By Jack Anderson and Douglas Cohn
Washington -- Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., tells us that people vote with their money, which is appropriate, he says, and why he is opposed to campaign-finance reform. But there is another way for the public to "vote with their money." They can do it the old-fashioned way, through a lobbyist.
The much-maligned lobbyist actually serves an important purpose by combining many small voices into a single, large voice. The fact that those voices are also turned into large campaign contributions is a fault, not of the lobbyist, but of our Swiss cheese campaign finance laws.
Indeed, the people sending their money to a lobbyist could send a lot less if all their spokesperson had to do was speak. But getting out the word goes hand in hand with giving out the money in today's skewed political environment.
Here are the facts. They are chilling, but for the wrong reason:
- Last year, $1.42 billion was spent by lobbyists, which is $2.7 million for every member of Congress -- some of it for advertising to mobilize voters to contact Congress; some of it for big salaries for people who contact Congress; some of it for contributions directly to congressmen; much of it as soft money to the parties, money which, of course, accrues to the benefit of selected congressmen.
- There are 38 registered lobbyists for each member of the House of Representatives.
- One hundred thirty-eight former members of Congress are registered lobbyists.
Of this last category, we met a former representative who had formed his own lobbying organization and was paying himself a salary of nearly $500,000. Now, this is not necessarily a problem. Some lobbyists are paid much more and are worth it. But others, such as our half-million dollar ex-congressman, have simply set up organizations whose primary purpose is to pad their own pockets.
The problem, and the point, is this:
Soft money -- the unlimited money that can be given to parties, rather than individual candidates -- is nothing less than legalized bribery, and, as such, it is where much of the lobbying dollars go -- indeed, where they must go if a lobbying organization is to remain competitive.
But once the soft money problem is eliminated -- as it surely and eventually will be -- lobbyists will be relieved of the obligation to behave like bag men, and they can get back to the respectable business of advocating on behalf of various companies and causes.
Then, it will be incumbent upon the members of a given organization to carefully scrutinize those advocates to winnow out the pocket-padders and ineffectives. And people who are being solicited to join an organization will be obliged to determine whether or not it serves a real purpose, or if it is simply a false front designed as nothing more than an ex-congressman's retirement package.
The term "lobbyist" came from a description of the people who hung around the lobby of the Willard Hotel, which is next to the White House. The famous hotel has been the home of famous people in American history, including Abraham Lincoln, who stayed there before moving into the White House. Also, important and influential people -- particularly congressmen -- would pass by the hotel on their way to the White House. So the hotel guests and passersby became the objects of interest for advocates of causes, including personal causes such as job-seeking.
-- Jack Anderson and Douglas Cohn are columnists for United Feature Syndicate.
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