{"data":{"id":18623,"title":"New United: Lobbyists Under Scrutiny After Arrests","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/spectrum-dispatch\/18623-New-United-Lobbyists-Under-Scrutiny-After-Arrests","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/18623","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/18623","channel":"Undefined","category":"Undefined","series":"News Update","images":[{"id":26463,"name":"source.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/media.robertsspaceindustries.com\/weozjmuuh3hwh\/source.jpg","alt":"","size":843046,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2019-09-19T15:49:32+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26463","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26463\/similar"},{"id":27892,"name":"source.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/media.robertsspaceindustries.com\/w3o9r4zgppm77\/source.jpg","alt":"","size":900916,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2021-09-06T14:48:40+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/27892","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/27892\/similar"},{"id":28553,"name":"NULobbyist_FI.png","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/media\/pxmlnowtjqestr\/source\/NULobbyist_FI.png","alt":"","size":367992,"mime_type":"image\/png","last_modified":"2022-04-12T13:24:52+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/28553","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/28553\/similar"}],"images_count":8,"translations":{"en_EN":"By Chandra Truk\nNEW YORK, EARTH, SOL\n\n\n\nFallout continues in the wake of last week\u2019s arrest of six Torreele Foodstuffs-associated lobbyists now charged with violating the Empire\u2019s laws governing how lobbyists interact with the Senate. The extensive list of infractions and corruption charges outlined a concerted effort to illegally influence new food safety legislation currently being discussed in committee. Although the Advocacy has not commented on the investigation, additional accusations of undue influence have swirled across the political spectrum prompting renewed calls for a reworking of the Empire\u2019s complex lobbying system. Many believe that the current system of rules has become ineffective and some powerful voices are beginning to call for the total elimination of the institution.\n\nThe Senate\u2019s current regulations for lobbyists began following the fall of the Messer administration, which took an unmoderated, anything-goes approach to political influence. The initial set of rules, which included a basic lobbyist registration system and a loyalty oath, was supplanted in 2922 in response to a bribery scandal not dissimilar to the one making news today. In addition to further limits on face-to-face interaction between lawmakers and lobbyists, the updated regulations required stronger general disclosure for all registered lobbyists, established a database of authorized Senatorial lobbyists that tracks all meetings and government interactions, significantly reduced the amount of direct interaction anyone but a constituent can have with a Senator, and outright banned most forms of gifts. The law was reviled by the industry at the time as overreaching, with significant protests from major industry figures. Now, critics claim that lobbyists have adapted to these laws by finding loopholes and developing new, less-regulated ways to impact lawmaking.\n\nAlysha Kane, chairperson of lobbyist monitoring group Undo Influence, says that the system must be completely overhauled once again. \u201cLook at aerospace companies. They\u2019ve figured out that, with the proper ad messaging, they can access the public consciousness directly and avoid running afoul of regulations,\u201d she says. \u201cSo instead of buying a Senator directly, they now try to shape that Senator\u2019s whole constituency\u2026 and the results are the same: the rich get richer and the window for innovation gets ever smaller. Who\u2019s to say Anvil makes the best fighter ships in the galaxy when they control the message and make sure no one in power would ever even associate a company like Drake or Argo with the job?