Interest Groups

Denver--I have changed my mind. Myriad forms of evidence have driven me to the conclusion that my opposition to limitations on the number of terms legislators may serve is mistaken.The evidence concerns such disparate matters as municipal garbage collection, interest groups in Sacramento and 8,331 bounced personal checks on the House side of the U.S. Capitol.Colorado's enactment of limits last year rebutted the assertion that limits are merely a partisan ploy by Republicans unable to beat Democrats in fair fights.

On Election Day, an eerie silence descended on the offices of Washington's top lobbying, law and public relations firms. With Bill Clinton holding a strong lead in pre-election polls, the clout merchants jetted off to Arkansas to celebrate with him.The cast of characters partying in Little Rock that night provided a vivid tableau of what awaits the new administration in Washington. Collectively, they represented dozens of leading U.S. corporations and foreign interests.Even the lobbying firm of Black, Manafort Stone & Kelly Public Affairs Co. -- the epitome of Republican political correctness during the Reagan-Bush years -- dispatched partner Peter Kelly to Little Rock.

WASHINGTON - President Bush accused interest groups of exploiting the fight over the next Supreme Court justice to raise money and lashed out at them yesterday for criticizing Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, who conservatives say is too moderate for the court. Bush, at a news conference in Denmark before arriving in Scotland for a summit of the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations, said he would have "no litmus test" on abortion or gay marriage in choosing a nominee. "I'll pick people who, one, can do the job, people who are honest, people who are bright, and people who will strictly interpret the Constitution and not use the bench to legislate from," he said.

The recommendations of the Linowes Commission have not even been officially introduced as a legislative package, but already the reaction from state lawmakers is decidedly negative. This should hardly come as any great surprise.The report, which was more than two years in the making, does, after all, contain some pretty drastic proposals -- most of which involve higher taxes. But in fairness -- and fairness seems to have been a major criterion -- the commission's proposals would ensure that those with a greater ability to pay are asked to pay more, and that poorer jurisdictions of Maryland, including Baltimore city, would benefit most.

Political interest groups working outside the traditional confines of campaign finance laws spent more than $4.3 million in two Maryland congressional races during this year's primary, according to newly released campaign finance reports, and their success in defeating two incumbents here could portend an expensive and aggressive effort nationwide to target other swing districts in the coming months. Liberal groups have gone after Rep. Albert R. Wynn before, and conservative activists have long tried to unseat Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest.

I'm not big into conspiracy theories. I never bought into the grassy knoll in Dallas or the anti-Obama birther movement. And it will take a lot of convincing for me to believe Oakland Raiders coach Bill Callahan took a dive in Super Bowl XXXVII to please his friend (and opposing coach) Jon Gruden. But I do believe that America's political tilt toward progressivism is the product of a lot of grassroots work by very liberal groups intent on remaking the American economy and culture.

A taste for political rights is sometimes too subtle for the country that takes such pride in celebrating them. Every American knows that rights protect individuals against arbitrary governmental power.But rights also depend on the existence of organized political power, a fact more rarely appreciated in American political discourse. Leave people alone and, subject to the mercies of nature and each other, they will never be free. Freedom is a social condition. To be able to exercise individual rights, people must strengthen the very government against which rights are asserted.

AIDS activists staged an 11th-hour protest yesterday to draw attention to the state's decision to eliminate health insurance for more than 30,000 poor and disabled Marylanders.The cut is just one of several that go into effect Sunday. To avoid a $450 million shortfall at the end of the current fiscal year, Gov. William Donald Schaefer has cut a total of $240 million from programs.A broad range of services will be affected, but the poor are taking an especially hard hit. In addition to abolishing Medical Assistance, the state will roll back welfare checks to 1988 levels, giving a family of three $359 a month.

WASHINGTON -- In politics, everybody loves a winner, as U.S. Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest of Maryland is learning.Gilchrest, R-1st, has collected more than $9,000 in contributions since defeating incumbent Democrat Roy P. Dyson on Nov. 6. Dyson, once a contributors' favorite, received just $1,805, according to his latest federal finance report.It's not surprising that people and PACs -- political action committees, set up by special interest groups -- contribute right after an election.PACs hope to influence politicians, who in turn like to build up campaign war chests well ahead of the next election, the better to discourage opponents.

WASHINGTON -- An election-year furor over corrupt lobbying is raising prospects for new laws that would target some of the worst abuses but still would leave open plenty of loopholes for lobbyists and other moneyed interests to influence lawmakers. Democrats yesterday joined the debate on how to respond to the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal by unveiling a package of reform proposals, including a ban on gifts from lobbyists and on privately paid travel for members of Congress along with requirements for greater disclosure of fees that lobbyists receive from clients.