Ron Book In Defense of Lobbyists (LOL). By Youbetcha'

Ron Book is getting defensive in his golden years as is obvious in a recent article in the Sun Sentinel.

People tend to get pissy about lobbyists and Book seems to be feeling like he has to “explain” the things we don’t understand.

His article was titled: “In Defense of Lobbyists.” He argues that lobbyists help more than people think. Okay....faulty premise to start.

He seriously points out several  things I thought amusing:

“Lobbyists know that the process is driven by information, and more importantly, the integrity of that information. The first time a lobbyist provides bad information is likely the last time that lobbyist will get through a lawmaker's door. The first time you lie or mislead will likely be the last time your information is considered credible. Credibility and the integrity of the information we convey are life and death in our profession, and I cannot emphasize that enough.”

Well, I seem to remember more than once, that the facts were distorted during public hearings as the lobbyist du jour paints his/her picture of their project.  They often paint a picture that is devoid of brush strokes. No matter, the lobbyist has already sold the issue to the eager politicians while in their offices earlier in the week: "Sure we'll build a school and a fire station too!"

Amusing point by Ron Book number 2:

“Many people think lobbyists only represent wealthy, corporate interests, or "special interests," a term we hear so often in the media today. People believe that all these "special interests" want to do is get their way, which will no doubt bring harm to the public. But that is simply not true.”

I know that lobbyists like Ron do an occasional good deed for a non-profit or a neighborhood, or even a daughter's charity. But, let’s be truthful, for lobbyists this is their penance. Lobbyists prefer to help the people who pay them.  And some of the people who pay them will bring us harm if it brings them more profit.

Ron doesn’t want us to believe that lobbyists do evil things or like he sometimes does -- along with Miguel DeGrandy -- represent multiple clients that may have opposing interests.

I have never figured out how Book can ramrod a project for a client through the State legislature to the impairment of another client's best interest. Equally amazing, lobbyist Book appears to get paid by two cities as he screws one of them.

Finally Ron describes himself as an “advocate”, just like you and me. Except, in truth...it is not true. There are so many holes in the logic of this article you could drive a truck through them. Hey, Ron, we ain't no stupid politicians here! Real advocates, like us in the public realm, don’t have the political capital, the election cash tree or the pass key to the Commission offices to  have any hope of advocating effectively.

Stop trying to justify what you do Ron Book, it doesn't ring true. Admit to yourself that you are for sale. I don't subscribe to the opinion that all lobbyists are whores with the gift of gab. To me they are just manipulators or handlers of what are supposed to be OUR public servants.