We have bent the demand curve of the special interests. It's no longer acceptable for a lobbyist to come into your office and write the rules governing industry. Maria CNA

All of this is happening because of the recession, once we'll get out it everything will turn back to normal. I work as an Tucson SEO consultant and I have read a lot of news and statistics about this and it is not as bad as it looks.

he story notes that the evidence for that comment is the reduction in the number of registered lobbyists to about 13,000, the lowest level since 2004. Except the actual amount of lobbying has risen to an all time high of $3.5 billion in 2009, so how is it people are leaving the business? Redirect Virus

WH Sees Lobbyists Leaving The Business - Thanks for the awesome topic to discuss.

The story notes that the evidence for that comment is the reduction in the number of registered lobbyists to about 13,000, the lowest level since 2004. Except the actual amount of lobbying has risen to an all time high of $3.5 billion in 2009, so how is it people are leaving the business?

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So I read with interest that Obama's chief ethics counsel Norm Eisen told the Washington Post in a story today that: "We think people are actually leaving the business. We have bent the demand curve of the special interests. It's no longer acceptable for a lobbyist to come into your office and write the rules governing industry." gifts for groomsmen - corporate gifts

Every citizen in the United States, including Norm Eisen and President Obama, is represented by lobbyists whether they realize it or not. Many of the benefits we enjoy — whether it be cleaner air, deductibility of home mortgage interest, student loans, traffic safety — are the results of lobbying efforts. Detractors of lobbying tend to focus entirely on "large" and "special interests." The relevant point that Mr. Eisen and the President are missing is that all interests are special interests, and that every issue has both proponents and opponents, and all sides deserve equal consideration.  That's protected by the Constitution, and neigher Mr. Eisen or the President of the United States can take these rights away from us.

“We actually think people are leaving the business.” Eisen said. WHAT???? They have GOT to stop drinking the Kool-Aid over on Pennsylvania Avenue. Either that or start sharing because the $3.47 billion that was just reported doesn’t gel with “less lobbying.” The only thing that does make sense is that people have deregistered because of the demonization of the profession this past year by the administration! Instead of more transparency, the overbearing policies have actually created less transparency and driven it underground. 2,000 registered people (or about 15%) didn’t just quit the profession and leave Washington and go back to where they came from and became farmers. That type of rationalization is simply mind boggling.

People who used to register or over register just to be safe, including some former registered lobbyists in watchdog groups, have just decided that they don’t meet the thresholds anymore and realized that there were only negative consequences in over registering. As an advocate of transparency, this action is truly unfortunate. Everyone knows these unregistered folks are still working to change policies but yet they are not held accountable or follow the same rules that those of us that didn’t deregister? I don’t see how anyone over at the White House could consider any of this as a victory.  Less transparency and accountability through their own demonization and policies equals a victory? Pass the Kool-Aid!