A Lobbyist's Life

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

That certainly sounds like it guarantees freedom of speech.

I apologize, I misread your first sentence and missed the "only". I must be getting old!

Aren't we all

Insightful post. Thanks. I appreciated how you took the issue of lobbying right back to the roots of the Constitution and the Federalist Papers; and then illustrated with the Plastic Pipe lobbying efforts. Why does CA insist on copper pipe? Do the "copper pipe" interests have a lobby or does it have to do with antiquated laws? Are union issues involved? How does the lobbying effort cut across party lines on this and other issues?

Actually it appears (and I must say appear) that the lawyers for the pipe trade unions only want to use copper pipe in residential homes. Why, I don't know. They make very little money at it now. It appears to be an emotional issue. And a money maker for the pipe fitters lawyers. Before term limits, the moderate Democrats seemed to understand the issue. However, the unions own the liberal Democrats. Unfortunately, with term limits money is a dominate factor in Sacramento. And the plastic pipe companies cannot compete with the unions with fundraising. And I cannot get the Administration's attention on this issue. Arnold has put so many environmentalist in his Administration, that they are willing to bring up issues that plastic pipe will cause health problems. Even though these problems have not surfaced in the other states.

Pete Wilson had this issue solved right before he left. However, Gray Davis reopened it.

I don't get paid much do work on this issue. It just drives me nuts.