When Don Young was running short of campaign money last year, his staff issued a call to the Alaska congressman's list of most favored lobbyists. By the time the checks stopped rolling in, Young had bagged $90,000.

The lobbyists and their clients did not give to Young out of the goodness of their hearts. They didn't do it because they thought Don Young would do a good job representing Alaskans in Congress.

They gave to the congressman because it was good for their influence-peddling business.

Don Young isn't the only member of Congress who takes advantage of this juicy opportunity to shake loose money from influence-seekers. This political panhandling is as common in the capital city as sweat on a hot summer day.

It's sleazy. It's wrong. It makes ordinary citizens cynical and saps their faith in the integrity of their government and the officials who are supposed to represent them.

And it doesn't have to be that way.

Alaska bans registered lobbyists from using cash to grease their way into favor with state office holders. Lobbyists can't give money to state candidates, unless the lobbyist is a potential constituent who lives in the candidate's district.

If Don Young held a state level office, the rule would have blocked him from passing the hat among his lobbyist pals.

But Don Young gets to do it because Don Young and his congressional colleagues get to write their own rules. Trafficking in campaign contributions is just the way the world works in Washington, D.C.

Alaska is different, because Alaska lets citizens push for new laws by voter initiative. Alaska lawmakers were not eager to ban lobbyists' contributions and pass other steps to limit the role of big money in state politics. Lawmakers did it to preempt a stronger voter initiative from reaching the ballot.

Too bad there is no way for Americans to launch a nationwide initiative petition and write their own campaign finance reforms into law.

Because that means the people who benefit from today's abusive system will still get to write their own rules.

And that means well-heeled special interests like Don Young's lobbyist friends are almost certain to rule the day in Washington, D.C.

BOTTOM LINE: Sure would be great if Alaska's ban on lobbyists' contributions applied to members of Congress.

NOTABLE:

In 1999, the Alaska Supreme Court upheld Alaska's ban on lobbyists making donations to state candidates unless the lobbyist lives in the candidate's district. The court's ruling noted the following findings from a survey done for the Alaska Senate:

"According to the survey, 50 percent of registered lobbyists believe fund-raising pressure by special interests is a 'serious problem,' because monied interests get special access to and influence over legislators.

Eighty-seven percent of lobbyists said that the refusal to make campaign contributions sometimes adversely affects lobbying.

Thirty-seven percent said that this happens frequently and that lobbyists often give contributions "defensive[ly] to ward off negative reactions and the loss of access."

Save $

Make your house a tighter ship on the state's dime

If you haven't yet signed up for an energy audit of your house, there's still time.

The Legislature appropriated $100 million to hand out free grants of up to $10,000 apiece to homeowners who improve their houses and cut their own energy costs.

There are a couple of catches. You have to pay up front and get reimbursed by the state. And you have to get an energy audit from a state-approved auditor, who will tell you what improvements qualify.

Then you get the work done, get a follow-up audit to document the energy savings, and send in your expenses.

How long will the money last? The Alaska Housing Finance Corp. isn't sure.

"We think we're looking good in Fairbanks and in Anchorage through the end of the year," said Bryan Butcher, director of governmental relations.

The energy auditors, listed on the AHFC Web site, have a wait list of clients. But more are being trained, said Butcher.

And once your house gets rated, AHFC will tie up the entire $10,000 until your project is finished, he said, even though many home improvements will cost less than that.