IS REFUSING TO LOBBY UNPATRIOTIC?

IS REFUSING TO LOBBY UNPATRIOTIC? Back in the day in Illinois, I learned that there were some bills introduced in the legislature that were referred to as “cowcatcher bills.” A cowcatcher bill was one that threatened the existence of an industry and was useful for attracting campaign contributions. The example I remember was a hypothetical bill outlawing check cashing businesses. Contributions would be made by the industry to fight the bill and at the end of the legislative session it would be withdrawn. Michael Kinsley has an article which tells how Bill Gates and Microsoft made a point at one time of refusing to hire Washington lawyers and lobbyists. Kinsley describes the result: “At first this was regarded (at least in Washington) as naive….Then it was regarded as foolish…. Next it came to be seen as arrogant….Ultimately, there even was a feeling that, in refusing to play the Washington game, Microsoft was being downright unpatriotic.”

Kinsley summarizes eloquently: “As the Microsoft example suggests, the Washington culture of influence peddling is not entirely or even primarily the fault of the corporations that hire the lobbyists and pay the bills. It’s a vast protection racket, practiced by politicians and political operatives of both parties. Nice little software company you’ve got here. Too bad if we have to regulate it….”