1. Lobbyism: America’s New Congress
Presented By:
Alex Chismar

2. Outline
 What is lobbying?
 How does lobbying affect us?
 Stats and figures
 What makes a lobbyist?
 Thesis
 Conclusion

3. What is Lobbying?
 To lobby means to influence or persuade public officials to
take a desired action, usually to pass or kill legislation
 Lobbying has always been a part of our political system,
however it has never had an influence on our elected
officials like it does today
 Different varieties include:
Special Interest Lobbying
Direct Lobbying
Grassroots Lobbying

4. How Does Lobbying Affect Us?
 Companies are better represented than you
 Our elected officials, whether Democrat or Republican, sell
out their votes to stuff their pockets
 Our elected officials no longer care about you
 Money now controls Washington, NOT the people of The
United States of America

5. Stats and Figures
$199,323,702
$122,065,251
$120,669,855
$108,163,536
$92,696,817
$88,847,937
$84,363,782
$77,861,927
$77,465,842
$73,913,389
$0
$50,000,000
$100,000,000
$150,000,000
$200,000,000
$250,000,000
Amount of Money to Speical Interests Lobbying By
Industry

6. Stats and Figures
-
2,000.00
4,000.00
6,000.00
8,000.00
10,000.00
12,000.00
14,000.00
16,000.00
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Number of Lobbyists vs Congressmen/Women In
Washington
Lobbyists
Congressmen/W
omen

7. Stats and Figures
$1.45 $1.44
$1.56
$1.64
$1.82
$2.05
$2.18
$2.42
$2.62
$2.86
$3.30
$3.50 $3.55
$3.33 $3.30
$-
$0.50
$1.00
$1.50
$2.00
$2.50
$3.00
$3.50
$4.00
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Billions
Total Amount of Money Spent in Lobbying

8. What Makes a Lobbyist?
 A lobbyist is typically an ex-lawyer
 Your neighbor, teacher, or even your weird roommate
could be one
 Typically make anywhere between $100,000 – thousands of
millions of dollars in a year (which, because of tax
loopholes, they pay no taxes on)

9. Thesis:
Special interest lobbying is unethical because it is slowly
eroding our political system by our legislators and elected
officials voting based on who is paying them more for their
vote, rather than voting in the best interest of the
American people.

10. Conclusion
 Special interest lobbying must become outlawed because it
serves absolutely no purpose other than making the rich
richer and the poor poorer. It is a complete contradiction
to what our Founding Fathers created.
 No longer are there three branches of government, there
are four. At the top is lobbyism which controls the
Executive branch, the Legislative branch, and the Judicial
branch. We, as Americans, are no longer represented.

11. Questions?