“In America, they call it lobbying. Everywhere else in the world, they call it bribery & corruption” is a saying that has been printed on many images. Many people have argued that lobbying and campaign contributions constitute legalized bribery.
   
“Some might call it bribery, but others call it effective lobbying” was printed in the Los Angeles (CA) Times on August 5, 1979. “Babbitt can call it lobbying, but it call it bribery” was printed in the Tucson (AZ) Citizen on August 8, 1981. “You and I might call that bribery. Might call it graft. Payola. Boodle. Congress calls it lobbying” was printed in the Casper (WY) Star-Tribune on September 15, 1996. “In America you would call it lobbying. In China we call it bribery” was printed in the New York (NY) Times on June 29, 2000.
   
“In America they call it lobbying…. Everywhere else in the world the call it ‘Bribery & Corruption’” was posted on Facebook by Barnaba Daniel on April 14, 2018. “In America they call it lobbying. Everywhere else in the world, they call it, ‘Bribery & Corruption’.  https://minds.com/newsfeed/858708238455754752” was posted on Twitter by The Crypto Dood on June 27, 2018. The saying was popularized in this form by this 2018 meme.
     
   
Newspapers.com
5 August 1979, Los Angeles (CA) Times, “A Glorious Birth,” Santa Ana Times, pg. 1, col. 1:
Some might call it bribery, but others call it effective lobbying.
 
Newspapers.com
8 August 1981, Tucson (AZ) Citizen, “Letters to the Editor,” pg. 1B, col. 4:
In the dictionary, “lobby” is “to frequent the lobby of a legislative chamber to influence the members.” (Arizona Governor Bruce—ed.) Babbitt can call it lobbying, but it call it bribery.
(...)
J. L. PEARSON
       
Newspapers.com
15 September 1996, Casper (WY) Star-Tribune, “If you got the money, honey, you got my vote” by Charles Levendosky, pg. E1, col. 1:
Sound grim to you—our representative taking money for their votes? You and I might call that bribery. Might call it graft. Payola. Boodle. Congress calls it lobbying.
   
29 June 2000, New York (NY) Times, “In China, Web Revolution Means Games” by Jennifer 8. Lee, pg. G1: 
’‘There are too many interests in computer-game playing for that to happen,’’ he (Simon Zhang—ed.) said. “In America you would call it lobbying. In China we call it bribery.”
     
Google Groups: aus.politics
War In Afghanistan -47 Questions and Answers
Devils Advocate
Oct 21, 2001, 9:47:10 AM
(...)
In the US, this is in fact they way their system operates out in the open! They call it lobbying. Reasonable people call it bribery! What else can you call it when someone receives money to vote a certain way?
       
Newspapers.com

17 September 2004, Pottsville (PA) Republican & Herald, “Thunder & Enlightening,” pg. 25, col. 5:
I read where the pharmaceutical companies spent $85 million lobbying in Washington. I don’t call it lobbying. I all it bribery.
(...)
Shenandoah
 
Google Groups: zion-l
John W Redelfs
Mar 28, 2006, 1:11:26 PM
(...)
Don’t men and organized groups of men contribute to both sides in political campaigns?  Why do you suppose they do that?  Isn’t that the very definition of graft and corruption?  In other nations we call it bribery.  In this country we call it lobbying.  What is the difference?
     
Google Groups: alt.support.mult-sclerosis
CDC Wastes Millions of Taxpayer Dollars, Says Senate Report
Alex
(...)
Our government points to corruption in those countries, call it “bribery” and insist that its bad. However, in our government, they call it “lobbying” and insist that its OK.
 
Twitter
Pedro Tecedeiro
@ptecedeiro
Some call it lobbying I prefer to call it bribery. - “Facebook Lobbied to Kill Social Networking Privacy Act” http://j.mp/9yPGPq
3:43 AM · Oct 28, 2010·Reeder
   
Twitter
Evan Morrison
@evanstruth
In America we don’t call it bribery, we call it lobbying.
3:32 PM · Jan 27, 2011·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
Erin Smandych
@littlemonstrr
We don’t call it bribery, or corruption. We call it lobbying.
1:13 PM · Sep 13, 2011·Twitter for iPhone
   
Twittetr
vicki
@ChiaVix
re: political interest groups—“in China they call it bribery. in America they call it lobbying.”—dad
12:51 AM · Jun 28, 2012·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
Nada Ali
@Nmhali
Relabeling of dirty words works!! In USA they call it “Lobbying”, In Africa we call it “Bribery” or “corruption”. It’s all about where U R!!
9:24 AM · Oct 12, 2013·Twitter Web Client
         
Twitter
alejandró
@Team_Steck
Other countries call it “bribery” but in the Land of the Free, we call it “lobbying”.
4:18 AM · Dec 7, 2017·Twitter Web App
 
Facebook
Barnaba Daniel
April 14, 2018 at 2:24 AM ·
In America they call it lobbying….
Everywhere else in the world the call it “Bribery & Corruption.”
 
Twitter
Mas Que Nada
@el_lazarus
“In America they call it #Lobbying; in Nigeria they call it #Bribery.
Whatever #Label you give it, corruption is… https://fb.me/LkqeF5yC
1:17 AM · Mar 10, 2018·Facebook
   
Twitter
David Hogg ☮️
@davidhogg111
Anywhere else in the world it’s called bribing however, in America we call it lobbying/ campaign donations.
7:09 PM · May 12, 2018·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter
The Crypto Dood
@The_Crypto_Dood
In America they call it lobbying. Everywhere else in the world, they call it, “Bribery & Corruption”.  https://minds.com/newsfeed/858708238455754752
10:18 AM · Jun 27, 2018·Twitter Web Client
     
Twitter
Kambree
@KamVTV
In America they call it “lobbying”.
In other parts of the world some call it “Bribery and Corruption”.
12:58 PM · Aug 9, 2018·Twitter for iPhone
         
Twitter
James Anderson
@rattlinbones45
In America They Call It “Lobbying”
Everywhere Else In The World They Call It “Bribery & Corruption”
(This is also shown on an image.—ed.)
9:09 AM · Aug 14, 2019·Twitter Web App
 
Twitter
Carol
@Carol38553
In America , they call it “Lobbying.”
Everywhere else in the world they call it “Bribery & Corruption.”
(This is also shown on an image.—ed.)
12:13 PM · Dec 20, 2020·Twitter Web App
 
Twitter
AppleSeed
@AppleSeedTX
In the United States, they call it
“LOBBYING”.  Everywhere else in the world, they call it “BRIBERY & CORRECTION”.
7:28 PM · Mar 20, 2022·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter
AMERICAN BADASS 🇺🇲
@SWFLPatriot
🎯
(The following text is shown on an image.—ed.)
In America, they call it
“lobbying.”
Everywhere else
in the world,
they call it,
“Bribery &
Corruption.”
12:55 PM · Nov 19, 2022·Twitter for Android