The act of attempting to influence government decisions, typically by paid professionals representing corporations or interest groups. While lobbying is protected by the First Amendment, the scale of corporate lobbying — $4.1 billion per year — gives wealthy interests vastly more access than ordinary citizens.
See how the Common Good platform addresses the issues connected to this term.
The post-Watergate reforms were built on norms, not law. The US fell to 29th on the global corruption index — its lowest ever. Every norm becomes law. Every watchdog gets teeth.
Just 1.05% of Americans provided 78% of 2024 campaign contributions. Economic elites have substantial policy influence; average citizens have near-zero. Money out. People in.
Competition requires rules. When corporations write them, the market is neither free nor competitive. We restore the rules.
An organization that pools campaign contributions from members and donates to campaigns for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation. PACs are regulated by the Federal Election Commission and have contribution limits, unlike their less-regulated cousins, Super PACs.
Political spending by nonprofit organizations that are not required to disclose their donors. Dark money groups — organized as 501(c)(4) 'social welfare' organizations — can spend unlimited amounts on elections while keeping their funders completely anonymous from the public.
A 2010 Supreme Court decision that ruled corporations and unions can spend unlimited money on political advertising, as long as they don't coordinate directly with candidates. The ruling treated corporate spending as protected free speech and opened the floodgates to unlimited outside money in elections.