Author Topic: SpaceX hires Republican lobbying firm (Read 2492 times)

docmordrid · « **on:** 12/13/2013 03:21 pm »

SpaceX has hired a second lobbying firm, this time the Nickels Group LLC which is headed up by former Republican Senate Assistant Majority Leader Don Nickles of Oaklahoma.

If the Senate changes hands next year the value of this doubles+.

http://www.rollcall.com/news/spacex_launches_second_lobbying_team-229660-1.html?pos=opolh

Comga · « **Reply #1 on:** 12/13/2013 03:34 pm »

"After almost 50 launches, the world’s fastest growing launch services provider has launched a second team of lobbyists to orbit Congress and the federal government"

The reporters are more focused on the "wheelings and dealings" than what the players actually do. They seem to have gotten ahead of themselves, probably because they were having fun with the words "launch" and "orbit".

And we think nerdy jokes are bad......

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #2 on:** 12/13/2013 03:36 pm »

Sounds like a sensible move. Everyone else seems to have lobby people on both sides.

That's about my limit on political stuff!

Oh and everyone be careful. This should be in the SpaceX section, but we don't want it to turn too political or it'll have to go in the Space Policy area. Don't want to do that if I can help it.

docmordrid · « **Reply #3 on:** 12/13/2013 04:33 pm »

Analytical mode on-

This is a very astute move on SpaceX's part because of the realities of 2014 -

1) the House isn't going to change hands. The 2010 census & re-apportionment sealed that. Many Democrats will privately admit this.

2. due to recent domestic issue firestorms (let's not debate them!) the Senate is increasingly in play and ~2/3 of those up in 2014 are Democrats, many in conservative or swing states.

Better to plan ahead now than play catch-up later if the Senate flips.

Danderman · « **Reply #4 on:** 12/13/2013 04:43 pm »

Since no one really knows what is going to happen politically in the next year, this is a sound business move.

butters · « **Reply #5 on:** 12/13/2013 05:02 pm »

Regardless of what happens in 2014, the bills that come out of the authorizing committee are going to be substantially influenced by the minority party.

If you only care about whether bills pass or fail, then you mainly care about which party has the majority. But if you assume that a bill will pass and primarily care about the details of the bill, then you need to lobby both sides of the authorizing committee.

As most of us have noticed, SpaceX and their "NuSpace" peers have friends and foes on both sides of the aisle. It's not a party-line issue. There are some Republicans onboard (e.g. Dana Rohrabacher) and some opposed (e.g. Richard Shelby). Same thing goes for the Democrats.

So I don't think this has anything to do with 2014 or electoral expectations thereof. SpaceX needs to court both parties in any case.