\u201d\n\nTrip Gangler, a senior accounts manager covering Anvil Aerospace for the consulting firm First Strike, disagrees. \u201cThe fact is that the current system works. There\u2019s less underground lobbying today than ever before. So while I understand the furor over the [Torreele Foodstuffs] arrests, additional regulation will just slow the process at a time when fast military production and equipment adoption in particular is essential to everyone in the Empire. I don\u2019t think \u2018lobbyist\u2019 has necessarily become a dirty word yet, but I do think we\u2019re in the midst of a particularly delicate time. There\u2019s very little understanding of the important job [Senate lobbyists] do or the intense level of scrutiny we are already under. A few bad apples aside, our work is performed ethically and is essential to moving our political process forward.\u201d\n\nGangler, an effusive Earth-born Citizen in his mid-50s, is a veteran naval officer who rose through the ranks to command a Hammerhead before a combat injury forced him into retirement. Gangler\u2019s firm, First Strike, works directly with lawmakers, directs public affairs messaging, and undertakes more wide-ranging projects to help maintain its clients\u2019 various interests. The firm employs roughly 3,500 people in key markets, with most work currently contracted to Anvil Aerospace. The core team is located in a small headquarters on New York\u2019s East 73rd street (Earth, Sol system) not far from the Senate itself, making it a fitting location to support the Empire\u2019s largest trading aerospace concern. His familiarity with military command and seemingly endless natural charisma made him an ideal pickup for First Strike when he joined in 2938. \u201cThe days of imported Terran steaks and free-flowing Radegast were before my time,\u201d Gangler explains. \u201cSince \u201922, everything that costs more than fifty credits is meticulously logged, explained, and reviewed. I can tell you how many pens my office used a decade ago\u2026 and so can half a dozen regulatory bodies.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut pens don\u2019t matter,\u201d he continues. \u201cThe galaxy is an incredibly complex place and on any given day a Senator will interface with their staff about everything from sentient rights to the complex details of Spectrum broadcast licensing. And in between they\u2019re doing some pretty important work, like choosing the weapons that will be used to defend our planets. The way I like to look at it, it\u2019s our job to make sure they have the information needed to make these vital decisions.\n\n\u201cA lot of people outside the industry are surprised to learn that I don\u2019t spend more than an hour or two a week actually talking to politicians,\u201d Gangler explains. \u201cThe old stereotype of the glad-handing lobbyist slapping backs and handing out favors has no place in modern government. Most of those calling for reform don\u2019t believe that what we provide is an essential service\u2026 but the truth is that lobbyists have expanded greatly beyond just petitioning Senators on behalf of our clients. We are a vital resource that has become integral to the law-making process. Most days of the week, you\u2019re going to find my office working to track down answers to some of the Senate\u2019s hardest questions. Believe me when I say that you are going to sleep better knowing the people making decisions about your defense have instant access to data about how the current year Hornet outclasses the Gladius or that the fleet supply chain is expected to extend to needing additional tankers, tenders, repair ships\u2026 I mean, with how hostile things have gotten out there, I for one want to make sure they make the right choice to protect our empire.