DC Politicians All Want To Be The King Of K Street-- Yes, Even So-Called Democrats

Yes, they're pro-Choice & she's even pro-gay, but when it comes to corruption... they're as bad as any Republican

A friend of mine in Congress explained to me why he would probably have to support Debbie Wasserman Schultz for Speaker when Nancy retires, even though he realizes what a gigantic step down she would be from Nancy, who, for all her flaws, is a political giant and one of the best Speakers in the history of the House. My friend's worry is that if it isn't Wasserman Schultz, who, he says, at least has "energy" and would want to accomplish something, the alternative is likely to be Steny Hoyer. "If Steny becomes Speaker," he told me, "every single bill will be sent right to K Street and nothing worthwhile will ever get passed. Everything will go through K Street... everything." That's our Steny. In fact, that's our whole political elite. So Lee Fang's story in The Nation, Ann Palmer's report in Politico, Zaid Jilani's post at the Daily Change and Mike Barbaro and Ashley Parker's gossipy, fashion-oriented story at the New York Times all came flooding out yesterday with tales of lobbyists at the DNC, it didn't exactly take me by surprise. And, if you're even a casual reader of DWT, it shouldn't have taken you by surprise either.

Obama doesn't want the lobbyists too close to the convention. So... they're a few blocks away. And the politicians come to them. Is it as gross and despicable as it was at the Republicans' convention? Well, not that bad... but bad enough so that everyone involved should be tossed into prison cells and let us get started over again. Jilani:

Last week’s Republican National Convention was a no-holds-barred party for lobbyists for Big Business. From free espresso from fracking lobbyists to nightly parties with Coca Cola and weapons lobbyists, Big Money had a great time at the convention last week.
But these corporations aren’t exactly sitting on the sidelines at the Democratic convention this week.

It’s true that the host committee for the convention took an historic and important step of for the first time ever refusing to take any donations from lobbyists or corporations.

But that isn’t stopping Big Business.

The American Petroleum Institute, American Gas Association, Credit Union National Association, Pfizer, among others are hosting parties a mile away, and some especially toxic corporate predators like Piedmont Natural Gas, Wells Fargo and Florida Crystals Corporation (Debbie Wasserman Schultz's crooked pals at the sugar lobby) are sponsoring one thing or another. "Duke Energy, notorious for battling any effort to curb climate change, extended a $10 million line of credit for the party to hold the convention, and its CEO has given $100,000 to the host committee," writes Jilani. "The Democrats," he continues, "will boast of sticking up for the little guy and taking on Big Business during their convention speeches this week. And by most measures, they do accomplish these tasks far better than the opposition party. But as the lavish events hosted by lobbyists and corporations right outside the convention walls (and in the swag bags) show, corporations still have far too much influence in even the Democratic Party. or, as Lee Fang put it in his report, "One of the biggest untold stories of the Obama administration is the extent to which supposedly Democrat-led lobbying and PR firms were eager to help undermine Democrats’ progressive agenda on behalf of corporate interests... [and} as delegates prepare to arrive in Charlotte for the DNC, it’s worth noting that the guy who was in charge of producing the event the last time is now working to elect Mitt Romney." Anna Palmer:

Obama made good on some of his promises, barring lobbyists from a host of roles in his administration and blocking them from giving money and serving on advisory panels. He also required officials to publicly report contact with registered lobbyists on specific pieces of legislation, such as the stimulus package.

But despite turning lobbying into a bad word, K Streeters say not much has changed-- it’s still all about who you know. ... Podesta [the sleazebag from the gossipy, fashion-oriented story referred to above, a Democratic K Street "powerhouse," which doesn't get Steny Hoyer as angry if you use the word "whore"] said the only effect Obama’s policy had was to create a class of unregistered lobbyists-- people who deregistered from being lobbyists. Those people after two years can enter into the administration, give campaign contributions to the Democratic National Committee and the Obama reelection committee, and can serve on advisory boards.

As for the revolving door between Capitol Hill and K Street, it's as effective in sapping the nation's strength as it's always been. The entire corporate lobbying industry is parasitic and only exists because it's convenient-- and profitable-- for congressmen. Who do you blame more, the bribe-taker or the bribe-giver? This billboard could be any senior Republican and almost any senior Democrat: