• WanderingThoughts@europe.pub
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      2 days ago

      Because lobbying is also done be environmental groups, neighborhood groups, consumer activists, … Ban lobbying would deprive a large set of the population of their voice

    • monogram@feddit.nl
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      2 days ago

      This! only allow petitions as the method to steer law.

      Power to the people needs money to be insignificant for the process of law

    • tyler@programming.dev
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      2 days ago

      That would outlaw scientists lobbying the government to stop things like global warming and pollution. It would stop mom and pop shops from lobbying against things that are good for massive corps but bad for them.

        • tyler@programming.dev
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          2 days ago

          So what defines corporate? What defines paid? You’re excluding mom and pop shops and even medium sized businesses from your definition. How are lawmakers supposed to know if their law is gonna harm specific industries if businesses can’t tell them?

          • alexc@lemmy.world
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            1 day ago

            Paid is by definition anyone paid to do the lobbying. Corporate is definitely harder to define, but let’s say you’re only allowed to lobby on behalf of your own organization (or self)

            And, better yet, let’s make every single lobbying effort public - Times, dates, people involved, and the subject raised (but perhaps not the outcome). Good legislation should happen in the open

            • tyler@programming.dev
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              13 hours ago

              So paid would include the owners (if it’s an llc or similar), it would include anyone sent by the owners even if it’s not their job title, etc.

              I’m pretty sure you can request all that information as well, with a FOIA request.

              • alexc@lemmy.world
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                12 hours ago

                I concede this is complicated, but i think we can all agree that paid lobbying groups are a cancer on society.

      • jonne@infosec.pub
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        2 days ago

        And when the EU writes a regulation like mandating USB-C chargers, they’ll make sure the companies making phones are on board and get to have realistic timelines to implement these things. If you’re going to regulate an industry you kind of need their expertise, unfortunately.

        • kungen@feddit.nu
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          2 days ago

          You can still consult with various interest groups without allowing actually lobbying, but I get what you mean.

          • jonne@infosec.pub
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            2 days ago

            Yeah, ideally it should be government going to industry bodies, unions, etc if they need to know more about the topic they’re trying to regulate instead of the current system where industry groups are basically writing laws.