\u201d\n\nDetractors like Kane charge that most of what lobbyists do is little more than targeted advertising. Lobbying groups are increasingly spending larger portions of their budgets on advertising and \u201cdynamic media\u201d intended to imprint their messages on decision makers and the voting populace. First Strike maintains a process group wholly devoted to helping license Anvil Aerospace\u2019s brand and products to everyone from frozen food manufacturers to holo makers. Thanks to this streamlined process, Anvil\u2019s Hornet alone has shown up in over a dozen ads this past year for brands not directly connected to the ship manufacturer. On Spectrum, approved productions that would benefit from real hardware are even able to obtain camera-ready Hornets, Gladiators, and other ships at below industry-standard rates. From school lunches with the adventures of a pioneering Carrack crew printed on the packages to Hurricane silhouettes adorning disposable playing cards, lobbying organizations like First Strike spend billions to ensure their charges are as widely recognized as possible.\n\nThrough First Strike, Anvil also invests heavily in influencing military media. The results there speak for themselves, with the Hornet and Gladiator spacecraft being far and away the most common designs seen everywhere, from recruiting posters to deep-space propaganda broadcasts. Here again, Gangler believes that keeping the Anvil brand in the forefront of association with military successes is key to making sure the corporation keeps its prime contractor status. \u201cIf you leave it to the accountants,\u201d Gangler explains, \u201cyou\u2019re going to have the worst-performing ship every single time. It\u2019s worth it for every single person involved to invest in influencing the powers that be to do the right thing instead of the cheap thing.\u201d\n\nWith increasing calls for transparency and an upcoming military spending addendum bill that is poised to authorize a major extension to Anvil\u2019s F8 program, Gangler has his job cut out for him. In spite of his spirited defense of lobbying\u2019s role in lawmaking, it\u2019s clear that there are questions yet to be answered and deep concerns over the breadth of control a single, well-funded firm can have over issues important to so many across the Empire. With even well-respected corporations like Anvil Aerospace and Aegis Dynamics funneling billions into increasingly wide-ranging public relations efforts, the issue of oversight becomes ever more important. \u201cIf something as innocuous as a foodstuff concern like Torreele can exercise seemingly unchecked control over government safety regulations,\u201d Kane asks, \u201c then could decisions impacting the defense of our planets be similarly lopsided? Are other companies losing out on military contracts because of their hardware or because their competitors spent more on lobbying?\u201d These are questions that it seems increasingly likely that the Senate must address directly.","de_DE":"Von Chandra Truk\nNEW YORK, ERDE, SOL\n\n\n\nNach der Verhaftung von sechs mit Torreele Foodstuffs verbundenen Lobbyisten in der vergangenen Woche, denen nun vorgeworfen wird, gegen die Gesetze des Empire versto\u00dfen zu haben, die den Umgang von Lobbyisten mit dem Senat regeln, geht die Aufregung weiter. Die umfangreiche Liste der Verst\u00f6\u00dfe und Korruptionsvorw\u00fcrfe beschreibt eine konzertierte Aktion zur illegalen Beeinflussung neuer Gesetze zur Lebensmittelsicherheit, die derzeit im Ausschuss diskutiert werden. Obwohl sich die Advocacy nicht zu den Ermittlungen ge\u00e4u\u00dfert hat, sind im gesamten politischen Spektrum weitere Vorw\u00fcrfe der unzul\u00e4ssigen Einflussnahme laut geworden, die zu erneuten Forderungen nach einer \u00dcberarbeitung des komplexen Lobbying-Systems des Empire gef\u00fchrt haben. Viele sind der Meinung, dass das derzeitige Regelwerk ineffektiv geworden ist, und einige m\u00e4chtige Stimmen beginnen, die vollst\u00e4ndige Abschaffung der Institution zu fordern.