Campaigns and Lobbyists
With a busy time in the election process right now, the impact of campaign contributions could have significance on the outcome of the election. With the biggest election currently in the sights of all Americans, the influence of lobbyists and private donors makes a huge impact. Most Americans do not campaign contributions or lobby politicians. The majority of the money spent on the activities of the elections comes from the wealthy citizens and business interest groups. Additionally, studies find that businesses with the most to gain from favorable public policy engage in most political activity.
Does the influence that lobbyists and private industry have determine the election? The primary way that campaign contributions and lobbying impact elections is a process known as rent-seeking. This is the practice of seeking income through special government favors rather that through productive economic activity. This tends to lead individuals and groups to seek policies that could wasteful, inefficient or harmful. Of course not all policies and money in politics is spent for the purpose of capturing private favors, but there is a significant portion of it that is allotted to these intentions. Most Americans do not make election contributions or lobby congressmen. It is usually the wealthy who engage in these two activities. Unfortunately, this implies that it is more likely that the voices of the wealthy will have a larger impact than the average American. Additionally, there is evidence that the businesses who have the most to gain from influencing public policy and elections typically are the ones to engage in the actions. This illustrates ulterior motives that companies have and their influence on elections.
Asa result of all of the actions by companies, research indicates that campaign contributions and lobbying often shape policy outcomes. When it comes down to it, money speaks the loudest to shaping policies. There are many studies that show the influence between lobbying, campaign finance and government favors. A data based study showed that if 48 different states found that $1 of corporate campaign money is equivalent to $6.65 in lower state corporate taxes. This is without saying that the influence of campaign money is more than just the monetary value, and there is more sway for companies than for just groups of people. On top of the concern that the businesses may exert a large amount of influence on policymakers, the dominance of business groups in lobbying highlights the risk of the emergence of a potential “corruption economy,” where firms compete over the political influence rather than product innovation. This result would shift the main priorities of the businesses, and could result in less focus on the success of the business, and more focus on changing policy that could positively benefit the business.
Scholars have also found a link between campaign contributions influenced votes on trade policy and banking regulations. Additionally, when stronger campaign finance laws are enacted, on the state level, then anti-takeover laws are less likely to be enacted. This relates back to businesses taking advantage of weak campaign finance regulation. It is another way they can influence the political sphere.
There is a debate about how much money causes electoral victories, however, it is clear the most powerful effect of money on elections is the selection and competitiveness of the challengers. The fact that contributions have a greater effect on the types of candidates who run for office than on the partisan outcome of the election is consistent with the idea that donations are most useful on issues that are less noticed by the average voter.
Most recently, Donald Trump has brought in lobbyists to help support him in his campaign. These specific lobbyists have a history of special-interest influence against candidates during campaigns. Most specifically, Trump first Paul Manaport who has made most of his career around drifting between GOP presidential politics and lucrative lobbying and consultant work. Most interesting noted is the fact that Trump has openly said “[He doesn’t] want lobbyists. [He doesn’t] want special interests,” because he believes that they skew the political process. However, he is now using them in his campaign. Is this an indication that Trump believes there may not be a way to get around lobbying and lobbyists may always have political influence? The situation is fragile and the potential undermining Trump is doing to his own beliefs may need to be addressed, but right now, he is doing what he believes is best for his campaign, and that is instilling the help of powerful lobbyists.
The impact of lobbying efforts have not always been successful, but they have found it to affect legislative outcomes, especially when it comes to preventing policy change. When there is uncertainty and complexity involved in changing a policy, it is three times more likely that the lobbyist group attempting to keep the current policy will prevail. One reason that lobbyists cannot always succeed is because they are often working against one another, and that is how the status quo usually wins.
Work Cited
Vogel, Kenneth. “Trump Campaign Brings in Lobbyists for Key Posts.” POLITICO. Politico, 20 Apr. 2016. Web. 06 May 2016. <http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/trump-turns-over-his-campaign-to-lobbyists-222242>.