In Defense of Lobbyists
Reader Comments
In Defense of Lobbyist
Of all the things that need to be fixed and discussed in this country - the war in Iraq, gas prices, food prices, the economy, jobs disappearing, US News and World Reports and Michael Barone give us an article defending lobbyist. The lobbyist system is based on whoever has the most cash to spend gets to be heard and gets laws slanted in their favor. It is a major reason why healthcare is a mess, and that we still have not moved away from fossil fuels. There is no lobby for the average american who is just being pounded on all fronts to keep their head above water, or the poor who are under the water. Mr Barone should walk into any diner or bar in America and see how much sympathy he gets for lobbyist. The only use I have for Mr Barone's column is cleaning up after my dog.
In Defense of Lobbyists
I don't agree with Michael Barone. There's very little defense of lobbyists and it all started with the Supreme Court when they said that money was free speech. The more money the paid lobbyists have, the more free speech. Probably the biggest lobby group in Washington are the HEDGE FUND DEALERS and the way they are throwing money financing Democrats as well as Republicans is down right scary. I couldn't even find out if they are registered as lobbyists. While Senator Obama wants to TAX THE HEDGE FUND DEALERS where some are headquartered in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands to escape paying federal income tax. He is going to meet stiff resistance even though the Blue Dog Democrats in the House are favoring the TAXATION. They believe that you should Pay As You Go and that's something that any conservative should believe in. The best thing the middleclass has going for them to get the word out is these blog sites. They inform the public about HEDGE FUND DEALERS and those EXOTIC DERIVATIVES that they sell that the GAO report of October 2007 (GAO-08-25) talked about. Also some revealing articles in BUSINESS WEEK about the Basel II meeting in Basel, Switzerland in April where they want to get regulations on HEDGE FUNDS and the EXOTIC DERIVATIVES that they deal in. In the last few days, the FBI arrested two HEDGE FUND DEALERS from Bear Stearns and they are investigating about 400 more involved with the home mortgage debacle. There is a connection between the article "Attacking the Deficit" by Katherine Skiba which I enjoyed reading and also your article "In Defense of Lobbyists." Someone has to defend the disappearing middleclass and if Senator Obama can get the Senate to go along with him on TAXING THE HEDGE FUND DEALERS, that will go a long way to solving the deficit. Too many corporations are just free-loading off of the middleclass.
Yours truly, Disgusted Middleclass Taxpayer, LaVern Isely
Lobbyists vs. Influence Peddlers vs. Crooks
Lobbyists come in different flavors. Some are members of the groups they represent, some are influence peddlers who sell access to their connections in Congress (like Charlie Black), and some are crooks who buy Congressional cooperation with money and perks (like Jack Abramoff). It's not hard to see that a couple of crooked bribesters can give lobbying a bad name and make Americans suspicious of ALL lobbyists.
What's disturbing to many of us is when we see legislation which is not in the public's interest IN ANY WAY - like retroactive telecom immunity - make its way through Congress nonetheless, whereupon we learn that the corporate beneficiaries of Congress' largesse have spent millions upon millions lobbying for it. Why did it take so much money, and what exactly was that money spent on? What new information did they provide to our Representatives to persuade them to change their minds from the stern rejection of retroactive immunity just a short while ago? It smells like bribery; in fact it stinks to high heaven.
My objection to the influence peddler variety hinges upon how they got that influence and that cushy job in the lobby. In recent years, we have seen a lot of former government employees becoming highly paid lobbyists for corporations, organizations, and countries AFTER having delivered some kind of legislative or contractual "golden egg" to those entities during their (often brief) tenure as a civil servant. This also smells rotten.
How can the voices of ordinary citizens and groups be heard over the loud "cha-ching!" of campaign money, perks and bribes emanating from the lobbyists representing the wealthiest corporations and industries in the world, like Big Oil, Big Pharma, the insurance industry, the telecoms, and the defense industry?
As it is with so many other aspects of our governmental methodologies, the money is poisoning the results. And the more money there is at stake, the less likely it is that the best interests of the people will decide how Congress votes. The corporations typically get everything they want, while the citizens lose everything they have.
