It won’t happen. It is so pathetically predictable that politicians will pander to us and Franken is just doing his part.
Politicians, especially non-incumbents, take on lobbyists and “special interests.” Other professions also have professionally-mandated positions to take which we also expect to hear.
Preachers rail against sin. Dentists advocate flossing. Librarians urge reading. Safety commissioners push seat belt usage. Aging sluggers who don’t have good legs anymore advocate the designated hitter rule. Teachers support learning, at least learning the right things.
We expect these things. But on these things, there is an outside chance that these some one’s actions might actually be changed. Some sins might not be committed when the exhortations of preachers are taken to mind. Some teeth may be flossed because of a dentist’s ongoing urgings. Some poor sap who otherwise is not scared by “buckle up” laws might actually click a seat belt together because his government suggests it so persistently. Sucker sports fans will continue to come and root for guys who really are no longer baseball players. Somebody may help their child or grandchild or neighbor with his/her lessons.
But there ain’t no way that Congresspeople and Senators are going to limit their future employment opportunities for the rest of their lives. It just ain’t a going to happen. Franken knows that. [And if he doesn’t he shouldn’t be in the position of being considered a serious candidate for any office, much less a major one.]
But people of any party can pander and Al Franken is demonstrating this well.
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2 comments:
A lifetime ban is too much to ask. And it might be a violation of ex post facto, to forbid somebody from holding a job because of what he had been.
It’s not quite ex post facto and it really isn’t a bill of attainder either. Both of these were prohibited by the constitution even before the bill of rights was added.
But unless you limited the sanction to future members of Congress it wouldn’t seem right. And passing something that way which would exempt all of them would probably really smell.
But I think a lifetime ban is too serious, regardless of how it is implemented. What Franken is also missing is how he would include those former congressmen and women who are lawyers from representing clients who have interests at the Capitol. They really aren’t considered lobbyists now and enjoy certain reporting and tax advantages that non-lawyer lobbyists do not have.
Cherokee Park lawyer
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