A Lobbying I'll Go: A D. C. Ditty

From National Journal Magazine (March 21, 2009)

Obama Aiming To Lock Turnstile For Lobbyists
President Obama wants Washington lobbyists to check their professional identities on the way into his administration.
By Julie Kosterlitz

Ever since Barack Obama began issuing his broadsides on the presidential campaign trail against lobbyists and the "culture of Washington," Washington has debated whether he was being cynical or merely naive.

Lobbyists "think they own this government, but we're here today to take it back," Obama announced at the outset of his campaign in 2007. He later boasted that he didn't "take a dime of [lobbyists'] money, and when I am president, they won't find a job in my White House."

Although he had already softened his stance a bit before the election -- saying only that lobbyists wouldn't rule his White House -- the pundits and K Street pronounced Obama's boast a nonstarter. Sooner or later, most experienced Washington hands gravitate to lobbying, went the logic, and Obama simply would not be able to run a government without veterans who had some connection to K Street or the wider influence sector.

You can read the rest of the article here.

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A Lobbying I’ll Go: A D. C. Ditty
by Elaine Magliaro

A lobbying I’ll go, a lobbying I’ll go,
Heigh ho the CEO, a lobbying I’ll go.
I’ve got a corporate stash.
I’ll take a wad of cash.
Heigh ho the CEO, a lobbying I’ll go.
I’ll drive into D. C.
Oh, how they’ll welcome me!
Heigh ho the CEO, a lobbying I’ll go.
The senators all know
I’m like Santa Claus. Ho, ho!
Heigh ho the CEO, a lobbying I’ll go.
With my roll of bills unwound
I’ll pass the wealth around.
Heigh ho the CEO, a lobbying I’ll go.
There’s a congressman of note!
Hey, I’ll go and buy a vote.
Heigh ho the CEO, a lobbying I’ll go.
This town Washington’s for sale.
We lobbyists prevail.
Heigh ho the CEO, a lobbying I’ll go.
I love the work I do.
I make LOTS of money too!
Heigh ho the CEO, a lobbying I’ll go.