This is a great article about Line Sitters. Line Sitting is a unique-to-DC phenonimon/occupation where someone actually pays someone else to sit in line. Typically this job involves waiting for seats in committee hearings in either the House or Senate. Who might pay for seats? Who might pay $10-$15/hr for this sort of access? Well Lobbyists of course!

DC Power brokering is about access. Who. What. When. Where. If lobbyists are the pinnacle of the special interests then the line sitters are the frontline grunts. They are placeholders for power. They are placeholders for access. They stand vigil for any and all special interest. If you want to talk about an existential crisis look no farther than here. Infact get in line, cause much like all things DC, this industry is competitive as hell.

What facinates me about this is the fact that the only qualification you need for this position is the ability to show up at the capitol and wait. Out infront of my building, the Hart Senate Office, I typically see this loose crew of people in their canvas lawn chairs reading books, talking or just generally waiting around. I kept wondering "What the hell these people waiting around for?"

Keynes was right! Even when dealing with politics, power, and access, it's all about supply and demand.