Founding Principles
Campaigns hosted on our platform must be:
FOR THE PEOPLE
Lobbying campaigns must benefit "the people" and not favor a certain class, group, business, or industry.
BY THE PEOPLE
Lobbying campaigns must be created by individual citizens and not by for-profit organizations or wealthy corporations.
BIPARTISAN
Each lobbying campaign must have the possibility of bipartisanship or a bipartisan compromise.
UNDER REPRESENTED
Many nonprofit groups already hire lobbyists and have an influence on Capitol Hill. Campaigns on our platform must be underrepresented.
Our Principles in Action
How our lobbying campaigns are "For the People"
We hire an independent contractor to determine if lobbying campaigns submitted on our website meet the criteria of "for the people." We use the definition in the Massachusetts State Constitution, Article VII, written by John Adams, which states: “Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity and happiness of the people; and not for the profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men.”
How our lobbying campaigns are "By the People"
We limit all donations by individuals on our platform to $5,000 per person per campaign. This ensures that all of our campaigns are truly funded "by the people," and it protects us from the influence of large donors. We also investigate whether the person submitting the campaign is doing so on behalf of a company or a for-profit organization. We will not approve a campaign if the person submitting it is a government contractor. We also determine, to the best of our ability, that the individual submitting the campaign will not personally or financially benefit from a successful lobbying campaign.
How our lobbying campaigns remain bipartisan
We are not a partisan organization. Our only goal is to connect everyday folks to professional lobbyists. Therefore, personal political beliefs do not impact which campaigns are approved and hosted on our platform. In order to represent all of America, our independent contractor determines if there's a possibility of agreement or cooperation between the two political parties for a given campaign. The independent contractor researches official statements and quotes to the press, remarks on the floor of the House or Senate, co-sponsorship of legislation, and previous voting records. If our independent contractor determines that there is a chance that an issue would have support from a member of both parties, then the campaign will meet the criteria of having a "chance of a bipartisan compromise."
How our lobbying campaigns lobby for under-represented issues
We started Lobbyists 4 Good because we saw a need, and want to help people already working on issues that are important to them. However, there are already organizations out there who are doing solid advocacy work, building strong coalitions, and hiring professional lobbyists to reach out to Congress. If our independent contractor determines there is a better use of funding, we will encourage the campaign creator to raise money for that organization instead. Additionally, if the interests of "the people" are being outweighed by the influence of large corporations or wealthy special interest groups, and hiring a skilled professional would add to the “people’s voice,” such a campaign would be considered an underrepresented issue.