Schoolhouse Rock for Adults?

Today, I watched – very briefly – as the new Congress took turns reading the Constitution one paragraph at a time, then switch to a member of the other party, lather, rinse, repeat.  It’s difficult to really get absorbed into the depth and meaning of our framework document when nearly every sentence is followed by “I now yield back the remainder of my time to (the next person)”…  It really reminded me of elementary school plays where you were allowed to have your lines on a slip of paper as you faced your parents in the audience.  You felt so proud when you read it without stumbling… is THAT what today was all about?  Was the room filled with parents and grandparents of the members taking pictures and standing between them and the punch and cookies for a job well done?

Otherwise, I’ll have to admit, I’m at a loss.

I know the new party in power set this on the agenda, yet the opposing party participated during every paragraph switch.  You can’t say “junk food is bad for you” while you sit with the bag holder and stuff your face with the Halloween booty.  You’ve forfeited the moral high ground at that point.

So, for whom was this half-a-work-day display really intended?  Was it beamed into the classrooms?  The poor students must think they should “yield time” after every request to the teacher now.  Was it for the (limited number of) CSPAN2 viewers who just returned home from the unemployment office, yet don’t like soaps and talk shows?  Was it for the veterans returning home from overseas for a brief liberty with their families before having to redeploy?  Maybe it was for the Chinese investors, Wall Street, Main Street and others who needed a break from watching the “debt clock” spin out of control.

Maybe it was for continuing education of members of Congress.  Beats me.  I thought they would have already read the Constitution before they ran for office, or, at the least, before they took the oath.

So, what was this for?  For whom?

Were there other pressing issues that could have benefited from a half day of work, discussion, compromise and voting?  I’ll venture a guess: YES.

Perhaps it would behoove ALL members of Congress to continue the recitation tomorrow.  This time, let’s read the encyclopedia definition of “common sense”… in unison…

At the risk of wasting YOUR time, what do you think?

John... so your potential ire can be directed properly!  :)

In Defense of Lobbyists

By Michael Barone

Posted: June 12, 2008

www.politics.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/barone/2008/6/12/in-defense-of-lobbyists.htm

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."

Lobbyists provide a valuable service

On March 21, 1980, Senate Majority Leader Robert C. Byrd launched a unique historical project – an unprecedented series of addresses on the Senate's history and operations. Over the next decade, Senator Byrd delivered more than one hundred speeches on topics ranging from a review of the Senate's impeachment powers to a survey of how the Senate has been portrayed in literature and film.  These essays, later revised and edited, became the centerpiece of the Senate's 1989 bicentennial commemoration.

The following excerpt from one essay, originally delivered on September 28, 1987, was updated in 1989 for inclusion in Volume II:

“[. . .] It should be clear from my remarks that Congress has always had, and always will have, lobbyists and lobbying. We could not adequately consider our work load without them. We listen to representatives from the broadest number of groups: large and small; single-issue and multi-purposed; citizens groups; corporate and labor representatives; the public spirited and the privately inspired. They all have a service to fulfill. At the same time, the history of this institution demonstrates the need for eternal vigilance to ensure that lobbyists do not abuse their role, that lobbying is carried on publicly with full publicity, and that the interests of all citizens are heard without giving special ear to the best organized and most lavishly funded. As' for the lobbyists themselves, they would probably agree with Sam Ward, the nineteenth-century King of the Lobby, that the disappointments are greater than the successes. They spend many hours and considerable shoe leather trying to convince 535 members of Congress of the wisdom or folly of certain legislation. They face vigorous competition. They still bear the brunt of press criticism and take the blame for the sins of a small minority of their numbers. But they have a job to do, and most of them do it very well indeed. It is hard to imagine Congress without them.”

For the full document please see:

www.senate.gov/legislative/common/briefing/Byrd_History_Lobbying.htm

Check back soon!

We're just getting up and running, so though we have LOTS on our minds these days, there's little time to opine.  BUT, that will all change soon, so please check back often for new posts from Frank & John!