power to draft initiatives, it makes it ideally suited as an arena for interest representation. There are three main channels of indirect lobbying of the Council. First, interest groups routinely lobby the national delegations in Brussels,; the second indirect means of lobbying the Council is for interest groups to lobby members of the many Council-working groups. The third means of influencing the Council is directly via national governments. As a consequence of the co-decision procedures, the European Parliament attracts attention from lobbyists who target the rapporteur and the chairman of the committee. The rapporteurs are Member of the European Parliament appointed by Committees to prepare the parliament’s response to the Commission’s proposal and to those measures taken by the Parliament itself.

There are currently around 15,000 lobbyists in Brussels (consultants, lawyers, associations, corporations, NGOs etc.) seeking to influence the EU’s legislative process. Some 2,600 special interest groups have a permanent office in Brussels. Their distribution is roughly as follows: European trade federations (32%), consultants (20%), companies (13%), NGOs (11%), national associations (10%), regional representations (6%), international organizations (5%) and think tanks (1%), (Lehmann, 2003, pp iii).

United Kingdom In the United Kingdom lobbying traditionally referred to the attempt to influence an Member of Parliament vote by either their fellow parliamentary colleagues, by one of their constituents or by any outside organisation. More recently the term has narrowed in its usage to mainly refer to the operation of "lobbyists" hired to represent the views of an organisation. Lobbying, BBC. Retrieved August 4 2007. This industry has been steadily growing in recent years and is now estimated to be worth £1.9 billion and employ 14000 people. A recent report by the Hansard Society has shown some MPs are approached over 100 times a week..

The Association of Professional Political Consultants (APPC) is a self regulatory body for UK public affairs companies. Its code of conduct promotes 'transparency' and forbids certain practices, such as making payments to MPs.

"Sale" of peerages In addition to "open" lobbying, the United Kingdom, political parties have been accused of trying to raise campaign funds by offering peerages and other honors. Since peers sit in the House of Lords, part of the UK legislature, they are in a position to initiate or amend Bills on their way to becoming Acts of Parliament - a very influential position. The rules of Parliament do, however, require participants in debates to 'declare their interest'. The 'sale' of peerages is a criminal offence. To circumvent this law, it is alleged that some contributions thus solicited, are given, not as outright gifts but as loans. Police loans inquiry is widened, BBC.

Lobbyists are present in all levels of government.

Eastern Europe Only countries where lobbying is regulated in parliament bills are: Georgia (1998), Lithuania (2001) and Poland (2005). All require registration of professional lobbyists. So far, there is no complex lobbying regulation in other European countries. There were many attempts, but with no satisfactory results.

References | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Lobbying | work = BBC News: Politics | publisher = [BBC | date = 22 December, [ | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/82529.stm | format = Web | doi = | accessdate = 2007-01-30 --> | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Police loans inquiry is widenened | work = BBC News: Politics | publisher = [BBC | date = 30 March, [ | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4861136.stm | format = Web | doi = | accessdate = 2007-01-30 -->

See also

External links Lobbying in the United States:

Lobbying in Europe



Lobbying is a concerted effort designed to achieve some result, typically from government authorities and elected officials. It can consist of the outreach of legislative members, public actions (e.g. mass demonstrations), or combinations of both public and private actions (e.g. encouraging constituents to contact their legislative representatives). As a professional occupation it is also known as "government affairs" or "public affairs". Practitioners may work in specialist organizations or as part of government relations or as public relations consultancies.

Etymology The supposed origins of the term "lobbyist" vary. One story states that the term originated at the Willard InterContinental Washington in Washington, DC, where it was used by Ulysses S. Grant to describe the political wheelers and dealers frequenting the hotel's lobby in order to access Grant who was often found there, enjoying a cigar and brandy.

The term "lobbying" more likely originates from the Palace of Westminster, where the term was in use in the 1840s. Congress: Where did the term "lobbyist" come from?, C-Span, September 21 2000. Retrieved August 4 2007. Members of the British Public can go to the Parliament's Central Lobby and request to meet with their representative Member of Parliament. Central Lobby, BBC, June 20 2005. Retrieved August 4 2007.

Research done by Deanna Gelak, a former president of the American League of Lobbyists, for a forthcoming book on lobbying to be published by TheCapitol.Net in 2008, shows that the term "lobbying" appeared in print as early as 1820:

{{cquote2] (America's Historical Newspapers)-->

Lobbying by country United States Many jurisdictions, in response to concerns of corruption, require the formal registration of lobbyists who come in contact with government representatives. Since 1995, under the federal Lobbying Disclosure Act ( et seq.), most persons who are paid to make direct "lobbying contacts" with members of United States Congress and officials of the federal executive branch are required to register and file reports twice a year.

