LOBBYING vs. BRIBERY - YOU PAY, YOU PUMP!!!

The line between corruption and lobbying is increasingly blurred, particularly when one observes how differently these practices are treated by governments around the world. In Washington, D.C., lobbying is institutionalized and even celebrated as a mechanism for “democracy in action,” whereas bribery is condemned and punished. This double standard has led to a widespread perception of hypocrisy, especially when the U.S. government fines foreign companies for bribes, while its own politicians seem to engage in similar behavior—just under a different name.