Lobbyists turn up election year heat

In these last few weeks of the current congressional session, before adjourning to campaign for re-election, the eye is on presidential politics and fundraising, not sound legislation.

Not much will pass, and what does, is probably suspect. A good case in point is the rush to eliminate the scheduled 10.6% cut in doctor reimbursements under medicare. The pols need those big doctor checks in the ol' campaign kitty this time of year, and are falling all over each other to do the doctor's bidding. Unless President Bush vetoes it, the 10.6% cut is dead meat.

President Bush did get his way on the foreign surveillance bill, but Democrats could not afford to go into the fall election subject to charges of being weak on national security. Just as Obama is changing his position on Iraq and a host of other issues to appear more moderate for the fall eletion, the Democrats caved on exempting phone companies from prosecution for allowing wire taps. Suddenly, after fighting it for two years, they're allowing it.

The bottom line is that Congress should probably stay out of session in election years. The nation would be better off for it. Solon's eyes are on November, not doing the right thing.