However, there are ongoing conflicts between organizations that wish to impose greater restrictions on citizens' attempts to influence or "lobby" policymakers, and groups that argue that such restrictions infringe on the "right to petition" government officials, which is a right guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

For example, in January 2007, the U.S. Senate considered S. 1, an omnibus "ethics reform" bill. This bill contained a provision (Section 220) to establish federal regulation, for the first time, of certain efforts to encourage "grassroots lobbying." The bill said that "'grassroots lobbying' means the voluntary efforts of members of the general public to communicate their own views on an issue to Federal officials or to encourage other members of the general public to do the same." This provision was opposed by a broad array of organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Right to Life Committee, and the National Rifle Association, who argued that attempts by constituents to influence their representatives are at the heart of representational democracy, and that neither such contacts nor efforts to motivate such contacts should be considered "lobbying." On January 18, 2007, the U.S. Senate voted 55-43 to strike Section 220 from the bill. However, other proposed regulations on "grassroots lobbying" remain under consideration in the 110th Congress.

Another controversial bill, the "Executive Branch Reform Act, H.R. 984, would require over 8,000 Executive Branch officials to report into a public database nearly any "significant contact" from any "private party." Although promoted as a regulation on "lobbyists," the bill defines "private party" as any person or entity" except "Federal, State, or local government official or a person representing such an official." Thus, under the proposal, anyone who contacts a covered government official is in effect deemed to be a lobbyist, unless the communicator is another government official or government staff person. The bill defines "significant contact" to be any "oral or written communication (including electronic communication) . . . in which the private party seeks to influence official action by any officer or employee of the executive branch of the United States." The bill is supported by some organizations as an expansion of "government in the sunshine," but other groups oppose it as an infringing on the right to petition by making it impossible for citizens to communicate their views on controversial issues without having their names and viewpoints entered into a government database. Memorandum: "Congressman Waxman advances grave new threat to citizens’ ‘right to petition’ government officials," by Douglas Johnson and Susan Muskett, J.D., National Right to Life Committee, February 20, 2007. The U.S. Department of Justice has raised constitutional and other objections to the bill. Letter from Richard D. Hertling, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legislative Affairs, U.S. Department of Justice, to the Honorable Henry A. Waxman, Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, U.S. House of Representatives, March 8, 2007.

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected congressional efforts to regulate grassroots communications as a form of “lobbying," on constitutional grounds. In 1953, in a suit involving a congressional resolution authorizing a committee to investigate “all lobbying activities intended to influence, encourage, promote, or retard legislation,” the Supreme Court narrowly construed “lobbying activities” to mean only “direct” lobbying (which the Court described as “representations made directly to the Congress, its members, or its committees”), and rejected a broader interpretation of “lobbying” out of First Amendment concerns. States v. Rumely, 345 U.S. 41 (1953). The Supreme Court thereby affirmed the earlier decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which said:

{{cquote2|In support of the power of Congress it is argued that lobbying is within the regulatory power of Congress, that influence upon public opinion is indirect lobbying, since therefore attempts to influence public opinion are subject to regulation by the Congress. Lobbying, properly defined, is subject to control by Congress, . . . But the term cannot be expanded by mere definition so as to include forbidden subjects. Neither semantics nor syllogisms can break down the barrier which protects the freedom of people to attempt to influence other people by books and other public writings. . . . It is said that lobbying itself is an evil and a danger. We agree that lobbying by personal contact may be an evil and a potential danger to the best in legislative processes. It is said that indirect lobbying by the pressure of public opinion on the Congress is an evil and a danger. That is not an evil; it is a good, the healthy essence of the democratic process. . . .| v. United States, 197 F.2d 166, 173-174, 177 (D.C. Cir. 1952).-->

European Union History Lobbying in Brussels was only born in the late 1970s. Up to that time, “diplomatic lobbying” at the highest levels remained the rule. There were few lobbyists involved in the system and except for some business associations, representative offices were rarely used. The event that sparked the explosion of lobbying was the first direct election of the European Parliament in 1979. Up until then the Parliament consisted complex, and companies increasingly felt the need of an expert local presence to find out what was going on in Brussels. The foundation of lobbying was therefore the need to provide information. From that developed the need to influence the process actively and effectively . The next important step in lobbying development was the Single European Act which both created the qualified majority vote for taking decisions in the Council of the European Union and enhanced the role of the Parliament, again making EU legislation more complex and lobbying more important and attractive for stakeholders. In short, the stronger the EU developed from a Member States organization to an own political player in the world, the more policy areas it covered, the more important it became as a lobbying target. With the Enlargement of the European Union in 2004 this development has taken a further step, bringing in not only a lot more players and stakeholders but also a wide range of different political cultures and traditions.

In the wake of the Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal in Washington and in light of the massive impact that this had on the lobbying scene in the United States, the rules for lobbying in the EU — which until now only consist of a non-binding code of conduct — may also be tightened Green Paper on European Transparency Initiative European Commission, 2006. Retrieved August 4 2007.