\n\nDie derzeitigen Vorschriften des Senats f\u00fcr Lobbyisten wurden nach dem Sturz der Messer-Regierung eingef\u00fchrt, die einen unmoderierten, alles erlaubenden Ansatz zur politischen Einflussnahme verfolgte. Das urspr\u00fcngliche Regelwerk, das ein grundlegendes Registrierungssystem f\u00fcr Lobbyisten und einen Loyalit\u00e4tseid umfasste, wurde 2922 als Reaktion auf einen Bestechungsskandal ersetzt, der dem heutigen nicht un\u00e4hnlich ist. Neben weiteren Beschr\u00e4nkungen der pers\u00f6nlichen Interaktion zwischen Gesetzgebern und Lobbyisten verlangten die aktualisierten Vorschriften eine st\u00e4rkere allgemeine Offenlegung f\u00fcr alle registrierten Lobbyisten, richteten eine Datenbank autorisierter Senatslobbyisten ein, in der alle Treffen und Interaktionen mit der Regierung nachverfolgt werden k\u00f6nnen, reduzierten den Umfang der direkten Interaktion, die jeder au\u00dfer einem W\u00e4hler mit einem Senator haben kann, erheblich und verboten die meisten Formen von Geschenken ganz. Das Gesetz wurde damals von der Industrie als \u00fcbertrieben kritisiert und es gab erhebliche Proteste von wichtigen Vertretern der Industrie. Nun behaupten Kritiker, dass sich die Lobbyisten an diese Gesetze angepasst haben, indem sie Schlupfl\u00f6cher gefunden und neue, weniger regulierte Wege entwickelt haben, um die Gesetzgebung zu beeinflussen.\n\nAlysha Kane, Vorsitzende der Lobbyisten-\u00dcberwachungsgruppe Undo Influence, sagt, dass das System noch einmal komplett \u00fcberarbeitet werden muss. \"Schauen Sie sich die Luft- und Raumfahrtunternehmen an. Sie haben herausgefunden, dass sie mit der richtigen Werbebotschaft direkt in das \u00f6ffentliche Bewusstsein eindringen k\u00f6nnen, ohne mit den Vorschriften in Konflikt zu geraten\", sagt sie. \"Anstatt also einen Senator direkt zu kaufen, versuchen sie nun, den gesamten Wahlkreis dieses Senators zu beeinflussen... und das Ergebnis ist dasselbe: Die Reichen werden reicher und das Fenster f\u00fcr Innovationen wird immer kleiner. Wer sagt denn, dass Anvil die besten Kampfschiffe der Galaxis baut, wenn sie die Botschaft kontrollieren und daf\u00fcr sorgen, dass niemand an der Macht ein Unternehmen wie Drake oder Argo auch nur mit dem Job in Verbindung bringt?\"\n\nTrip Gangler, ein Senior Account Manager, der Anvil Aerospace f\u00fcr die Beratungsfirma First Strike betreut, ist da anderer Meinung. \"Tatsache ist, dass das derzeitige System funktioniert. Es gibt heute weniger Lobbyarbeit im Untergrund als jemals zuvor. Ich verstehe zwar die Wut \u00fcber die Verhaftungen [von Torreele Foodstuffs], aber eine zus\u00e4tzliche Regulierung w\u00fcrde den Prozess nur verlangsamen, und das zu einer Zeit, in der eine schnelle milit\u00e4rische Produktion und vor allem die Einf\u00fchrung von Ausr\u00fcstung f\u00fcr alle im Imperium von entscheidender Bedeutung ist. Ich glaube nicht, dass 'Lobbyist' schon zu einem Schimpfwort geworden ist, aber ich denke, wir befinden uns in einer besonders heiklen Zeit. Es gibt nur wenig Verst\u00e4ndnis f\u00fcr die wichtige Arbeit, die [Senatslobbyisten] leisten, oder f\u00fcr das hohe Ma\u00df an Kontrolle, dem wir bereits ausgesetzt sind. Abgesehen von ein paar schlechten \u00c4pfeln ist unsere Arbeit ethisch einwandfrei und wichtig, um unseren politischen Prozess voranzubringen.\"\n\nGangler, ein \u00fcberschw\u00e4nglicher Erdenb\u00fcrger Mitte 50, ist ein altgedienter Marineoffizier, der bis zum Kommando einer Hammerhead aufgestiegen ist, bevor eine Kampfverletzung ihn in den Ruhestand zwang. Gangelers Firma, First Strike, arbeitet direkt mit Gesetzgebern zusammen, leitet die \u00d6ffentlichkeitsarbeit und unternimmt umfassendere Projekte, um die verschiedenen Interessen seiner Kunden zu wahren. Das Unternehmen besch\u00e4ftigt rund 3.500 Mitarbeiter in den wichtigsten M\u00e4rkten, wobei die meisten Auftr\u00e4ge derzeit an Anvil Aerospace vergeben werden. Das Kernteam hat seinen Sitz in einem kleinen Hauptquartier in der East 73rd Street (Erde, Sol-System) in New York, nicht weit vom Senat entfernt, und ist damit ein geeigneter Ort, um den gr\u00f6\u00dften Raumfahrtkonzern des Imperiums zu unterst\u00fctzen. Seine Vertrautheit mit der milit\u00e4rischen F\u00fchrung und sein scheinbar endloses nat\u00fcrliches Charisma machten ihn zu einer idealen Besetzung f\u00fcr First Strike, als er 2938 eintrat. \"Die Tage der importierten terranischen Steaks und des frei flie\u00dfenden Radegast waren vor meiner Zeit\", erkl\u00e4rt Gangler. \"Seit '22 wird alles, was mehr als f\u00fcnfzig Credits kostet, akribisch protokolliert, erkl\u00e4rt und \u00fcberpr\u00fcft. Ich kann Ihnen sagen, wie viele Stifte mein B\u00fcro vor einem Jahrzehnt verwendet hat... und ein halbes Dutzend Aufsichtsbeh\u00f6rden auch.\"\n\n\"Aber Stifte spielen keine Rolle\", f\u00e4hrt er fort. \"Die Galaxie ist ein unglaublich komplexer Ort und an jedem beliebigen Tag wird ein Senator mit seinen Mitarbeitern \u00fcber alles M\u00f6gliche verhandeln, von den Rechten von Lebewesen bis hin zu den komplexen Details der Spectrum-Lizenzierung. Und dazwischen erledigen sie wichtige Aufgaben, wie die Auswahl der Waffen, die zur Verteidigung unserer Planeten eingesetzt werden sollen. So wie ich es sehe, ist es unsere Aufgabe, daf\u00fcr zu sorgen, dass sie die Informationen haben, die sie f\u00fcr diese wichtigen Entscheidungen ben\u00f6tigen.\n\n\"Viele Leute au\u00dferhalb der Branche sind \u00fcberrascht, wenn sie erfahren, dass ich nicht mehr als ein oder zwei Stunden pro Woche mit Politikern spreche\", erkl\u00e4rt Gangler. \"Das alte Klischee des gutm\u00fctigen Lobbyisten, der auf die Schulter klopft und Gef\u00e4lligkeiten verteilt, hat in der modernen Regierung keinen Platz. Die meisten derjenigen, die eine Reform fordern, glauben nicht, dass das, was wir anbieten, eine wesentliche Dienstleistung ist... aber die Wahrheit ist, dass Lobbyisten weit mehr als nur Petitionen an Senatoren im Namen unserer Kunden eingereicht haben. Wir sind eine lebenswichtige Ressource, die ein wesentlicher Bestandteil des Gesetzgebungsprozesses geworden ist. An den meisten Tagen in der Woche finden Sie mein B\u00fcro bei der Arbeit, um Antworten auf einige der schwierigsten Fragen des Senats zu finden. Glauben Sie mir, wenn ich sage, dass Sie besser schlafen werden, wenn Sie wissen, dass die Leute, die \u00fcber Ihre Verteidigung entscheiden, sofortigen Zugang zu Daten dar\u00fcber haben, dass die Hornet aus dem aktuellen Jahr der Gladius \u00fcberlegen ist oder dass die Versorgungskette der Flotte voraussichtlich so erweitert wird, dass zus\u00e4tzliche Tanker, Beiboote und Reparaturschiffe ben\u00f6tigt werden... Ich meine, bei den feindseligen Zust\u00e4nden, die da drau\u00dfen herrschen, m\u00f6chte ich sicherstellen, dass sie die richtige Entscheidung treffen, um unser Imperium zu sch\u00fctzen.\"\n\nKritiker wie Kane behaupten, dass das meiste, was Lobbyisten tun, kaum mehr als gezielte Werbung ist. Lobbygruppen geben immer gr\u00f6\u00dfere Teile ihrer Budgets f\u00fcr Werbung und \"dynamische Medien\" aus, um ihre Botschaften bei Entscheidungstr\u00e4gern und der w\u00e4hlenden Bev\u00f6lkerung einzupr\u00e4gen. First Strike unterh\u00e4lt eine Prozessgruppe, die sich ausschlie\u00dflich damit besch\u00e4ftigt, die Marke und die Produkte von Anvil Aerospace an alle zu lizenzieren, von Tiefk\u00fchlkostherstellern bis hin zu Holoherstellern. Dank dieses schlanken Prozesses ist allein die Hornet von Anvil im vergangenen Jahr in mehr als einem Dutzend Werbespots f\u00fcr Marken aufgetaucht, die nicht direkt mit dem Schiffshersteller verbunden sind. Auf Spectrum k\u00f6nnen zugelassene Produktionen, die von echter Hardware profitieren w\u00fcrden, sogar kamerataugliche Hornets, Gladiators und andere Schiffe zu Preisen unter dem Industriestandard erhalten. Von Schulessen mit den Abenteuern einer Carrack-Pioniercrew auf den Verpackungen bis hin zu Hurricane-Silhouetten, die Einwegspielkarten zieren, geben Lobbyorganisationen wie First Strike Milliarden aus, um sicherzustellen, dass ihre Sch\u00fctzlinge so weit wie m\u00f6glich bekannt sind.