Imagine my surprise when I found out about placeholders. I don’t mean little cards you put out in front of your plate at a wedding reception. I am talking about the lobbying kind.

It seems that in Washington, the actual lobbyists are too busy to stand in line to attend a packed committee hearing that they have an interest in. Instead they hire line standers. These line standers will stay for as much as 12 – 24 hours just waiting for the committee hearing to begin. And just at the last minute, the actual lobbyists enters the building and takes his or her “rightful” place.

Line standers or placeholders can get as much as $35 – $40 per hour just to stand in line. Hopefully they have a tag-team system in case a potty break is needed!

Lobbying is a big business in Washington. Is the government run of the people, by the people, for the people as Lincoln stated? I think not. The “people” have just become line standers.

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