Lobbying Is As American As Apple Pie

National Review: The Campaigns Embarrass Themselves By Stigmatizing The Profession

(National Review Online)  This column was written by Michael Barone.

---

Barack Obama has long said that his campaign will not accept contributions from lobbyists, and now that he is the presumptive nominee, the Democratic National Committee won’t accept them, either.

John McCain says that his campaign won’t employ lobbyists, and volunteers are now queried about possible lobbying activity in the past. It’s only a matter of time until someone calls for a law requiring every lobbyist to paint a big, red “L” on his forehead.

Behind this stigmatization of lobbyists is the notion that the failure to produce legislation in the public interest stems from the existence of lobbyists. Which is obviously nonsense. We couldn’t abolish lobbying without repealing the First Amendment, which gives all of us, even those who are paid to do it, the right to “petition the government for a redress of grievances.” And the government could not sensibly do business without lobbyists - as Hillary Clinton recognized at the YearlyKos convention last August.

While Obama and John Edwards were lambasting lobbyists, Clinton said: “You know, a lot of those lobbyists, whether you like it or not, represent real Americans. They actually do. They represent nurses. They represent, you know, social workers. They represent ... yes, they represent corporations. They employ a lot of people.”

Lobbying is as American as apple pie, going back to colonial times. The Rev. Increase Mather lobbied in London for a new charter for Massachusetts. Benjamin Franklin was the colonial agent - lobbyist - for Pennsylvania and other colonies. When the federal government was created, lobbyists for varied interests naturally swarmed to the capital - first New York, then Philadelphia and Washington.

It is a simple fact of life that when Congress writes laws and the executive branch writes regulations that channel vast flows of money - and laws and regulations that have vast moral implications - citizens affected by those words are going to try to make sure they’re written the way they want. They’re going to hire the best people they can find to do so. They want lobbyists with connections - and with expertise. They can help lawmakers understand how the words they write will affect “real Americans.”

That’s why I was pleased to see Clinton defend lobbying not only for those whom her Democratic audience considers good interests (nurses, social workers) but those they don’t (corporations). Implicitly, she’s rejecting the distinction made by the head of the Humane Society of the United States, who recently contrasted “special interest lobbyists” (presumably those working for profit-making interests) with “socially responsible lobbyists” (those working for nonprofits). But even lobbyists for nonprofits have a monetary motive: to keep their (often six-figure) salaries flowing in.

Yes, K Street is not perfect. Old entrenched interests tend to be well represented. New and growing industries and morally motivated constituencies that are unorganized tend to be underrepresented. The high-tech industry figured it could get along without much representation in Washington until Microsoft got slapped with an antitrust suit a decade ago. Now, it hires lobbyists in droves.

Not much of this will change in a McCain or Obama administration. The campaigns currently are embarrassing themselves by stigmatizing lobbyists. Obama’s initial choice to head his vice-presidential selection committee was Jim Johnson, who as CEO of Fannie Mae in the 1990s ran one of the most effective lobbying operations in town. McCain has had at his side through the campaign Charlie Black, who was a very successful lobbyist for more than 20 years.

More important, both candidates are proposing health care, carbon emission, and tax changes - legislation that will, and should, face heavy lobbying. Which is fine: Such laws will have enormous ramifications, and everyone who wants to should chime in. Even - if I can use that dreaded word again - lobbyists.

[cfin5]

Lobbying is as Ameri.....GIVE ME A BREAK! When I cast a vote, it''s with the intention of me, the constituent, to be heard by the hired public servant. Not a company with a bigger checkbook. Obama and McCain,.....I''d have never thought with their history they''d get this far. An honest man doesn''t have a chance with so many crooks in the economy and the government anymore.

[marcosmalo]

You know, leeches and other bloodsucking parasites have a very long history in the natural world. That doesn''t make them desirable for the host animal.

What Michael Barone fails to address in his over the top praise of lobbying and lobbyists is the corruption and huge sums of money involved. Saying that the K Street Project is "not perfect" is a hilarious understatement.

The modern GOP has brazenly taken the equation "money = access to power" to stunning new heights; the rank and file party members are disgusted and the general public now looks upon the GOP with much cynicism, even though the Democrats are just as guilty.

It''s gotten to the point where the notion that we went to war to enrich the Vice President thru billion dollar contracts is almost plausible. This belief is no longer only held by the far left nut cases.

I''m a Republican, and I''m voting for Obama.

[mcvet]

NO ONE who is ELECTED to represent ALL the people should take a NICKLE off of a PAID TALKING HEAD! Let the Special Interest inform their Representative''s the SAME way I have too. ENOUGH of Corporate Control of our Government... END OF STORY!! Sieg Heil Bush

[Razzl]

The idea that lobbying is unavoidable because of the first amendment is ridiculous--every citizen who''s ever tried grass-roots politics knows that congressmen and senators won''t allow you to send them comments from their web sites unless you are a voter from their district--so how hard is it for congressmen to engage in the same practice when it comes to live appointments? Members of committees should get their information from testimony at committee meetings, not from secret meetings with lobbyists. It looks like Republicans are trying to soften up the resistance to their future lobbying careers, which is what they''ll be reduced to for the coming decade after they get swept out of office this November...

[rafterman1]

"Lobbying Is As American As Apple Pie"

In other words, whoever has the most money gets the most influence. I''m sure that''s what the Founding Fathers were hoping would happen.

[ubrew12]

Tomorrows NRO headline: "Prostitution as American as Strawberry Shortcake!"