\n\n\u00dcber First Strike investiert Anvil auch stark in die Beeinflussung der Milit\u00e4rmedien. Die Ergebnisse sprechen f\u00fcr sich: Die Raumschiffe Hornet und Gladiator sind mit Abstand die h\u00e4ufigsten Motive, die man \u00fcberall sieht, von Rekrutierungspostern bis hin zu Propagandasendungen im Weltraum. Auch hier ist Gangler der Meinung, dass die Marke Anvil in erster Linie mit milit\u00e4rischen Erfolgen in Verbindung gebracht werden muss, um sicherzustellen, dass das Unternehmen seinen Status als Hauptauftragnehmer beh\u00e4lt. \"Wenn Sie es den Buchhaltern \u00fcberlassen\", erkl\u00e4rt Gangler, \"werden Sie jedes Mal das Schiff mit der schlechtesten Leistung haben. Es lohnt sich f\u00fcr jeden Einzelnen, darauf hinzuwirken, dass die M\u00e4chtigen das Richtige tun und nicht das Billige.\"\n\nAngesichts der immer lauter werdenden Forderungen nach Transparenz und eines bevorstehenden Gesetzes zur Erh\u00f6hung der Milit\u00e4rausgaben, das eine erhebliche Ausweitung des F8-Programms von Anvil genehmigen soll, hat Gangler eine Menge zu tun. Obwohl er die Rolle des Lobbyismus bei der Gesetzgebung vehement verteidigt, ist klar, dass es Fragen gibt, die noch beantwortet werden m\u00fcssen, und dass es tiefe Bedenken hinsichtlich des Umfangs der Kontrolle gibt, die ein einzelnes, gut finanziertes Unternehmen \u00fcber Themen haben kann, die f\u00fcr so viele Menschen im ganzen Empire wichtig sind. Angesichts der Tatsache, dass selbst angesehene Unternehmen wie Anvil Aerospace und Aegis Dynamics Milliarden in eine immer umfangreichere \u00d6ffentlichkeitsarbeit stecken, wird die Frage der Aufsicht immer wichtiger. \"Wenn etwas so Harmloses wie ein Lebensmittelkonzern wie Torreele scheinbar unkontrolliert die Sicherheitsvorschriften der Regierung kontrollieren kann\", fragt Kane, \"k\u00f6nnten dann Entscheidungen, die die Verteidigung unserer Planeten betreffen, \u00e4hnlich einseitig sein? Verlieren andere Unternehmen aufgrund ihrer Hardware oder weil ihre Konkurrenten mehr f\u00fcr Lobbyarbeit ausgegeben haben, Auftr\u00e4ge f\u00fcr das Milit\u00e4r?\" Es wird immer wahrscheinlicher, dass sich der Senat mit diesen Fragen direkt befassen muss.","zh_CN":"By Chandra Truk\nNEW YORK, EARTH, SOL\n\n\n\nFallout continues in the wake of last week\u2019s arrest of six Torreele Foodstuffs-associated lobbyists now charged with violating the Empire\u2019s laws governing how lobbyists interact with the Senate. The extensive list of infractions and corruption charges outlined a concerted effort to illegally influence new food safety legislation currently being discussed in committee. Although the Advocacy has not commented on the investigation, additional accusations of undue influence have swirled across the political spectrum prompting renewed calls for a reworking of the Empire\u2019s complex lobbying system. Many believe that the current system of rules has become ineffective and some powerful voices are beginning to call for the total elimination of the institution.\n\nThe Senate\u2019s current regulations for lobbyists began following the fall of the Messer administration, which took an unmoderated, anything-goes approach to political influence. The initial set of rules, which included a basic lobbyist registration system and a loyalty oath, was supplanted in 2922 in response to a bribery scandal not dissimilar to the one making news today. In addition to further limits on face-to-face interaction between lawmakers and lobbyists, the updated regulations required stronger general disclosure for all registered lobbyists, established a database of authorized Senatorial lobbyists that tracks all meetings and government interactions, significantly reduced the amount of direct interaction anyone but a constituent can have with a Senator, and outright banned most forms of gifts. The law was reviled by the industry at the time as overreaching, with significant protests from major industry figures. Now, critics claim that lobbyists have adapted to these laws by finding loopholes and developing new, less-regulated ways to impact lawmaking.