system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5:Why is lobbying still allowed? Isn't it just sugar-coated bribing?

With the recent passing on the STOCK act,and how seemingly fast it accomplished what it set out to do,why isn't there just as big an uproar over lobbying? Isn't it just as bad,if not worse,than insider trading?
gpt
"Lobbying" is just another way of saying  you are talking to the government about changing policies you don't like. When Wikipedia went dark to protest SOPA, it was lobbying congress to not pass SOPA. But there's a lot of parts to lobbying.

See, not all of us live in Washington DC and most of us have busy lives, so most of us can't spend time to constantly pressure congress so we form groups to do that for us. The NRA represents millions who want gun rights protected. AIPAC represents millions who want our friendship with Israel to be strong. AARP represents millions of retired people who want their government benefits protected. Some of these groups that have been around for a long time and have large memberships then have a lot of power, because Congressman trust them and don't want to get on their bad side so the groups tell their members not to vote for them.

Unfortunately, good lobbying is built on how much access you have. The faster you can get a congressman to return your call, the better a lobbyist you are. There aren't a lot of people who can get access so those that can could basically ask for whatever salary they want and someone will hire them. Over time this just means there is more and more and more money in the system, which is always worrisome to regular people who don't have the money to compete.

Sometimes lobbyists go too far, sometimes they do outright bribe people. It used to be extremely common before modern media, but it still happens from time to time. But this isn't how powerful groups do things, because once it gets out you are bribing someone no congressman will ever return you phone call again because they become afraid that they will be called corrupt in the media and lose their election.

Bribing is illegal, and what counts as a bribe covers a lot of things when you are a registered lobbyist, you can't even pay for lunch. But most lobbying, the kind built on access can't be banned. The Constitution says:

>Congress shall make now law [...]  abridging the freedom [...] to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

It's a right protected by the constitution and it means any one of us can lobby. Unfortunately that also means that rich people have that same right, and they can afford the better people.