In an article on the revolving doors between Congress and the lobbying world, James Thurber, professor of government at American University in DC says:
"The beltway here, it’s like a magnetic field, …After spending time in Washington," he said, former members of Congress “find it’s hard to peddle their wares in Topeka, Kan."
I have trouble imagining Ryun selling the House that Abramoff built and passing up a lobbying gig in DC. Besides, most of his kids are happily ensconced in the now marginalized Republican machine in DC.
More like this
Via Bora, I found a somewhat alarming article.
We in public health need all the advocates we can get, so it's heartening to know that a major pharmaceutical company, Allergan, Inc., has hired a big name lobbying firm to "lobby on public health issues":
A few of the recent pieces I’ve found worth bookmarking about the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision:
...because today, the first lobbying disclosure reports are due to be filed with Congress under new rules that flowed from the Jack Abramoff scandal.
Without going all Lady Macbeth on this, I would hope even the folks on K Street realize that Jim Ryun isn't the brightest pencil in the deck; that the "brains" of the operation is Ann Ryun.
Who knows how it'll work out but I'd be really surprised if either Ryun would be that valuable as a lobbyist, given their tendency to lead with their holier-than-thou evangelism. They even made a point when participating in the Mark Foley Block Party that *they* weren't serving alcohol; only "dessert and coffee."
If I were the Ryuns' financial advisor I'd tell 'em to sell the house in DC and start on the Revival Circuit. Their only reliable source of income is from the twice-born.
Maybe he can lobby for college athletics or the Olympic committee or something.