For $5,000, a lobbyist can join lawmakers and staff members of the alliance, the Republican Main Street Partnership, for a lunchtime policy briefing by an outside expert. For $15,000, the lobbyist can attend four lunches, two of them with briefings by an outside expert and two with briefings from members of Congress.
And for $25,000, the lobbyist can have three lunch briefings with lawmakers, not to mention V.I.P. seating for eight at a black-tie dinner for the moderates’ coalition.
From the New York Times, April 30, 2006
Once again, John McCain disappoints. He is a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership. I have the feeling that rather than being a break from the legislature for politicians– the lunchtime “policy briefing” is the real business of being an elected representative. There is no question but that most politicians are there to get money for legislation. The only question is how elaborate or convoluted an organization you need to disguise what is happening from your constituents.
Your constituents, of course, keep demanding that you support legislation that reduces the influence of lobbyists. If you are a Republican, you create legislation that actually makes it easier for lobbyists to give you money for legislation and then you call it the “Integrity in Government Act” and you campaign on it as if it does the opposite of what it actually does. To make it all even more shameless, then you accuse your opponent of being in favor of lobbyists’ because he or she didn’t vote for your bill. Think of it as a “clean skies act” for money in politics.