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According to Jeffrey Birnbaum of the Washington Post, former lawmakers-turned-lobbyists are exercising supreme power in Washington D.C. these days, especially since, unlike mere mortal lobbyists, they have the power to go anywhere they want in Capitol Hill. It’s gotten to the point where lesser lobbyists, along with the usual good-government advocates, want to curtail their power. Russ Feingold wants to prevent former lawmakers-turned-lobbyists from roving around the capital. But it’s not likely to pass for obvious reasons: “The reason is pure self-interest. With each new election, more and more lawmakers retire early to join the lobbying ranks. So why would they throw away a commercial advantage?”
