FTI: Is Lobbying good or bad? Can we make it better?

Lobbying plays a powerful role in shaping public policy, yet opinions about its impact vary widely. Some view it as an essential channel for individuals and organizations to make their voices heard, while others worry it gives disproportionate influence to those with greater resources.

Join the Free Thinker Institute for a thoughtful, curiosity-driven exploration of this complex topic. Together, we’ll examine what lobbying is, how it works in practice, and the different ways it can promote—or hinder—the public good.

In line with the Five Intentions, this event invites open dialogue, collaborative learning, and a deeper understanding of how systems of influence can be improved for everyone. Participants will consider questions such as:

• When does lobbying support democracy, and when might it undermine it?
• How do different groups—large or small—use lobbying to advance their missions?
• What reforms or innovations could make the process more transparent, equitable, or empowering?

Whether you’re curious, skeptical, or simply seeking clarity, this conversation is designed to welcome diverse perspectives while encouraging shared insight and constructive engagement. Join us as we explore how influence works—and how it could work better for a more collaborative, equitable world.

Peter will do a presentation about Lobbying, after which Garrett will make a short presentation about a proposal to make lobbying good for everyone: Absolute transparency. Garrett is the first to propose this form of radical transparency in lobbying: All communications between lobbyists and government officials should be fully visible to the public at large.

The hope is this transparency will prevent unethical laws from being put into law because of the paid influence of lobbyists, and lobbying can go back to its original intent: To help guide government to make decisions that will be good for citizens by treating businesses fairly.

A little about our host:
Garrett is a programmer turned award-winning software inventor turned entrepreneur (http://platerate.com/) is his company. His hobby is writing and discussing practical philosophy, and he does life coaching on request to help people live happy, moral lives. He is also the executive director of The Free Thinker Institute (http://freethinkerinstitute.org/), which aims to create a community that helps members increase happiness and decrease harm for themselves and those they can influence.
Format: Lecture and discussion

Note: social time for our community 15 minutes before the presentation.

To get familiar with our past events, feel free to check out our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmixGB9GdrptyEWovEj80zg

After registering via zoom, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

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