\n\nAlysha Kane, chairperson of lobbyist monitoring group Undo Influence, says that the system must be completely overhauled once again. \u201cLook at aerospace companies. They\u2019ve figured out that, with the proper ad messaging, they can access the public consciousness directly and avoid running afoul of regulations,\u201d she says. \u201cSo instead of buying a Senator directly, they now try to shape that Senator\u2019s whole constituency\u2026 and the results are the same: the rich get richer and the window for innovation gets ever smaller. Who\u2019s to say Anvil makes the best fighter ships in the galaxy when they control the message and make sure no one in power would ever even associate a company like Drake or Argo with the job?\u201d\n\nTrip Gangler, a senior accounts manager covering Anvil Aerospace for the consulting firm First Strike, disagrees. \u201cThe fact is that the current system works. There\u2019s less underground lobbying today than ever before. So while I understand the furor over the [Torreele Foodstuffs] arrests, additional regulation will just slow the process at a time when fast military production and equipment adoption in particular is essential to everyone in the Empire. I don\u2019t think \u2018lobbyist\u2019 has necessarily become a dirty word yet, but I do think we\u2019re in the midst of a particularly delicate time. There\u2019s very little understanding of the important job [Senate lobbyists] do or the intense level of scrutiny we are already under. A few bad apples aside, our work is performed ethically and is essential to moving our political process forward.\u201d\n\nGangler, an effusive Earth-born Citizen in his mid-50s, is a veteran naval officer who rose through the ranks to command a Hammerhead before a combat injury forced him into retirement. Gangler\u2019s firm, First Strike, works directly with lawmakers, directs public affairs messaging, and undertakes more wide-ranging projects to help maintain its clients\u2019 various interests. The firm employs roughly 3,500 people in key markets, with most work currently contracted to Anvil Aerospace. The core team is located in a small headquarters on New York\u2019s East 73rd street (Earth, Sol system) not far from the Senate itself, making it a fitting location to support the Empire\u2019s largest trading aerospace concern. His familiarity with military command and seemingly endless natural charisma made him an ideal pickup for First Strike when he joined in 2938. \u201cThe days of imported Terran steaks and free-flowing Radegast were before my time,\u201d Gangler explains. \u201cSince \u201922, everything that costs more than fifty credits is meticulously logged, explained, and reviewed. I can tell you how many pens my office used a decade ago\u2026 and so can half a dozen regulatory bodies.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut pens don\u2019t matter,\u201d he continues. \u201cThe galaxy is an incredibly complex place and on any given day a Senator will interface with their staff about everything from sentient rights to the complex details of Spectrum broadcast licensing. And in between they\u2019re doing some pretty important work, like choosing the weapons that will be used to defend our planets. The way I like to look at it, it\u2019s our job to make sure they have the information needed to make these vital decisions.