Friday, June 13, 2008

The ludicrous lobbyist wars

Rather than concerning themselves with trivia like the price of gas, the sluggish economy, the war in Iraq or rising food prices, the presumptive major party candidates for president are conducting a pissing contest about lobbyists in each other's campaigns.

This is a complete waste of time. That's what political types do between elections--go to state legislatures or Congress and lobby for legislation, paid by private business. That's been going on since time immemorial.

The GOP forced Obama's vice presidential vetter, longtime Washington insider James Johnson, to resign because he allegedly received a below-market home loan from Countrywide and overcharged the quasi-public Fannie Mae he chaired for his wife's travel expenses. Obama slammed back with the lobbying career of McCain's vice presidential vetter, A.V. Culvahouse, a longtime Washington lawyer. Who cares?

Both Obama and McCain's campaign managers are lobbyists, when they aren't taking time off to run political campaigns. So are a raft of their underlings on the campaign teams. Full time politicians have to earn a living, and that's one of the less nefarious ways they do it.

While the country is up to its collective ears in problems with the economy, prices and the war on terrorism, the great leaders are snivelling about lobbyists.

It's time to get down to the serious issues at hand, and quite the sideshows. Voters should demand no less.

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