End Lobbying Act

eliminate the practice of lobbying, ensuring that public policy decisions are made solely in the best interest of the general public rather than being unduly influenced by corporations, special interest groups, or wealthy individuals.

Purpose:
The purpose of this bill is to eliminate the practice of lobbying, ensuring that public policy decisions are made solely in the best interest of the general public rather than being unduly influenced by corporations, special interest groups, or wealthy individuals.

Findings:

• Lobbying in the U.S.: Lobbying has become a multibillion-dollar industry in the United States, with firms and individuals using financial influence to advocate for policies that benefit specific groups at the expense of the broader public interest. This has led to policy outcomes that disproportionately benefit the wealthy, corporations, and other powerful entities, creating a system that prioritizes private profit over public good.

• Disparities in Influence: Lobbying exacerbates social inequality by giving an outsized voice to those with the financial resources to influence legislation, while often drowning out the concerns of ordinary citizens. Citizens United, the revolving door between government and lobbying firms, and the overall lack of stringent lobbying regulations have contributed to this.

• Impact on Democracy: The practice of lobbying has fostered gridlock, inefficiency, and corruption, leading to public disillusionment with government. It undermines the integrity of democratic processes by making elected officials more accountable to donors and lobbyists than to their constituents.

Prohibition of Lobbying Activities

• Lobbying is defined as any attempt by a person or organization to influence the policies, legislation, or regulations of any governmental entity through direct or indirect communication with public officials, government employees, or elected representatives, in exchange for compensation or other financial incentives.

• Prohibition of Lobbying: All forms of lobbying will be prohibited at the federal, state, and local levels. This includes:

  • Direct Lobbying: Contact with government officials, legislators, or their staff to influence decisions or outcomes.

  • Indirect Lobbying: Influencing public opinion, organizing campaigns, and using media platforms to push for legislative changes.

  • Political Action Committees (PACs): These will no longer be permitted to donate money to candidates, political parties, or election campaigns.

• Penalties for Lobbying:
  Any individual or organization found guilty of engaging in lobbying activities will face substantial fines, restrictions on doing business with the government, and potential criminal charges for repeat offenders.

Campaign Finance Reform

• Public Funding of Elections:
  To reduce the influence of private money in politics, the bill will establish a system of publicly funded elections, ensuring that candidates who choose to participate can run campaigns without the need to solicit funds from special interest groups or donors. This funding will be based on a combination of small-dollar donations from citizens and government matching funds.

• Limitation on Donations:
  Contributions to political campaigns will be limited to individuals and small donations (e.g., $100 per person per election cycle), eliminating the role of corporate or union donations in the political process.

Transparency and Accountability

• Ban on "Revolving Door" Employment:
  Individuals who work in public office, particularly in regulatory or policymaking positions, will be banned from working for lobbying firms or private companies that have interests in the policies they were responsible for shaping. This will close the "revolving door" between government and corporate interests.

• Public Access to Policy Decisions:
  Every policy decision made by the government must be publicly documented and available to citizens, ensuring transparency and accountability. Decision-makers must provide detailed explanations of how they arrived at their decisions, and whether lobbying played any role in influencing those decisions.

Global Comparison and International Best Practices

• Lobbying in Other Countries:
  Many other countries have adopted stricter rules or even outright bans on lobbying. For example:

  • Denmark and Sweden have stringent lobbying laws, requiring complete transparency, including public registers of all lobbying activities and lobbying expenditure.

  • Canada has a Lobbying Act that mandates lobbyists register with the government and disclose their activities. In addition, lobbying efforts are limited to a formal process to ensure that it is done ethically.

  • In the European Union, there is a European Transparency Initiative that provides a public register for lobbyists and limits lobbying practices in an effort to reduce undue influence.

  In contrast, the U.S. is one of the few countries that has relatively loose regulations on lobbying, allowing for significant influence by special interest groups in shaping policy outcomes, which has contributed to public dissatisfaction with government institutions.

Public Education Campaign

• Raising Awareness:
  The bill will establish a public education campaign to inform citizens about the detrimental effects of lobbying on democracy and encourage public participation in the policymaking process.

• Citizen Engagement:
  Citizens will be encouraged to participate in direct grassroots activism and hold their representatives accountable without the influence of money or lobbying groups. The government will support tools and platforms that allow ordinary citizens to communicate with elected officials.

Key Points:

• Prohibit lobbying in all forms, including direct, indirect, and PAC-based influence.

• Ban the revolving door between government and lobbying firms to reduce conflicts of interest.

• Public funding of elections to ensure candidates are not beholden to wealthy donors or corporate interests.

• Transparency requirements for all government decisions and policy-making, ensuring that citizens are informed.

• Global comparison: Many other countries have stricter lobbying laws than the U.S., and the U.S. should align with best practices from other democracies to curb lobbying’s harmful influence.

Why Is Lobbying Allowed in the U.S.?
The First Amendment guarantees the right to petition the government, which is often interpreted to protect lobbying. Lobbying in the U.S. has long been seen as a way for groups to express their interests and influence government. However, over time, the practice has been increasingly dominated by wealthy corporations and interest groups that have the financial power to shape policies, leaving everyday citizens with less influence.

• Economic Factors: The U.S. has a laissez-faire approach to business, where economic freedom is prioritized. This is why corporate lobbying is not as heavily regulated, as it is viewed by some as part of the capitalist system.

• Political Landscape: Many politicians rely on funding from special interest groups and lobbyists to finance their campaigns, which creates a conflict of interest in regulating the practice.

Impact of Lobbying on Society:
The proliferation of lobbying has created policies that often favor corporate interests over public welfare. Examples include the lack of effective climate change policies, the influence of Big Pharma in healthcare, and tax breaks for the wealthy, all of which benefit a small percentage of the population while leaving much of the public behind.