In 30 years of community organizing, one thing I have learned that propinquity is far more corrupting that money. That's why lobbyists go to so many events, so they can say hi, chat about golf, the kids, pumpkin spice lattes, and so on.
They are affable, charming, and friendly and legislators think this nice person cannot possibly be working for Voldemort. They get on a friendly basis with everyone (or nearly everyone) so that they get heard.
I surely think campaign finance reform is necessary and Citizens United is a blight, but how do you fight propinquity?
Here's an example. My organization was opposing the PGE merger with Enron (old example) and one day I answered the phone and PGE's top lobbyist was on the phone. He said "if you keep talking against the merger, we're going to sue you into bankruptcy" rant, rant, rant, blah, blah
I hung up. We continued to oppose the merger but we lost. Man, did we have the goods for an epic told ya! Moving on...a few years later I am working for a gay rights organization and that guy is on the board. delightful man
I mean it. Charming, affable, friendly, humble, oh so lovely, but of course, always in my head is my memory of his threats. He doesn't remember me, of course, peon that I am.
So one day we're at a cocktail party fundraiser for the org. He starts talking deregulation. I talk about the devasting impact of deregulating airlines, trucking, and how it would affect rural electric consumers.
He says fuck rural communities - a rare moment of honesty because of course, Enron relied on rural legislators to advance their anti-regulatory agenda.
