Blog Success:D-P Stirs Up WaPo Expose of Discover America

Before I started writing about the travel industry’s lobbying effort, Discover America, to dip into the taxpayer and international traveler’s pockets to further profit this $1 trillion industry, there was scant attention.

Now, the Washington Post has a major piece (6,746 words), “Mickey Goes To Washington: Lobbyists for America’s richest mouse set out to persuade Congress to scare up $200 million to promote U.S. tourist destinations,” in today’s Sunday magazine section, by Jeffrey Birnbaum, carefully dissecting Discover America. As Birnbaum makes clear, “One thing everyone agreed on: The travel industry did not want to pay for the ads itself.”

Another case of the blogosphere leading, and the MSM finding the story.

The points I’ve been driving home are all there: The statistics Discover America ignores about the strong recovery of post-9/11 international tourism; The cynical marketing by Geoff Freeman, Discover America’s PR specialist; The “inside-beltway” lobbying that swells our federal expenditures and enriches lobbyists and Congressional staff’s future job prospects.

As Birnbaum says:

The explosion in the size of K Street, the locus of the lobbying industry, is an extension of the growth and reach of government. The ballooning federal budget has its tentacles in every aspect of American life and commerce….

And why wouldn't ex-lawmakers and aides gravitate to K Street? Lobbying jobs pay at least twice and sometimes three times government salaries. Serving in government is now viewed by many on Capitol Hill as a steppingstone to a lucrative career in bending government to the whims of paying clients….

What initially, also, set me off was what I called the “bashing” of America by Discover America.

"We absolutely have to overcome Fortress America," agreed Freeman, who suggested creating a Web site with "horror stories about getting into the U.S."

The cast of leading companies and Washington characters who allowed themselves to be part of this is shocking, and despicable.

So far, the Discover America dip into our pockets is stalled. But, a major new lobby to keep trying to get into our pockets is launched. Birnbaum ends his examination: “A lobbying machine, once it gets started, cannot stop.”

Neither can those who care about runaway federal spending and the selfish feeding on American taxpayers to enrich the “ruling class.”

My prior posts are here:
US Tourism Industry Continues Bashing America

Why Is Disney Bashing America?: Pork Investigation

“America the Unwelcoming”, Zakaria The Stooge (UPDATE)

Tourism Industry Trashes U.S.

P.S.: Special thanks to Mark Tapscott for his leadership on porkbusting and ethics in D.C.

Mark adds his thoughts here.
"Washington Post discovers 'Discover America' lobbying con first exposed by blogger Bruce Kesler", and characteristally doesn't take the credit due himself.