Obviously, no reform is possible in isolation. There’s no way to reduce the power of lobbyists without first revamping the American system of campaign finance. The cost of running for office is so high --about $500,000 on average to make a run for the House and more than $5 million to run for the Senate-- that candidates spend much of their time grubbing for money. Since lobbyists are among the few people in Washington who can afford to attend three to four fundraisers a week at $500 a head, they receive much of the candidates’ attention. Howard Marlowe, a past president of the American League for Lobbyists, says politicians and lobbyists have a "mutual addiction": "They need us for money and we need them to help our clients. We don’t get access due to our ability or our knowledge of the issues, we get it with money. As a result, we spend way too much time trying to figure out how to buy access."

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