cover image The Lobbyists

The Lobbyists

Jeffrey H. Birnbaum. Crown Publishers, $25 (334pp) ISBN 978-0-8129-2086-4

In this eye-popping, jaw-slackening, generally sickening true-life narrative, Wall Street Journal staffer Birnbaum details how America's lawmakers work hand-in-glove with former Congressional or White House personnel who have gone on to represent commercial or other special interests. Their ``causes'' range from big-business coalition efforts in support of the Bush administration's drive for lower capital-gains taxes to promoting tax interests of specific industries such as trucking, railroads and insurance. Lobby-paid luxury vacations, speaking fees and above all the accepted wisdom that no office-holder can be re-elected without the financial support of special interest friends guarantees the lobbyists access and influence, according to the author, who passes on one ``rumor'' that a former senator was paid $500,000 to make a single phone call to a committee chairman. Naming names and full of anecdotes, this is arguably the most realistic, readable--and depressing--account of democracy at work in a long time. Major ad/promo; author tour. (Dec.)