Strike Now While the Iron's Hot: Lobbying Reform

In a recent policy report the IAR showcased 5 important reforms needed to fix Washington's lobbying problem, despite a positive reception from campaigners, media and the public at large, we received a perhaps unsurprisingly muted reception from Washington itself. But now is a better time than ever before to implement comprehensive lobbying reform; Public appetite is large, the Democrats held Congress off the back of promised lobbying reform, and recent scandals have shown the need for lobbying reform is more prescient than ever. So today let's look at the why and how of Lobbying reform.

The current system has a few major problems, the most notable of which is the loose reporting regulations on lobbying. We need to strictly mandate that lobbyists register themselves, their interests, clients and activities openly and transparently for all to see. This way conflicts of interest are easily discernable and public accountability is strengthened. The second major problem is the "Revolving Door" in which federal and congressional employees leave office and immediately become lobbyists, using their expertise, connections and up to date knowledge to easily influence the political sphere they have just left. The Solution to this? A cooling off period in which in which all federal employees and congressional employees are barred from lobbying, with an extended period for lobbying former employers.

The other major problems are conflict of interests (ie committee chairs) and fundraisers lobbying, they must be regulated or restricted outright.

These reforms have to be applied widely, there's no point regulating or restricting a handful of positions or activities. Everyone from the most senior of Senators to the most junior of staffers must be held to these regulations. lobbyist disclosure must include a register that captures lobbying activity as well as who is doing the lobbying, until then we will not have true transparency.