The Art of Lobbying

by Levine, Bertram

• ISBN13: 9780872894624
• ISBN10: 0872894622
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781483370989
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-11-30
• Publisher: Cq Pr

Summary

Often derided by politicians and pundits, lobbyists are the targets of lampooning stump portrayals and sensationalized news coverage. Little attention is given to how most lobbyists do their job or become effective at what they do. Whether they are helping congressional staffers draft legislative language, providing members of Congress with quality policy and political information, or just being good listeners, lobbyists must build and maintain relationships. If they do, they will succeed in advancing their policy objectives within the give-and-take of the American legislative system.

Author Biography

Bertram J. Levine is the Charles Evans Hughes Fellow in Political Science Emeritus at Colgate University and a member of the Rutgers University political science department. Prior to pursuing his PhD, he was vice president of federal government relations and state government relations for Johnson Johnson. In that capacity, he headed the company's lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C. During the 92nd and 93rd Congresses he served as a counsel to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Levine is the coauthor of Lobbying Congress: How the System Works, Second Edition. He has also written a number of articles on interest groups and lobbying.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
Introduction	p. 1
The Interviews and the Survey	p. 4
Research Regime, Significance, and Scope of the Investigation	p. 6
Organization of the Book	p. 8
Notes	p. 9
The Lobbyist's Professional World	p. 10
Types of Lawmakers	p. 12
The Legislative Environment	p. 17
Congressional Culture	p. 20
Congressional Structure	p. 24
Legislative Staff	p. 25
The Client	p. 34
Legislators' Incentives	p. 36
Conclusion	p. 46
Notes	p. 48
Red Flags	p. 51
Covert Activity	p. 53
Assets for Hire	p. 63
Campaign Contributions: The 800-Pound Gorilla	p. 71
Conclusion	p. 77
Notes	p. 78
Political "Capitol"-Gains and Losses	p. 80
Anticipating Gains and Losses: The Key Questions	p. 81
Conclusion	p. 111
Notes	p. 112
Inside the Door (and Beyond)	p. 113
The Office Meeting	p. 115
Tactical Best Practices	p. 138
Tactical Missteps	p. 159
Conclusion	p. 164
Notes	p. 165
The Lobbyist's Ask	p. 167
Forms of the Ask: Enlisting Support from Other Members of Congress	p. 169
Hands-on Legislating	p. 181
Lobbyists and the Executive Branch	p. 190
The Peripherals	p. 199
Additional Action Requests	p. 204
Conclusion	p. 208
Notes	p. 209
Designing and Executing a Lobbying Campaign	p. 211
The Core Elements of a Campaign	p. 211
The Strategic Plan	p. 217
The Importance of Tactics	p. 225
Conclusion	p. 230
Notes	p. 231
Conclusion	p. 233
Observations About the Study Interviews	p. 233
Strong Consensus	p. 234
Mixed Opinions	p. 237
A Final Note	p. 239
Note	p. 239
Index	p. 241
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