So what is a special Interest exactly?

We hear all about ending special interests. Every presidential candidate is promising to end special interests. If everyone wants them gone why aren't they? I contend the simple answer is the term special interest has no meaning.

When you hear a candidate promising to end the reach of special interests that sounds good right? The problem as I see it is conservatives see special interests much differently than liberals or progressives do. Additionally I believe special interests can be good, and they can be bad. We have been lead to believe that lobbyists are bad. After all the Jack Abramhoff scandal was all about lobbyists correct? The New York Times tried to paint John McCain as at minimum a tool of the special interest, and at worst having an affair with a member of a special interest. Lobbyists in Washington do a lot of good. They educate the legislators about their 'special interest'. They bring information that the legislators need. There are some and probably a lot that go too far. Who is to blame when they sell corruption to the lobbyist or the politician? Well both of them. If money corrupts politicians why aren't they all corrupt? Some would say they are, but I don't agree. Additionally if our congressmen and women are all beholden to special interests, why don't we vote them out?

If a lobbyist from the trial lawyer lobby brings valuable info and contributions to a Democratic congressman, is he corrupting him or her? I say doubtful. Most Democrats agree with the trial lawyer lobby and quid pro quo is unlikely to happen, he is getting money and information from a group he agrees with. The same is true of groups that agree with Republicans.

So now what is a special interest exactly? Barak Obama like to paint all corporate lobbyists as special interest. How about union lobbyists? How about specifically teacher unions? How about environmental groups? Are these groups special interests? I think so but I'll bet Senator Clinton and Senator Obama don't agree. I say they are every bit as much a special interest as a lobbyist from the oil industry. Should we eliminate all of their access? Of course not. They educate and more importantly represent the views of ordinary citizens that don't always have a voice. If your job depends on Exxon staying viable do you view an oil lobbyist as a crook or an important asset. How about the if you are a teacher, are your representatives corrupt or working on your behalf? I'll bet I know the answer.

What we need in our campaigns are issues that are honest and matter to the future of the country. Reigning in and providing transparency of interest group representatives is important. Ending special interest doesn't pass the sniff test. It can't be defined objectively. This points out the problem with left leaning politicians and some on the right, they can't speak objectively and get elected, their interest groups traffic strictly in emotions they don't want the light of day put on their arguments, so they spew phrases that mean nothing. End the special interest is one of those phrases.