Do you trust a Lobbyist ?

There is considerable flack in recent days about advisors in Senator McCain’s campaign being registered lobbyists who, in this case, represent the government of Georgia.  Similar articles and comments have been levied at Senator Obama’s campaign in the past on other topics. 

The brutal fact is that people who are experts in foreign affairs or domestic industries make a living by representing the views or interests of corporations, countries or groups.

I do not have a problem with this.

Remember that our Constitution guarantees the right “to petition our government for a redress of grievances” (language from the First Amendment).  Which may mean that Lobbyists are one of the few Constitutionally protected businessmen in the marketplace today.

It is politically correct to incite class warfare by blaming everything that is bothering you on people who have more money than you have - and to blame all Washington corruption on lobbyists who perform, in my view, a vital service to our elected officials and our nation.

It is a simple fact that Congressmen (or women) and their staff simply cannot be expert on all subjects on which they have to cast votes and prepare legislation.  Some outside expert has to explain the issue or the industry and explain what may be needed in the way of government action.  The system should be working like the adversarial system of a courtroom where many different points of view may be presented by special interests on all sides of the question and the Congressional staffs boil down the information presented through the filter of the Congressman’s priorities and legislative positions can be formed. 

Like the legal system, the lobbyist system is not bad – it is just the curious people who get to run it that cause the problems. There is an obvious opportunity for corruption and influence peddling.  Well – that is part of the landscape with a representative form of government.  Don’t get rid of the lobbyists, just elect better congressmen if you are concerned.

The solution is, as it always is, full disclosure and real time internet tracking of all campaign contributions, unethical business relationships and income for Congressmen outside of their salaries to include speaking fees. 

Like firearms, the problem isn’t the guns themselves – it is the criminal acts committed with guns.  Focus on the behavior if you want to solve the problems. 

As for me, I am glad Senator McCain has an staff member who is familiar with the issues and the personalities of that part of the world.  The public and the Senator needs to be aware of the financial dealings of the staffer with the Georgian government so that he can consider the source of the information against his own knowledge of the region, which, by the way, is considerable. 

Senator Obama’s staffers who have histories as lobbyists are also OK with me if their relationships are fully disclosed.  Experts in government are paid for their expertise – by the government, by the press or by the people who have interests to protect.  Disclosure is the key.

You can’t claim to remove money and influence from government and then spend more than a billion dollars on the Presidential campaign.  And the one with the most money is yelling the most about special interests and influence. 

A Washington Post article which disagrees with me is presented <link here> for your consideration.  But whose opinion is politically motivated – theirs or mine.