Revolving-Door Jam

A GOVERNMENT OF THE LOBBYISTS, BY THE LOBBYists and for the lobbyists has not, alas, yet perished from the earth. But in his campaign, Bill Clinton promised to make it harder for political appointees to step quickly from government work to working the government on behalf of corporations, trade associations and foreign nations.

Now Clinton has unveiled his toughened -- but not too toughened -- ethics rules. They forbid top appointees to lobby their own agencies for five years after leaving government, extending the present one-year ban. Clinton's White House staff members would be barred for the same period from lobbying any agency for which they had "substantial personal responsibility." All appointees must promise never to lobby on behalf of foreign political parties or governments -- now a common practice that Ross Perot once called "economic treason."

While the guidelines are the strictest ever, they will apply to just 1,100 of the 3,000 appointments Clinton expects to make. Members of his transition team were said to be concerned that making the rules too strict would scare away the best job candidates. And you thought government service -- at a good salary -- was sufficient reward in itself.