Stay Out of My Lobby

For those who were concerned that the appointment of Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff signified that Obama would quickly forget his campaign promises, the recently instituted ethics restrictions on lobbyists should show them that not all of Obama's speeches were empty rhetoric. The campaign was unquestionably influenced by corporate sponsors and interest groups, because Obama relied to a large extent on these groups to help him achieve his record-breaking fundraising. The Democrats might not have been successful in their campaign had interest groups not provided as much financial support and publicity for Obama. However, now that the election is over, Obama's transition team has sent a clear message that the new administration will not allow lobbyists to influence key governmental decisions. As described in a New York Times article by Helene Cooper and Jeff Zeleny, the Obama team has barred lobbyists from helping to pay for the cost of his transition to power or working for the president-elect (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/us/politics/12obama.html?ref=politics). Citizens from all political parties should celebrate this decision as a step away from the corrupting influence corporate lobbying and a step toward receptiveness to the broader constituency.

People should realize that, despite most promises made during political campaigns, most U.S. politicians are not looking out for the best interests of American citizens. Rather, their top priority is to be re-elected, which necessitates a large pool of financial supporters. Candidates depend on the support of interest groups and lobbyists in their efforts to reach political offices. The dysfunctional electoral system in the U.S. essentially guarantees that the candidate with the most money will achieve the highest office. This is not to discredit Obama; true, he did receive donations from many interest groups, but the general population still supported him. However, the extent to which lobbyists played a role in the campaign should give us pause. We should try to ensure that the next president does not place their interests ahead of our own as he plans for the next election cycle. The restrictions placed on the roles of lobbyists in the transition to power have in essence hinted that Obama will not adopt a modern spoils system but will rather make appointments based on the good of the people. While we should always be skeptical of politicians, this move could signal a transition away from the influence of lobbyists in government.