Current practice The fragmented nature of EU institutional structure provides multiple channels through which organized interests may seek to influence policy-making. Lobbying takes place at the European level itself and within the existing national states. The most important institutional targets are the European Commission, the Council, and the European Parliament.Kierkegaard, Sylvia (2005) How the Cookie (almost crumbled). Computer Law and Security Report Vol.21 Issue 4 The Commission has a monopoly on the initiative in Community decision-making. Since it has the power to draft initiatives, it makes it ideally suited as an arena for interest representation. There are three main channels of indirect lobbying of the Council. First, interest groups routinely lobby the national delegations in Brussels,; the second indirect means of lobbying the Council is for interest groups to lobby members of the many Council-working groups. The third means of influencing the Council is directly via national governments. As a consequence of the co-decision procedures, the European Parliament attracts attention from lobbyists who target the rapporteur and the chairman of the committee. The rapporteurs are Member of the European Parliament appointed by Committees to prepare the parliament’s response to the Commission’s proposal and to those measures taken by the Parliament itself.

There are currently around 15,000 lobbyists in Brussels (consultants, lawyers, associations, corporations, NGOs etc.) seeking to influence the EU’s legislative process. Some 2,600 special interest groups have a permanent office in Brussels. Their distribution is roughly as follows: European trade federations (32%), consultants (20%), companies (13%), NGOs (11%), national associations (10%), regional representations (6%), international organizations (5%) and think tanks (1%), (Lehmann, 2003, pp iii).

United Kingdom In the United Kingdom lobbying traditionally referred to the attempt to influence an Member of Parliament vote by either their fellow parliamentary colleagues, by one of their constituents or by any outside organisation. More recently the term has narrowed in its usage to mainly refer to the operation of "lobbyists" hired to represent the views of an organisation. Lobbying, BBC. Retrieved August 4 2007. This industry has been steadily growing in recent years and is now estimated to be worth £1.9 billion and employ 14000 people. A recent report by the Hansard Society has shown some MPs are approached over 100 times a week..

The Association of Professional Political Consultants (APPC) is a self regulatory body for UK public affairs companies. Its code of conduct promotes 'transparency' and forbids certain practices, such as making payments to MPs.

"Sale" of peerages In addition to "open" lobbying, the United Kingdom, political parties have been accused of trying to raise campaign funds by offering peerages and other honors. Since peers sit in the House of Lords, part of the UK legislature, they are in a position to initiate or amend Bills on their way to becoming Acts of Parliament - a very influential position. The rules of Parliament do, however, require participants in debates to 'declare their interest'. The 'sale' of peerages is a criminal offence. To circumvent this law, it is alleged that some contributions thus solicited, are given, not as outright gifts but as loans. Police loans inquiry is widened, BBC.

Lobbyists are present in all levels of government.

Eastern Europe Only countries where lobbying is regulated in parliament bills are: Georgia (1998), Lithuania (2001) and Poland (2005). All require registration of professional lobbyists. So far, there is no complex lobbying regulation in other European countries. There were many attempts, but with no satisfactory results.

References | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Lobbying | work = BBC News: Politics | publisher = [BBC | date = 22 December, [ | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/82529.stm | format = Web | doi = | accessdate = 2007-01-30 --> | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Police loans inquiry is widenened | work = BBC News: Politics | publisher = [BBC | date = 30 March, [ | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4861136.stm | format = Web | doi = | accessdate = 2007-01-30 -->

See also

External links Lobbying in the United States:

Lobbying in Europe



Lobbying
Society for the Protection of Unborn Children 3 Whitacre Mews, Stannary Street London, SE11 4AB, United Kingdom Telephone: (020) 7091 7091 Fax: (020) 7820 3131

Lobbying - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lobbying includes all attempts to influence legislators and officials, whether by other legislators, constituents or organized groups. [1] [2] Governments often define and regulate ...

Lobbying in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lobbying in the United States targets the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, and state legislatures. Lobbyists may also represent their clients' or ...

Lobbying
People & Organisations. FEmISA has been involved in lobbying to help to ensure that women are informed about embolisation for some time now.

BBC NEWS | Politics | Lobbying
The act of trying to influence the votes of MPs or peers by pressure groups, constituents or colleagues.

lobbying
IBT lobbies Government, broadcasters and regulators to promote high quality television coverage of the developing world, its people and the issues which affect ...

UK Parliament - Getting involved: Lobbying
Getting involved: Lobbying. Lobbying is the practice of individuals and organisations trying to influence the opinions of MPs and Lords. Methods of lobbying vary and can range from ...

Lobbying Contacts - Small Business - Federation of Small Businesses
The Federation Small Businesses (FSB) exists to promote the interest of the self-employed and all those who run their own businesses and is the UK's Largest Small Business ... ...

Lobbying
London Councils ... Be a councillor. With the next elections to London councils less than two years away, you could be the new talent London needs.

ICG Lobbying
ICG Lobbying: The Institute of Career Guidance works on behalf of its members to lobby ministers and policy makers. The career guidance sector is undergoing significant changes ...

 

Lobbying



 
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