No Subject
Many lobbyists are smart enough to not run for office. You don't need money to be a lobbyist, you need expertise. If you were in the position of a retired lawmaker would you not do the same thing?
more BS
yeah and they also represent foreign corporations and foreign governments. I bet every Ameican wishes they had enough money to have that sort of access to government that lobbyists do. This access is even greater because many of these lobbyists used to work in government and so have personal relationships with lawmakers.
Falacy
Mr. Walz is right on and has the right perspective on this issue. Lobbyists should not be publiclly funded any more than corporate ceo's or doctors. It is a service based industry and their product is helping certain organizations and industries evolve in this ever changing world. As for lobbying in its current form, it is one of the most regulated professions in the U.S. Every second of their day is written down and documented. They are very accountable and people need to realize what these people actually do to make a living.
Necessity of Lobbyists
If they're necessary, their functions/capabilities should be overtly recognized and publicly funded. They apparently provide a valuable service, which in it's current form is unregulated, unreliable, and without accountability, except to their corporate masters.
Any argument regarding the value derived from lobbyists per-se, seems to assume an inevitable perpetuation of a system of government with unmet requirements. Are lobbyists an unfunded mandate levied on corporate America, and if so, why would corporate America meet that mandate except for potential return on their investment - in many cases to the detriment of the general welfare.
Lobbyists
As a new State Senator I was determined to accomplish improvements for the State rather than promote myself. Our State had a State owned Hail Insurance Department that had served its original purpose and now was losing $200-300,000 per year. Independent insurance companies were agreeable to provide coverage and replace the State policies. It was such a hot issue that no one would co-sponsor with me. The insurance industry lobbyist said he would support me with research and factual matters, thus to enable me to promote my bill in committee and on the Senate floor. I did not have the time or ability to do the work he performed. My bill was defeated in that session but the next session it passed without any trouble. This is often the way bills operate. I am thankful for the lobbyist. They are salesmen for the company or group that hired them.
A big problem is the legislators themselves. They want to "ride the fence" and they say "yes" to both sides of an issue. Then when the vote comes they complain that the lobbyists are to blame, when it was themselves. I also realize it is difficult for the average voter to appreciate the work of the lobbyist until they serve in the legislature.
Why Rudy?
Dear Rudy, I do not know what your profession is nor do I really care. Lobbying is a profession held my many of the most upstanding Americans. As the article states, many people do not realize the level of expertise and experience it takes for a lobbyist to be successful. I do not understand why the most vital industries in this country are the most taxed and regulated (oil, gambling, and agriculture). This same concept is applied to lobbying; why should the general public have to know where lobbyists eat for lunch or hang out after work? Nobody asks doctors where they go to have drinks after their shift. Lobbyists are not elected officials but do have families to support. The reality of greed is not just in America and I would like to know how lobbyists are the greedy ones. If you were a successful businessman or women who owned your own company, you would want the most experienced expert handling issues in your industry. Many of these despised men and women could be working in the private sector and making double what they do but they choose to use their expertise to change public policy; because from my experience many lobbyists are more informed on certain issues than the actual legislator. So next time you think about criticizing lobbyists, be glad they serve the vital purpose they do and put yourself in their shoes. What is insulting is how lobbyists who work for such causes as autism awareness, breast cancer reasearch, and other current issues are grouped into this catagory. Well written article. I would love to see a logical arguement against lobbying by someone who has expericence in the area; not just an english major who knows the differences in logic.
lobbying
Save us from columns such as this. Who in their right mind thinks that nurses and social workers benefit as much from the activity of lobbyists as major forces such as the pharmaceutical companies, oil companies, the RCC, and other well-funded groups. And what about major corporations funneling monies to legislators via corporate executives to make it legal. What American doesn't believe that greed is the prevalent force in our government? What American doesn't know, or sense, that the rich and super rich are the primary beneficiaries of lobbyists who, incidentally, are capable of making astronomical money if they are in the right position? Please spare us. It is insulting.
