A highly-regulated national economy puts pressure on every organized interest to... um... influence politicians:
WASHINGTON -- Looking to expand its federal presence, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., has hired the chief lobbyist for the National Restaurant Association to lead its growing lobbying team in the nation's capital.The way that this can be twisted and spun is rather disgusting:The Bentonville-based retail giant has tapped Lee Culpepper, a 12-year veteran of promoting restaurant industry interests among Washington leaders.
"He'll be the face of Wal-Mart in Washington, D.C., and will help us define our strategy and implement it in Washington," said Ray Bracy, Wal-Mart vice president of federal, state and international public affairs.
"We are big enough and our business crosses so many aspects of our society that it's important that we participate," Bracy said. "We really have an obligation to be involved."Participate! Obligation! No. No. No!
The function of lobbying is not to inform legislators of the truth, but to persuade them that they shouldn't cross you. Lobbying is at best an unavoidable transfer of wealth to the political classes in exchange for political support; at worst, it is a wasteful, pernicious, and anti-social menace that provides a continual, irresistable incentive for the cartelization of power.
It's important to WM to "particpate" because its opponents already do. Serious business affecting WM -- pressuring Chinese currency revaluation, trade laws, minimum wage laws, trucking laws, environmental laws, etc. -- will be modified in DC whether or not WM has a presence there...
Posted by Kevin on June, 8 2005 at 02:56 PM
