A Perspective on K Street

Gridlock frustrates even those inside Washington, according to an article that ran in The Hill yesterday.  Kevin Bogardus reports that lobbyists are planning ahead for a tumultuous November and December where Congress will have to act on a litany of policy items including the expiring Bush-era tax rates and a debt ceiling increase.

The combination of the scope of the agenda and the uncertainty regarding the parties' abilities to work together in the wake of a heated election are enough to "terrify" one lobbyist. Others fear that Congressional inaction will cause their clients to lose tax credits or preferential tax rates and are preparing to ensure that their pet clauses survive the chaos.

It's easy to vilify lobbyists for an alleged role in producing Gridlock, but Bogardus demonstrates that lobbyists are also scared by the growing inability of the parties to cooperate to produce policy. After all, some lobbyists want a lot of policy to emerge from Congress, just policy that benefits their clients. Lobbying contributes to gridlock, however, when lobbyists make the process of eliminating preferential treatments nearly impossible. Like any aspect of politics, the influence industry has its productive and deleterious attributes.