It turns out that the hated lobbyists, despised by the new
tribune of the people, are doing quite well, thank you.
Reports The Hill:
K Street lobbyists expect a bonanza this year because of the
aggressive agenda of President Obama and congressional
Democrats.
"Big government is back," said Mark Ruge, who heads the policy
group at K&L Gates. "It's going to be a very, very active
Congress."
A day after the Inauguration of Obama, lobbying firms were
releasing weak 2008 money numbers, but realized that big
government was going to mean big demand from corporate America
for lobbyists to play offense and defense on their behalf.
The dismal economy will force tough decisions for some
cash-strapped corporations, especially those in hard-hit
sectors like financial services and home building, on how to
spend scarce resources.
"If you're having trouble making payroll then you're not going
to be able to hire lobbyists," said Scott Chesson, the chief
financial officer at Dutko Worldwide.
Corporations also recognize, however, that they can't afford to
cut expenses on K Street. They need lobbyists to grab their
piece of the government-spending pie and to make sure that
Obama and his Democratic allies do not enact policies that
would disadvantage them.
The economic recovery has begun!
About the Author
Doug Bandow is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute and the Senior Fellow in International Religious Persecution at the Institute on Religion and Public Policy. A former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan, he is author of Beyond Good Intentions: A Biblical View of Politics (Crossway).
