The Lobbyists
(No, not the band, the Wizards of Id behind the Curtain)
Based on 2010 data from the Senate Office on Public Relations, OpenSecrets/Center for Responsive Politics http://www.opensecrets.org lists 12,967 registered lobbyists. Last year, these groups spent $3.51 Billion.
Let's do some math - yeah, I know it's early - but this is simple. There are 535 members of Congress. There are 12,976 lobbyists. This averages out to 24 lobbyists for each member of Congress.
Hell, the NFL only allows 22 men on the field - can you imaging 24 Brian Urlachers in your office at one time trying to "persuade" you? Yeah, I'd probably drop the American People's ball, too.
CRP's website and others like it allow - yea encourage - small animals like you and me to dig around and query, sort and search at will. For today's entertainment, the query was narrowed to "2010 Spending by Industry." (2011 being far from over)
So, ala David Letterman, here's tonight's Top Ten List of Influence:
2010 Lobbyist Spending by Industry
#10 - Securities & Investment $101,553,730
# 9 - Hospitals/Nursing Homes $107,632,778
# 8 - TV/Movies/Music $111,127,528
# 7 - Computers/Internet $121,714,573
# 6 - Misc Manufacturing & Distributing $129,732,819
# 5 - Oil & Gas $145,932,543
# 4 - Insurance $157,918,658
# 3 - Business Associations $173,845,233
# 2 - Electric Utilities $191,864,085
# 1 -Pharmaceuticals/Health Products $243,354,134
So what does $3.5 Billion get one in today's market? Good Question. Feel free to offer your thoughts. I hear loop holes, sound bites, talking points, and exemptions skittering away from this bright light.
Words and phrases like: "Medicare Drug Prices", "Clean Coal", "Import/Export Fees and Duties", "Fracking", "Wall Street Regulation", "Insurance Premiums reach record highs", "Itunes", "Filming tax credits", "No Tax on Internet Goods", "FISA", "Card Check dying a slow, silent death", "Obamacare", "DEATH PANELS" (you didn't really think Ms. I-can-see-Russia-from-my-house was smart enough to coin this toxic phrase - did you?) "No, no that ancient piece of military hardware must continue to be made, lest the Soviets overtake us.", "No - not The Pill - we can't cover The Pill!", "Pre-existing condition", "Downsizing/Off-shoring".
What would happen if these pack members decreased their lobbying dollars and allocated them, instead, to reducing premiums, R&D, hiring workers, building businesses here in the US, and paying some friggin taxes!
And get this - One interesting Big Spender of note hides in plain sight. It is none other than that friendly little entity in your town that holds Corn Roasts, 5K Runs, highlights that spooky old hotel downtown, (Scooby-Doo where are you!) and sponsors a 4th of July Float - yup, the Good Old U.S. Chamber of Horrors Commerce. In 2010, it spent $132,067,500.
It seems that these folks, like The Pack, need to be trained up and taught not to sit on our collective furniture. Their cash and tactics have scared small animals, soiled the environment, and made citizens of the land suffer.
In an ideal world, (or we can just borrow some of Canada's rules) here's how the Pack and its Lobbying Associates will behave:
- Each "industry" - be it Big Pharma or Education (the good and the bad) gets 2 lobbyists - one for The Senate and one for The House. That's it.
- Reasonable spending limits - say $1M per year - are determined and may not be exceeded; if exceeded, said lobby is banned for five years.
- In Sara's world - lobbying dollars would be a dollar for dollar match tied directly to monies paid in taxes. I guess that's taxation representation :-)
- Lobbyists may only speak with groups of legislators - various caucuses, or state delegations, etc. Individual lobbying would not be allowed. No private meetings, no retreats via corporate jet to Aruba. Lobbying must take place in congressional offices or at a lobby member's place of business - IF this place is central to congressional member's "education" regarding the issue. As a result, field trips to neighborhoods contaminated with Fracking chemicals would be allowed. Powerpoints at The Four Seasons in Nevis - not allowed. No more beachwear underpants.
- No lobbyists, lobby firms, etc. may have ties to any State or Federal Courts - especially the Supreme Court (yes, that means you and your wife, too, Clarence)
- No lobbyists may have served as an elected official in any capacity, or served on an elected official's staff - (even dog catcher!) in the last 10 years. Ok, maybe Dog Catcher - they do know something about controlling packs.
- Lobbyists may not have contact - direct or indirect - with any member of the Executive Branch - especially various "Secretaries" of Commerce, Labor, DEFENSE, Environment, etc.
- Lobbyists may not exceed contributions to any elected official beyond what an "average citizen" may contribute - same rules apply - Hell, you and yours wanted to be "citizens" - now reap what you sew.
- Congress people will recuse themselves from any contact with lobbyists if they have or had direct involvement with said industry in the last 10 years. After all, lobbyists claim their job is to "educate" - if your member of Congress used to be a Big Oil CEO, he or she knows enough about said industry to make an informed decision on legislation without any "help."
- Lobbyists may not directly or indirectly influence, write, or offer pre-legislation "consulting" on active or pending legislation. There is a whole world out there of Subject Matter Experts who can offer good non-biased information. We need real facts and un-cooked data from people who are not paid for their opinions and do not stand to benefit "big time" for their..."science." These folks are often found in Universities and on Congressional Staffs. Go ask Alice, not Alec.
Either We the People put on our big girl and big boy underpants and demand serious change or we may as well throw in the towel and allow The Pack to continue its bad behavior.
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe we should just drop the pretense that The Pack is not running the "whole show". Corporate America is behaving like that person you dated in college. You know - the one you broke up with by saying, "This just isn't going to work - it's NOT all about you all the time."
Either legislation is for the benefit of We the People, or we can look forward to a Congress of Corporate America.
Texas - just send the lobbyists from Big Oil and Gas to represent you, it's ok. California - forget about Nancy and Barbara - just send the hired guns from Hollywood and Silicon Valley. (Do it for The Gipper!) Arkansas, WalMart would be happy to represent you. Here in Illinois, I'm sure Allstate and Abbott would gladly replace Dick and Mark - no problem. In truth, I'd love the NEA to replace Joe Walsh, but fair is fair.
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