IN THE DEFENCE OF LOBBYISTS

In the United States as in Europe and other regions of the world, there's an increasing conviction- widely shared in the media, by political figures in major parties and by the public that "special interests" have come to dominate and distort the processes of government. The result, it is thought, is that few important issues are decided rationally and deliberately on their merits, and the people's work does not get done. AND THE AGENTS AND CONDUITS OF THIS NEFARIOUS INFLUENCE ARE SAID TO BE THE LOBBYISTS.

What is frequently overlooked by this sort of criticism and by the accompanying urge to somehow make lobbyists disappear from the political scene, is an inescapable reality. LOBBYING, AND THEREFORE LOBBYISTS are indispensable to the functioning of any government and in most countries they embody a constitutional right of the highest order: the right of people to petition their Government for a redress of grievances.

Governments all over the world- whether it is the executive or the legislative branch simply cannot know the intricate details of the myriads of aspects of national life that their actions affect unless they have access to the expert contributions of the persons and interests involved. One cannot readily imagine legislators and administrators in any country diligent and expert enough to learn on their own all they need to know to make laws and draft the rules and apply them in a way that accomplishes whatever good they seek. And even if one could, those affected by government have (or should have) the right to make their contribution to the process, to make their views known, and to head off intended and unintended effects.

Another factor is that clearly unacceptable is for anti-lobbyist groups in Europe or the United States to express a disdain for a whole class of persons (lobbyists), many of whom perform a useful and important function.

In order to restore the hnour and enhance the efficacy of those in our profession who advocate for clients in the forum of public policy, AALEP believes that public policy advocates all around the world must work in the open and that any regime of disclosure should be made more efficacious- not in silencing lobbyists, but in letting the public know who is talking to public officials and about what.