Lobbyists' Best Year Ever?

The economy may still be struggling but it’s a great time to be a lobbyist, thanks in large part to the political efforts of the Obama administration. Amid huge debates over legislation for climate change, health care, and financial reform, lobbyists this year are in their element, and experts predict that spending this year will surpass last year’s $3.3 billion in spite of the economic downturn. “Lobbyists love it … when you’ve got an activist agenda like this, and you’ve got some serious problems like this, and people want to do something about it,” said one academic. An anonymous lobbyist echoed the sentiment: “We’ve never had as good a year. It’s been a tremendously busy year, and it’s going to keep getting that way.” Health-care reform has been particularly fruitful for lobbyists, allowing for a wide range of participants and opportunities. “It touches all the various parts of the entire health care environment,” said the Senior Vice President at APCO Worldwide. “Everybody has some dog in the fight.”