Amazon is also larger and more diversified than most other American companies. Is suspect their lobbying dollars per revenue hasn't hanged all that much over the years.
Amazon Lobbied More Government Entities Than Any Other US Company Last Year
51–60 of 83 posts
Re: Amazon Lobbied More Government Entities Than Any Other US Company Last Year
#52If you think they are lobbying now, wait till their Virginia HQ opens up.
I am really worried that once it becomes a major employer in Virginia area Amazon will actually stop spending money on lobbying and start using layoffs and other muscle moves on their VA area workforce to pressure public officials into caving in to their demands. It probably was the main reason why they 'decided to split' the HQ2 between NY and Virginia. Virginia was in play all along because of its proximity to DC a…
Even if they flexed their employer muscles, that would only affect local officials. Why would a republican senator from Kansas care if they're going to cut jobs in Virginia?
Re: Amazon Lobbied More Government Entities Than Any Other US Company Last Year
#53Isn't this the point of politicians pressuring corporations? I remember back, way back, when Apple was caught off guard and "appropriately" stepped up with lobbying and political contributions. It is hard for me to find fault with any company which lobbies the government because they have no choice. If they don't play the game someone else will and use their influence to get the power of government applied to their c…
I'm of the opinion that the effect of lobbying is tiny. Lobbyists are communicating with representatives about policy...something that every organization should attempt to do. Politicians rely on lobbyists to inform their decisions.
The real culprit in the pervasive corporatism in the US is campaign finance. Quid pro quo is the name of the game here. Politicians know that if corporations aren't helping them get elected that they will be helping their opponents get elected. It's a hell of a lot easier to say no to a lobbyist than it is to a campaign donor that could easily turn on you. If we banned corporate lobbying, Congress would simply make more uninformed decisions, but banning corporate campaign finance would eliminate an incentive for deliberately bad decisions.
Re: Amazon Lobbied More Government Entities Than Any Other US Company Last Year
#54You either allow lobbying or ban it. Amazon used a legal process to tip the balance in their favour. The entire lobbying thing does sound to me like a hack in the entire democratic process. People should vote not companies.
What are companies composed of? People.
I'm not arguing that companies are negatively biasing democratic representation, I think they are. But they are just people too, so this particular argument is pretty weak to me.
Re: Amazon Lobbied More Government Entities Than Any Other US Company Last Year
#55Earlier quoted context omitted.
My limited (understanding) of the state of things in the US is that the lobbying itself is a problem mostly because the whole political system is driven by donations, which of course disproportionally come from the rich actors. Here in Poland the parties are sponsored by the state itself and donations are a very limited factor, which makes the lobbying not very effective and hence not a real factor.
That the system is driven by donations is true, but misleading -- the maximum amount that any person or PAC can donate to a candidate is $5000. Only by acting collectively can this sort of thing make a difference. Large organizations like the National Rifle Associations have influence not because they can bribe politicians through donations, but because their large membership means that an endorsement or condemnation…
> the maximum amount that any person or PAC can donate to a candidate is $5000.
This is not true for super PACs. Their only restriction is that they can't coordinate directly with a candidate. This is problematic because it is incredibly simple to coordinate directly but hide your tracks, and it's also incredibly simple to coordinate indirectly.
Re: Amazon Lobbied More Government Entities Than Any Other US Company Last Year
#56Earlier quoted context omitted.
Corporations are made up of people. How would you go about restricting corporate speech without restricting people's speech? And, more so, why would you want to? Scenario A: 1,000 people organize into a company. One of those people is the Founder/CEO who takes the vast majority of the money out of the company into his personal wealth. It is uncontested that this natural person can then use his wealth to buy ads/throw…
> But they think it's important for their company to lobby. But in your world, they can't. Sure they can, just not under the (limited liability) umbrella of the corporation. Do you believe the lobbying done by Amazon is approved of by all Amazon employees? Do you want foreign corporations lobbying the government?
The employees aren't the ones being represented by lobbyists. It's the shareholders.
Re: Amazon Lobbied More Government Entities Than Any Other US Company Last Year
#57I think sometimes people assume that x amount of lobbying dollars = y influence, but it's not a linear equation at all. At the end of the day, it is still people you are dealing with, and sometimes people can happily take your money, make you believe they are going to do what they said, and then not do it. Source: family members are lobbyists.
And people should also understand where lobbying dollars go. You could consider lobbyists management consultants for the gov't. You hire a firm who will develop a lobbying strategy for you - who you should talk to, what you should say, who you should partner with, etc.
It's not like you spend $600K on lobbying and it's a $600K transfer from the corporation to the elected officials. A lot of that money ends up in the hands of the lobbyists.
Re: Amazon Lobbied More Government Entities Than Any Other US Company Last Year
#58Isn't this the point of politicians pressuring corporations? I remember back, way back, when Apple was caught off guard and "appropriately" stepped up with lobbying and political contributions. It is hard for me to find fault with any company which lobbies the government because they have no choice. If they don't play the game someone else will and use their influence to get the power of government applied to their c…
>>> instead prohibit politicians, their immediate family, and relatives, from participating in any position An interesting idea in principal, but not legal or even practical under western systems of government. If my brother runs for office and wins, that shouldn't limit my employment options. We aren't going to fire people from government jobs because of the actions of their family members.
Not legal? That's literally what nepotism laws are about.
Re: Amazon Lobbied More Government Entities Than Any Other US Company Last Year
#59Earlier quoted context omitted.
I am really worried that once it becomes a major employer in Virginia area Amazon will actually stop spending money on lobbying and start using layoffs and other muscle moves on their VA area workforce to pressure public officials into caving in to their demands. It probably was the main reason why they 'decided to split' the HQ2 between NY and Virginia. Virginia was in play all along because of its proximity to DC a…
Even if they flexed their employer muscles, that would only affect local officials. Why would a republican senator from Kansas care if they're going to cut jobs in Virginia?
because he doesn't want local families protesting in front of his local residence embarrassing him in front of all his other big shot neighbors?
Re: Amazon Lobbied More Government Entities Than Any Other US Company Last Year
#60And they also own a major national publication.