[imnho]

too mudh of anything is potenially a disater i the making. Money use to buy acess to lour local representive. These days its mutated into a thinly vieled way of bribery. This is not only not what the founders intended,its very dangerious to the health and welfare of the nation.

[andor3]

maybe one of those stale pseudo pies you find in back shelves at quickee marts... made by big corporations, bad tasting, unhealthy, maybe a bit rotten, and not good for anyone.

[amazedd]

Lobbying has been around since Roman times. How else would you expect to get anything done in Washington, the capital?
Would you rather ride in to town and stay at an inn, or a boarding house, until you could get an appointment with some politician, to expose your case to or act to remedy your special grievance? And then, it might be years before all the legal paperwork, stamps etc. are attached to any favorable resolution; if, after having passed the approval of both chambers, it isn''t vetoed by the president!
Or would you prefer to go back and forth?
Ideally, politicians should, as they do on elections, go to the people sovereign. The problem is that there''re limited delegated representatives in Washington and many millions of citizens to attend to. Thus the lobbies, consultants who, for a fee, will try to have your case considered ASAP and handle all the necessary paperwork.

[omnibus66]

Lobbyists are the lowest form of parasite. They feed off of human greed.

Unfortunately, they are protected by the Constitution, but their activities could be heavily restricted if Congress chose to do so. But that won''t happen, because Congress is addicted to the goodies offered by the lobbyists.

''Yes, K Street is not perfect.'' No, Mr Michael Barone, NRO hack, K Street is the nations red light district where Americans get $crewed every day.

[samthetvcat]

---"We couldn%u2019t abolish lobbying without repealing the First Amendment, which gives all of us, even those who are paid to do it, the right to %u201Cpetition the government for a redress of grievances.%u201D---

Lobbyists act on behalf of the interests of clients. Organizations such as Unions have First Amendment rights because they are a collection of individuals; for-profit corporations DO NOT have First Amendment rights. Hence, there''s no Constitutional right afforded lobbyists, and you haven''t made the case that they''re furthering any interest greater than their own corporate greed when they lobby.

Kind of makes me sick to my tummy to even see people TRY to make the case that lobbyists when they spend millions (or is it billions?) of $$$ to try and influence lawmakers when all we individuals have to counter that influence is our vote. What voter interests was Johnny McCain thinking about when he wrote that letter on behalf of Vickie Iseman and the company that gave him free rides on their corporate plane? The FCC chair didn''t act as if he thought the letter was futhering the interests of the public . . .

[jlelijah]

Go f*** yourself, Barone.

[terrapin78]

I can accept grassroots lobbying but not from Big Business.

Take the money out of politics and the system will be again to the benefit of CITIZENS.

[terrapin78]

"Lobbying Is As American As Apple Pie"

Maybe, but so is drunk driving, wife beating and methamphetamine use. Must we simply accept something because it has become a widespread malignancy?

Just another MSM parrot talking up the corruption in government.

Posted by sincityq at 05:39 AM : Jun 18, 2008


NRO is NOT MSM.

They are part of the right wing spin and smear machine.

[irliberal]

You know, after writing that... well, if I were Michael Barone, I''d be really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really embarrassed right about now.

If you''re going to be an apologist, at least you should be an apologist with something credible. But no, he lost the office pool and got the su.cky article topic - You, Barone! You get to defend lobbyists this month! *groan*

[mcvet]

We the people can end Corporations and their Lobbiest BUYING our government. Obama HAS started us down that road and it''s up to us to complete that trip. As this Nazi Rag points out, Lobbiest can speak out but Politicians who LISTEN to paid Lobbiest and Corporation Thugs like them CAN be voted out of office. Take down a few of the Politicians who are in the pocket of these scum suckers and POOF, No more problem. Sieg Heil Bush

[kennedy7955]

Yes, lobbying is as American as Apple Pie. But so to are drive-by shootings, lynching, gun ownership, crappy schools, electing jack-***** at all levels of government and much more. But then, we wouldn''t want to say all these things are as American as Apple Pie, because even though they are - it is a smear against apple pie.

[Syndicate]

Barrack and the Democrats are sleazy. Every American is a lobbyist. If I want my congress man to do something I call him up and lobby him to do what I want. Now I understand the anger at professional lobbyist working for billion dollar corps. But to say you will not take money from ANY lobbyist then turn around and except hundreds of millions from small lobbyist is sleazy. Obama is dirty. He says one thing and does another. Reminds me of Bill Clinton.

[kennedy7955]

"cbscrash07-Every American is a lobbyist. If I want my congress man to do something I call him up and lobby him to do what I want."

You do not understand the difference between representing the people and lobbying. If you go to your Senator and ask a favor, that is not lobbying. If you give that Senator a financial incentive then you are lobbying. That is the difference, it is influence peddling and has everything to do with money. The American people are not angry that businesses speak with elected officials, only that they are legally buying their support to the highest bidder and in direct contrast to the interests of the nation. They used to call it graft and corruption but now has another name, lobbying.

[amazedd]

The problem, cbscrash07 at 01:04 PM, is that your local congressman isn''t on every committee. To have your proposal passed you might have to speak to someone on the appropriate committee, who, unfortunately, isn''t here today because he had to attend his constituents somewhere in some State. But you might try tomorrow, or in a fortnight, and see if he/she is back and can meet with you.

[dmgenet]

The problem is the "influence" that is wielded by so-called lobbyists. That influence is cash and lots of it; in either trips or down right payola. Severe fines for both parties should be incurred with their right to lobby withheld for years. Screw them into the ground sideways.

[joyous88]

so is crime, the real name for this is bribary

and the republicons have turned graft into a family value