\n\n\u201cA lot of people outside the industry are surprised to learn that I don\u2019t spend more than an hour or two a week actually talking to politicians,\u201d Gangler explains. \u201cThe old stereotype of the glad-handing lobbyist slapping backs and handing out favors has no place in modern government. Most of those calling for reform don\u2019t believe that what we provide is an essential service\u2026 but the truth is that lobbyists have expanded greatly beyond just petitioning Senators on behalf of our clients. We are a vital resource that has become integral to the law-making process. Most days of the week, you\u2019re going to find my office working to track down answers to some of the Senate\u2019s hardest questions. Believe me when I say that you are going to sleep better knowing the people making decisions about your defense have instant access to data about how the current year Hornet outclasses the Gladius or that the fleet supply chain is expected to extend to needing additional tankers, tenders, repair ships\u2026 I mean, with how hostile things have gotten out there, I for one want to make sure they make the right choice to protect our empire.\u201d\n\nDetractors like Kane charge that most of what lobbyists do is little more than targeted advertising. Lobbying groups are increasingly spending larger portions of their budgets on advertising and \u201cdynamic media\u201d intended to imprint their messages on decision makers and the voting populace. First Strike maintains a process group wholly devoted to helping license Anvil Aerospace\u2019s brand and products to everyone from frozen food manufacturers to holo makers. Thanks to this streamlined process, Anvil\u2019s Hornet alone has shown up in over a dozen ads this past year for brands not directly connected to the ship manufacturer. On Spectrum, approved productions that would benefit from real hardware are even able to obtain camera-ready Hornets, Gladiators, and other ships at below industry-standard rates. From school lunches with the adventures of a pioneering Carrack crew printed on the packages to Hurricane silhouettes adorning disposable playing cards, lobbying organizations like First Strike spend billions to ensure their charges are as widely recognized as possible.\n\nThrough First Strike, Anvil also invests heavily in influencing military media. The results there speak for themselves, with the Hornet and Gladiator spacecraft being far and away the most common designs seen everywhere, from recruiting posters to deep-space propaganda broadcasts. Here again, Gangler believes that keeping the Anvil brand in the forefront of association with military successes is key to making sure the corporation keeps its prime contractor status. \u201cIf you leave it to the accountants,\u201d Gangler explains, \u201cyou\u2019re going to have the worst-performing ship every single time. It\u2019s worth it for every single person involved to invest in influencing the powers that be to do the right thing instead of the cheap thing.\u201d\n\nWith increasing calls for transparency and an upcoming military spending addendum bill that is poised to authorize a major extension to Anvil\u2019s F8 program, Gangler has his job cut out for him. In spite of his spirited defense of lobbying\u2019s role in lawmaking, it\u2019s clear that there are questions yet to be answered and deep concerns over the breadth of control a single, well-funded firm can have over issues important to so many across the Empire. With even well-respected corporations like Anvil Aerospace and Aegis Dynamics funneling billions into increasingly wide-ranging public relations efforts, the issue of oversight becomes ever more important. \u201cIf something as innocuous as a foodstuff concern like Torreele can exercise seemingly unchecked control over government safety regulations,\u201d Kane asks, \u201c then could decisions impacting the defense of our planets be similarly lopsided? Are other companies losing out on military contracts because of their hardware or because their competitors spent more on lobbying?\u201d These are questions that it seems increasingly likely that the Senate must address directly."},"links_count":0,"comment_count":11,"created_at":"2022-04-13T02:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"4 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-04-28 05:10:04","valid_relations":["images","links","translations"],"prev_id":18622,"next_id":18624}}