Google spent record cash lobbying Congress in 2014 – report Google poured a record amount of cash into lobbying the US Federal Government last year, outspending its tech rivals and even the major telecommunications companies, a nonprofit group has found. According to advocacy group Consumer Watchdog, Google spent US$16.83m on lobbying in 2014, a 20 per cent year-on-year increase and …
I guess that's only for the front facing lobbyists. They could have a massive team in the background writing draft legislation, figuring out who to speak to and what angle to take etc.
I guess there's only so many front facing people you can have without overloading the politicians.
Yes there is a difference.
Bribe == gift to congress critter in exchange for a favorable outcome on a vote.
Lobby === paying a high priced spokesman whom the congress critter trusts who will explain the issue to the congress critter in such a way that the congress critter will vote in his/her favor.
Bribe == filling a brief case with $10,000.00 cash and giving it to Congress Critter to vote X on issue Y.
Lobby == giving me $10,000.00 to sit down w Congress Critter over an expensive lunch explaining why he should vote X on issue Y. Of course I put the spin I want on the issue and gain Congress critter's trust.
Consider a Lobbyist as a trusted advisor that corporations buy and Congress Critters use for free. They help break down complex issues so that Congress Critters can understand them. ;-)
you mean we now have Taxation Without Representation. We get taxed to build the infrastructure, subsidies and such to build the pipes Comcast et al laid, and Google wants to use that infrastructure without having to pay for their "extra popular" usage nor pony up for their own pipe.
Kind of like paying for auto companies that make cars 90% of the nation cannot afford, military hardware that is illegal for non-rich citizens to use, or giveaway programs that the productive 60% of society pays for but gets no use of.
when Zuckerberg and his crew host $5K a plate private fundraisers for the President (twice) does that count as Facebook lobbying?
Or internal promotion of that same party's positive messaging thruout their entire social media empire while "downvoting" negative opinions as a "social experiment"?
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