Yep, surprise, surprise -- big business lobbyists are buying up Republican "consultants" in the belief that the GOP will hold a majority in some branch next year.
WASHINGTON — With Democrats in danger of losing control of Congress, some prominent lobbying shops, trade groups and contractors are already moving to bring more Republicans on board to bolster their political fortunes.
Lobbyists, political consultants and headhunters all say that the going rate for Republicans — particularly current and former House staff members — has risen significantly in just the last few weeks, with salaries beginning at $300,000 and rising to as high as $1 million for private-sector positions.
Lobbyists have already hired former Republican senator Mel Martinez (now JPMorgan consultant!), Darrell Issa's campaign manager, and a top George W. Bush official.
Big business is betting on the Republicans again.
If Republicans succeed in regaining control of the House and perhaps even the Senate, firms seeking influence over federal policies are looking to gain an edge by tacking toward the right. That will become particularly important, they say, if Republicans try to roll back some of the major initiatives in health care, business regulation and other areas that Democrats have pushed through Congress in the last year.
Now hiring Republican consultants: Walmart, Target, Raytheon, RIM (Blackberry),
The New York Times article notes that some Republicans are desperately trying to decide whether to stay in office or transfer to the more lucrative private sector. (Guys, take the money! Please!)
A bitter truth -- while the American public has suffered through the worst of economic disasters, the lobbyist friends of the GOP have made off like bandits.
With major legislative debates in Washington, revenues for more than 13,000 lobbyists rose more than 5 percent last year to $3.5 billion and continued to climb through the first half of this year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan research group.
The GOP is in it to protect big business and corporate tax cuts, not the American people. They'll vote for a middle-class tax hike, against American infrastructure -- but dangle a few bucks in the air, and some will even relinquish power. Their principles are profit and corporate protectionism. With your help, their downfall will be counting the chicks before they hatch.
Donate to Organizing for America. Make some calls. Talk to neighbors, family, and friends!
In case you were wondering which party sells to the highest bidder, the NYT just laid it out. Too bad the election hasn't happened yet. It'd be a real shame if big business just wasted a ton of money, without a thing to show for it.