Summary of So dumn much money

The first thing that made me wonder when I came in the Washington DC two months ago from Mongolia was quiet and boring situation of the world’s most powerful country’s capital city. It was shocking to see that Washington DC is small city, which is full of hundreds of foundations, non-profit organizations and firm buildings because I was expecting that the city make decisions on the world future should be busy and big city where “political kitchen” should be hot and boiling. Just after I read Robert Kaiser’s book, now I have a little understanding of American political structure, especially in last three decades after 1980, how lobbyist influence indirectly to decisions and change political process.

In my opinion, author write very honest and brave about inside of American political life, specifically politicians’ “mother’s milk”, in other words, source of the money. The thing named as a corruption or bribery in most other countries named as a lobby in the U.S[1]. The author proves that reason of this “legalized bribery” still existing in this country is because both parties have satisfactory for their interest by Schlossberg and Cassidy’s creative lobbying process.

However Obama administration is trying to find more commonsense approach for this legalized but morally wrong relationship, I couldn’t find more information whether they found perfect way or not. Maybe it’s because of my poor language skills. Yet I’m very thankful for the author for informing about lobby groups in the America and their immoral “inner secret.” Although I don’t think that whole lobby groups are bad.

I’m pragmatic person; so I had two summaries after I read this book. First of all in Mongolian political process by legalizing lobby groups in certain level, we can reduce secret briberies so that public can know who support what and how. In Mongolian condition we have to accept industrial and small-middle business lobby groups, not the big financial supporters like the mining, energy or alcohol, cigarette and medicine branches.

Second, recently Mongolia create own lobby group in Washington DC and made an agreement with the U.S. government to get three types of supports. Therefore I think we can practice that lobby group and use it in Mongolian politics. If it’s really possible to influence on decision, which would be useful for small Mongolia, using lobby groups, why can’t we use it. I think it’s possible.