The economy stunk. Corporations slashed jobs. And some firms, once juggernauts of American industry, simply ceased to exist.
But for federal lobbyists, 2009 proved to be a year of riches unlike any other, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis indicates.
In all, federal lobbyists’ clients spent more than $3.47 billion last year, often driven to Washington, D.C.’s power centers and halls of influence by political issues central to the age: health care reform, financial reform, energy policy.
That figure represents a more than 5 percent increase over $3.3 billion worth of federal lobbying recorded in 2008, the previous all-time annual high for lobbying expenditures. And it comes in a year when a recession persisted, the dollar’s value against major foreign currencies declined and joblessness rates increased.
We have the best government money can buy.
Now, don’t get be wrong – we Republicans have been slack about this, too. But, dear Democrats, we are not in charge now and thus this record level of expenditure has been mostly used to buy your party in DC. How’s it feel to be such suckers?
We need a root and branch reform of our government. Of course, the best way to whack a lobbyists is to get the federal government out of our lives. Because the government taxes and regulates so much, we have an army of lobbyists to ensure that the favored don’t feel the pain.
But on top of getting government out, we have to carefully investigate all that has gone on – and send to jail all of those who sold their position, as well as all those who sought to buy someone’s position. Only the harshest measures will allow us to clean up our government.
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