Interest groups play a central role in the legislative process. Discuss some of the ways lobbyists' efforts at shaping the views of representatives can have positive effects and some of the ways in which they might cause problems

Then describe some of the efforts Congress has taken to limit the kinds of impacts lobbyists can have on the legislature.

What will be an ideal response?

An ideal response will:
1, Discuss that lobbyists can provide legislators with crucial policy information and political intelligence—making those legislators more knowledgeable and more effective in the legislative process.
2, Discuss that lobbyists work closely with their legislative allies, especially at the committee level, and so are able to assist in coordinating efforts at influencing members with party leaders who share their views.
3, Discuss that lobbyists are able to assist with grass-roots campaigning for support on issues, encouraging citizens to pressure their representatives on the issues.
4, Discuss that lobbyists often provide representatives with assurances of financial aid in their next campaigns, possibly creating conflicts of interest.
5, Discuss that lobbyists usually encounter resistance and so make little headway with their opponents, despite their spending enormous amounts of money.
6, Explain that Congress passed a law in 1995 requiring anyone hired to lobby members of Congress, congressional staff members, White House officials, and federal agencies to report what issues they were seeking to influence, how much they were spending on the effort, and the identities of their clients.
7, Explain that Congress also placed severe restrictions on the gifts, meals, and expense-paid travel that public officials may accept from lobbyists.
8, Explain that in 2007 Congress passed a new law and the House revised its ethics rules to strengthen public disclosure requirements concerning lobbying activity and funding; placed more restrictions on gifts and travel for members of Congress and their staff; provided for mandatory disclosure of earmarks in expenditure bills; and slowed the revolving door between Congress and the lobbying world.