Nerve Endings Firing Away

“I fear they are going to try to undertake the biggest administrative challenge in American history while refusing to hire the people who can help the most: agency veterans who are registered lobbyists.” – David Brooks.So now Obama needs to include lobbyists in policymaking and dump his campaign promise of excluding them in his administration?

Brooks may be right but the derisive remarks pointed at Hillary Clinton when she basically suggested the same during the campaign are worth remembering. At what point erstwhile experienced and expert policy wonks transform into lobbyists hired to further their clients interests? Having had the taste of the dough involved in lobbying, can we even expect them to be provide nonpartisan policy recommendations? I wonder what would Brooks say if Obama hired agency veterans turned lobbyists from progressive interest groups. But I’m sure that’s not what he has in mind. Some clarification would help.