I never thought about it this way but Paul Waldman points out that these have been very lean times for lobbyists. Obstruction is very bad for business.
"Lobbyists need legislation in order to do their jobs. They especially like big bills that can be larded with lots of obscure provisions they obtain on behalf of their clients but that few people notice. And these have indeed been lean times—I have one friend who's been lobbying for years, who told me not long ago that he was considering a career change, because without any legislation going through Congress, his job had become all but irrelevant."
http://prospect.org/article/are-gop-donors-going-get-anything-return-their-millions
Nothing is more commonplace than to knock lobbyists, but if we had better times for lobbyists it would mean better times for the country, ironically enough. As Waldman points out, things aren't going to improve if the GOP takes the Senate as is the common belief right now as nothing will be passed-the GOP's reactionary legislation will be either filibustered by Democrats or vetoed by the President.
And this assumes that Republicans can even agree with themselves. The insufferable Joe Kiernan was on his morning show on CNBC today with Jack Welch. celebrating the presumed GOP takeover. They were arguing that maybe now we'll see that Obama is the real obstructionist. Their test seems to be that he can't veto any of their legislation. If so, he's the problem. Talk about 'Heads I win tails you lose' or 'Do you still beat your grandmother?'
Another guest on CNBC made the point that we may not even get so much agreement among Republicans. There's some real truth in this. In the last 2 years even the House GOP hasn't been able to agree with itself on an immigration bill or anything else of importance.
I think if we get the GOP Senate the only business that will do well is the Benghazi business is you get my drift. There will be perpetual investigations and the government will be even ore hobbled and inefficient than it already is.
Let's be clear, however. There is no wave election. If the GOP are predicted to do well, let's understand: they should do well. For two big reasons.
1. This is an off year election for the President's party. Year 6 is usually particularly bad.
2. The Dems are a victim of their own success. Because so many Democrats won Senate seats in 2008, so many are up for re-election now.
Actually I should add one additonal problem.
3. The GOP has a recent advantage in off year elections and this may be an ongoing worry for them if they don't solve this problem.
This election has nothing to do with any ideological move to the Right by the American public or even any intrinsic rejection of Obama and his policies as Kiernan keeps claiming, but for the 3 reasons listed above.
In fact, 2016 should be a very good year for the Dems for these reasons.
1. They already have a presumed nominee-Hillary, while the GOP will be in a state of scorched earth civil war. I'd bet any amount of money though with Joe that they won't settle on Rand Paul or Ted Cruz.
2. The Dems do well in Presidential elections
3. The GOP will be a victim of its Senate success of 2010. All those Tea Party Senators will be up for re-election.
So GOPers: enjoy tomorrow, if the assumptions are right, but understand, this is no more 1980 again than 2012 was or 2016 will be. Long term the GOP is in trouble on the demographic issue alone. Meanwhile, once we get rid of the gerrymandered districts-which will maybe have to wait till the next Census- their last real advantage will be gone
"Lobbyists need legislation in order to do their jobs. They especially like big bills that can be larded with lots of obscure provisions they obtain on behalf of their clients but that few people notice. And these have indeed been lean times—I have one friend who's been lobbying for years, who told me not long ago that he was considering a career change, because without any legislation going through Congress, his job had become all but irrelevant."
http://prospect.org/article/are-gop-donors-going-get-anything-return-their-millions
Nothing is more commonplace than to knock lobbyists, but if we had better times for lobbyists it would mean better times for the country, ironically enough. As Waldman points out, things aren't going to improve if the GOP takes the Senate as is the common belief right now as nothing will be passed-the GOP's reactionary legislation will be either filibustered by Democrats or vetoed by the President.
And this assumes that Republicans can even agree with themselves. The insufferable Joe Kiernan was on his morning show on CNBC today with Jack Welch. celebrating the presumed GOP takeover. They were arguing that maybe now we'll see that Obama is the real obstructionist. Their test seems to be that he can't veto any of their legislation. If so, he's the problem. Talk about 'Heads I win tails you lose' or 'Do you still beat your grandmother?'
Another guest on CNBC made the point that we may not even get so much agreement among Republicans. There's some real truth in this. In the last 2 years even the House GOP hasn't been able to agree with itself on an immigration bill or anything else of importance.
I think if we get the GOP Senate the only business that will do well is the Benghazi business is you get my drift. There will be perpetual investigations and the government will be even ore hobbled and inefficient than it already is.
Let's be clear, however. There is no wave election. If the GOP are predicted to do well, let's understand: they should do well. For two big reasons.
1. This is an off year election for the President's party. Year 6 is usually particularly bad.
2. The Dems are a victim of their own success. Because so many Democrats won Senate seats in 2008, so many are up for re-election now.
Actually I should add one additonal problem.
3. The GOP has a recent advantage in off year elections and this may be an ongoing worry for them if they don't solve this problem.
This election has nothing to do with any ideological move to the Right by the American public or even any intrinsic rejection of Obama and his policies as Kiernan keeps claiming, but for the 3 reasons listed above.
In fact, 2016 should be a very good year for the Dems for these reasons.
1. They already have a presumed nominee-Hillary, while the GOP will be in a state of scorched earth civil war. I'd bet any amount of money though with Joe that they won't settle on Rand Paul or Ted Cruz.
2. The Dems do well in Presidential elections
3. The GOP will be a victim of its Senate success of 2010. All those Tea Party Senators will be up for re-election.
So GOPers: enjoy tomorrow, if the assumptions are right, but understand, this is no more 1980 again than 2012 was or 2016 will be. Long term the GOP is in trouble on the demographic issue alone. Meanwhile, once we get rid of the gerrymandered districts-which will maybe have to wait till the next Census- their last real advantage will be gone
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