This only makes me admire Obama more, and Cleland less (although he's starting from pretty good standing, so it' not like I think he's underwater or anything).

Individual lobbyists may be great folk or complete scumbags, but the lobbyist phenomenon is corrosive of government over the long haul by its very nature.  It is designed to encourage the use of money to compete for access and influence.  Ex-legislators need to get real jobs, rather than trying to peddle insider access and knowledge, and corporate and other lobbyists need to be sent home, far away from DC, until summoned by Congress for public opportunity to testify.  

And, I strongly suspect, the vast majority of potential voters agree.

What sdemuth said.

yeah, I agree with sdemuth generally as well, I have no problem with ex legislators becoming lobbyists, just that they shouldn't expect to get high level cabinet postings later on. And I can't see any practical objection to that idea.

OK, now if someone can't make black humor - har - comedic material out of this, then all is lost.

OK, now if someone can't make black humor - har - comedic material out of this, then all is lost.

what psantillana said

Cleland is a lobbyist - he's making the big bucks now.  It's no skin off his nose.  

Why would it be a good thing for Obama to get all cozy with lobbyists?  Whether they are good guys or bad guys is irrelevant - who needs a paid representative of some special interest playing a major role in the administration?

Neil

But, but - have you all forgotten that episode of Star Trak - TNG, first season, where Wesley was to be executed becaused he walked on a grassy area (VERBOTEN on Blond-sexy-orgy Planet - kinda like A&M University in Texas, with similar consequences)?  "And I say to any creature who may be listening: there can be no justice so long as laws are absolute. Even life itself is an exercise in exception."  This last sentence is incomprehensible but sounds profound, and quite applicable to Cleland, no?

Having tried to get things done on the Hill, I would like to point out it isn't the lobbyists themselves, it is what they are trying to accomplish. In fact, Members have little time or ability to understand complex details, and staffers have only a little more time, so a Member's vote comes down to what input he receives. And that means what kind of access he has. Any citizen in the US today can get an appointment with a staffer or possibly even the Member within a week or so; constituents are highly valued. How many do so? Very few. So a 'lobbyist' for Planned Parenthood isn't so bad, while a lobbyist for 'big oil' is...and why? The real question is who do the Members represent? And what is in their best interests especially the spending of tax dollars. And most staffers and Members don't have a clue, unless it is given to them. Yes, large campaign contribution bundling may help on occaision, like $1000 rubber chicken dinners, but the reality is that the most valuable commodity a Member has is time, they are scheduled 12-14 hours per day, and getting on that schedule one way or another is the only way to get something done. Professionals who know how to do this (lobbyists) are therefore valuable,

Cleland is lobbying for prosthetic independence for America's amputees. He feels that America's future lies in independence from foreign-made, i.e. chinese fabricated. prosthetics and no Real American would wear a cheap prosthetic. It's like the Green Berets wearing berets made in China.

Other than that, I agree with sdemuth. I don't like lobbyists except when someone lobbies for my causes I"m all for it.

There's nothing wrong with lobbying.  The Constitution gives us the right to "...petition for redress of grievances...".  The trouble starts when elected officials accept money from lobbyists.  The offense arises in the buying of influence and the selling of favors.

Somebody ought to explain that to Obama.

'There's nothing wrong with lobbying.  The Constitution gives us the right to "...petition for redress of grievances...". '

I dare say the authors of the right of citizens to petition for redress of grievances never imagined K street.  

Further signs of incompetence under George Walker Bush,