That seems to be what the American people are saying according to this latest poll from the Washington Post.
Most Americans believe that corruption in Congress is widespread, and even larger majorities support far-reaching reforms that would effectively end lobbying as it is currently practiced on Capitol Hill, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll.
The survey comes just days after Jack Abramoff, a prominent Republican lobbyist, pleaded guilty to corruption charges involving at least one member of Congress as well as other federal officials. Abramoff has agreed to cooperate with federal investigators who are investigating public corruption in Congress and elsewhere in the federal government, setting the stage for what may become the biggest and most far-reaching election-year scandal in decades.
The survey found that 58 percent of Americans believe the Abramoff case is evidence of “widespread corruption in Washington,” while barely a third — 34 percent — say it is limited to just a few individuals. The public thinks corruption is far more prevalent in Washington than it is in their state or local governments.
In other words, a majority of Americans are basically saying that they think most politicians in Washington are, in one sense or another, corrupt. What they aren’t so sure of, however, is what to do about the problem
The survey also found generally broad support for measures that would put new and potentially crippling restrictions on those who lobby members of Congress on behalf of special interests.
Nine in 10 said it should be illegal for lobbyists to give members of Congress gifts, trips or anything else of value. Lawmakers currently are prohibited from accepting gifts valued at more than $100 over the course of a calendar year, though the restriction is lightly enforced and easily evaded.
Two in three, including majorities of Republicans and Democrats, would go far beyond current proposals for change and make it illegal for lobbyists to make campaign contributions to members of Congress or to congressional candidates. A smaller majority — 54 percent — would prohibit lobbyists from organizing fundraisers on behalf of members of Congress or congressional candidates, a practice that has given lobbyists even greater leverage with the elected officials who benefited from these fundraisers.
None of this, of course, addresses the root cause of the problem. Lobbyists exist because of the same rent-seeking that I discussed earlier today. If the Federal Government were not such an all-encompasing part of our lives, with a $ 2.6 trillion budget and the power to make or break an industry, then lobbying as we know it today would not exist. In fact, in a world of limited government, I would be so bold as to say that the very idea of lobbyists would be a foreign concept. If all we do is make the cosmetic changes that are discussed in the article, parties with interests affected by the state will simply find other ways to spread their influence.
Technorati Tags: Congress, Senate, GOP, Republican Party, Jack Abramoff
