Where's Your Lobbyist?

Recently I read a short article about transit planning in Seattle.  The commentator said that he was at a meeting where the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) was unveiling yet another "street diet" where the city removes one lane of traffic from use by automobiles and devotes it to bicycles.  This "street diet" thing has been going on for several years and on several major arterials.  Trust me, it bogs up traffic enormously.  But, here is the point: when the commentator asked the SDOT representative about who speaks against the "street diets," the SDOT employee said: "I speak with a lobbyist from Cascade Bicycle Club everyday.  Where is your lobbyist?"

Holy Cow Batman!  You mean we all need lobbyists to speak to government?  Much less to be listened?  The irony of that encounter is that it happened at an open house where SDOT was supposedly listening to input on the street diet.  But we all know that so-called public meetings are really a way of "letting the public let off steam" even though the decision is already made.

Today, the Obama Administration announced that it will begin describing it's ideas for regulatory reform of the financial sector.  Of course, this means everything, I assume, from how different countries interact financially to how we monitor individual financial transactions in this country.  And, I wonder, who will be speaking to the Pooh-bahs of decision making on these financial reforms?  Certainly not the average American who was foreclosed out of their house or the retired couple struggling to stay afloat when their so-called safe investments went south this month.

Indeed, the financial sector lobbyists in Washington, DC alone ensure that politicians and their staffs are well feted and their campaigns stuffed with cash.  The average person doesn't stand a chance, much less the non-profits based in DC who purportedly advocate for the "little guy."

In all of the economic restructuring that is occurring, I believe the examination and proposals to monitor and regulate the financial industry, although late in being thrust into the policy spheres, is critical.  Each of us should pay attention.  Find allies or organizations to represent you views.  Call your Congressman or Senator.  Because how the financial sector is restructured will really be the crux of our economic security in the decades to come.  We can no longer rely on the Lords of Wall Street to do what is right but on the other hand we can not stifle our ingenuity.  Just know, however, that the banks, investment houses, mortgage lenders, credit card companies, real estate industry, are swarming Capital Hill, they're calling presidential staff members, having drinks with friends of Barack Obama, writing checks for campaigns.  

We need to pay attention or else things we care about will be "street dieted" because we couldn't talk to anyone every day.