the republicans are weak, and can not go into the election resisting lobbying reform. democrats should push the issue now, and eliminate the corporate and lobbyist money that has supported republican policy-making. republicans can't vote against it in this season of change. democrats can end the easy money/bribery that keeps republicans as perpetual well-funded (except this year).
more after the break...
no moment has been more ripe for transitional action on lobbying campaign finance reform in my lifetime. right now is the best opportunity to get corporate money out of the political process. the money that republicans have relied upon for their campaigns. the money that hires congressional spouses for "work". the money that keeps our healthcare entirely privatized, makes our worker's wages competitive with china, erodes consumer protections, and spotlights social conservatism.
it should be the most bitter bill the republicans have to swallow. they can not possibly go into the election as defending the lobbyist status-quo against washington reform. in my mind the proposal should have some of these components:
1 - only people can give to campaigns, no corporations (unions, of course, are people)
2 - block the revolving door of elected official to lobbyist and more especially regulator to lobbyist that bribes officials with extravagantly paying jobs after they rotate out of office.
3 - be an easily articulated and clearly understood campaign issue, "republican voted against lobby reform. get a person who will vote with the people."
4 - outlaw all sources of funding that finances candidacies not directly answerable to the people. no congress people really representing big corporate power and not the people.
the advantages for acting now are:
1 - steal away a signature issue from mccain.
2 - force republicans to choose between their traditional sources of support or keepinf their seat. it should be a campaign finance game changer.
3 - protect democratic areas of financial support - to the extent those sources are answerable to real people.
4 - encourage more retirements from republican members hoping to go immediately into lobbying. like hastert, they will want to leave before the length of the fallow between governing and lobbying is extended.
5 - enhance obama's momentum of "changing washington"
seems like the political pressures leveraged by acting now are:
1 - republicans know that they can not go to the polls as agents of status quo - and especially not as defenders of the lobbying system.
2 - people hate lobbyists more than lawyers - that says something. there is no nuance in the public's mind. no need to value "fair play" amongst lobbyists. it would be impossible for the republicans to vote against the democrats idea because it "hurts the good lobbyists". in the public mind, there are no good lobbyists.
3 - it is an opportunity for change BEFORE the democratic majorities get used to receiving the money. the longer they are in the majority the harder it will be to take away the lobbying money.
i'm sure there is deeper thoughts about what lobbying reform is necessary and the other benefits and pressures. but i'm convinced this is the most pregnant moment for game changing reform we will ever see.