Just Because You Don’t Want It to Be True Doesn’t Mean It’s Made Up
I actually have readers expressing doubt about the veracity of Tom Toch’s tale of homeless people holding places in line for NEA lobbyists for the Arne Duncan confirmation hearings.
So here’s a link to the service – linestanding.com – which is a division of Quick Messenger Service. They’ve been doing it for a long time – as evidenced by this story about Al Gore’s Congressional testimony. And they’re not above a little lobbying themselves.
In 2007, U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) introduced S. 2177, which would have prohibited “the payment of individuals to reserve a place in line for a lobbyist for a seat at a congressional committee hearing or business meeting.” Mark Gross, owner of linestanding.com penned a paean to the free-market economy in response. The bill died in the Governmental Affairs committee.
January 17th, 2009 at 09:51
“A leader in the Congressional line standing business since 1985″?
Wondrous and manifold are the ways of free enterprise.
I wonder who their competitors are and how one gains a competitive advantage? After all, the “leader” in the field implies competitors for the lobbyist’s line-standing business. Is there a professional organization? An industry organization? Are professional line-standers organized? What are career prospects?
January 20th, 2009 at 20:02
A leader is also one who goes first, or does something no one else has done–yet. Now, whether there are any followers…well that’s a different kettly of fish.
January 21st, 2009 at 10:06
Can you really be a leader until you’ve got followers? No, the use of the word “leader” implies followers and perhaps this story uncovers a post-technology growth industry.
Moore’s Law can only take us so far but government largess is limitless.