The Lobbying Fallacy and Guyana’s Real Leverage

Hemdutt Kumar

March 3, 2026·2 min read

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Mar 1, 2026Reiterating support for lobbying WashingtonVishnu Bisram

Mar 3, 2026

The Lobbying Fallacy and Guyana’s Real Leverage

Hemdutt Kumar

Dear Editor,

Vishnu Bisram’s latest defense of the government’s million-dollar lobbying tab (March 1) is a masterclass in anachronistic “Realism” that fails to account for Guyana’s actual leverage of our current status as an economic powerhouse in 2026. While he invokes the ghosts of 1964 and the Cold War to justify these “transactional fees,” his logic ignores the fundamental shift in the global energy landscape and the very theorists he cites.

The Redundancy of “Geo-Security” Fees: Bisram argues that we must pay for American protection. This is a profound misunderstanding of contemporary US foreign policy. The United States does not protect the Stabroek Block because a lobbyist asked them to; they protect it because it is home to tens of billions of dollars in American infrastructure and a critical node in global energy security. To suggest that Washington’s defense of ExxonMobil—and by extension, our borders—is contingent on a US$1M “subscription fee” is to insult the strategic intelligence of the State Department.
The Weaponization of the Purse: The core of the critique Bisram misses is not if lobbying exists, but what is being bought. FARA filings in Washington often reveal a focus not on border military aid, but on shaping domestic political narratives. When public funds are used to hire firms to influence how US officials perceive internal politics, it isn’t “geo-security”—it is the taxpayer funded marginalization of domestic dissent for partisan gain ,as evidenced by Continental Strategies use of Congress-persons to shape narratives on one “specific political opponent”. Bisram’s “realism” conveniently omits this partisan utility.
A Supplicant Mindset in an Era of Influence: Bisram’s worldview is stuck in 1977, treating Guyana as a fragile pawn that must pay for the privilege of existence. In 2026, Guyana is a primary driver of non-OPEC oil growth. This gives us major “Resource Leverage” that far outweighs any lobbyist’s Rolodex. If we are still paying for “survival” while sitting on one of the world’s largest offshore oil reserves, we aren’t practicing realism; we are practicing a self-imposed client-state mentality that keeps us stuck in permanent dependency.
The Institutional Failure: True sovereignty resides not in a “luxury tax” paid to K Street firms; it is built through the strengthening of domestic institutions —GECOM, the Judiciary, and the Joint Services. Bisram suggests that without these lobbyists, we risk the authoritarianism of the past. On the contrary, if our democracy is so brittle that it requires a foreign PR firm to keep it upright, then we have already failed to learn from the lessons of our own history.
The Kissinger Paradox: Bisram urges a reading of Kissinger and Morgenthau. He should take his own advice. Kissinger famously noted that “America has no permanent friends or enemies, only permanent interests.” Guyana’s current interest is transparent governance. Using the public purse for opaque lobbying contracts under the guise of “national survival” serves only the interest of the ruling elite, not the Guyanese taxpayer.

Bisram’s nostalgia for 20th‑century “Realist” tactics is a dangerous distraction. In 2026, Guyana’s survival rests on our economic performance and the integrity of our institutions, not on how many “transactional fees” we channel to Washington’s political operatives.

Yours truly,
Hemdutt Kumar

Other references

Reiterating support for lobbying Washington

Vishnu Bisram

FARA Filing Shows Plans to Promote Pro-Israel Messaging at Conservative Salem Media Network - The American Conservative

www.theamericanconservative.com · 2025-11-15

is home to Dinesh D’Souza and Josh Hammer. (Photo by Tom Brenner/Getty Images) Daniel Boguslaw Nov 15, 2025 12:05 AM Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... A recently disclosed Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) filing has revealed that Salem Media, one of America’s largest conservative media conglomerates, may have already begun integrating paid-for Israeli government narratives across its extensive network of platforms. The arrangement, formalized through a seven-figure contract, raises significant questions about the intersection of foreign influence on an increasingly fracturing conservative media environment. Salem did not respond to The American Conservative’s request for comment. In September, the Israeli government retained Salem Media’s chief strategy officer, Brad Parscale, to advocate for Israeli interests through a $6 million financial arrangement. The contract filed with the Department of Justice ... Salem Media operates 82 radio stations across the United States and manages high-profile websites like Townhall and RedState that serve as influential platforms in shaping conservative discourse. Salem also hosts multiple podcasts ... D’Souza Podcast, The Josh Hammer Show, and The Right View with Lara Trump. According to company data, the network generates 80 million monthly website page views with 37 million monthly app ... Parscale now serves dual roles: advancing Salem’s business interests while simultaneously working as a registered and compensated foreign agent for Israel. The implications extend to Salem’s roster of prominent commentators, particularly Dinesh D’Souza and Josh Hammer, who have become central figures in an escalating debate within conservative circles ... D’Souza and Hammer have both positioned themselves firmly as part of the conservative movement’s pro-Israel faction, opposite an American First faction increasingly concerned about Israel’s influence on U.S. foreign and domestic policy. ... And unless the fox is neutralized, the victim could be the entire extant GOP coalition itself,” Hammer wrote. The integration of foreign government messaging into domestic media outlets is not unprecedented, but it typically involves clearly marked advertorials, sponsored content, or explicitly identified partnerships. The language in the FARA document suggests a more subtle approach that could blur the lines between independent editorial judgment and foreign-influenced content. The filing comes as American public opinion on Israel is souring, with younger conservatives in particular increasingly expressing skepticism about unconditional American support for Israel. The Israeli government has made clear it intends to counter this development. Through $1.5 million monthly payments, the Parscale contract represents a significant ... Some advocates of U.S. foreign policy restraint are hitting back against Israeli influence campaigns. Early last month, ... This week, the Quincy Institute and the liberal watchdog group Public Citizen filed a formal complaint with the Department of Justice over the social media influencers’ failure to register under FARA as agents of a foreign state. “The Israeli government has a stated interest in promoting its image among the American public through U.S. content creators.” the organizations wrote. The statement continued: In a September 26, 2025 meeting at the Israeli Consulate in New York, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the importance of securing public support for Israel in the United States. In light of these facts, we respectfully ask that the Department of Justice require Bridges Partners LLC to amend its FARA filings to publicly disclose the complete names, addresses, and contracts of all influencers paid to perform services on behalf of ... Salem Media’s pro-Israel advocacy may be at odds with its business interests. The company is required to disclose risk to their shareholders. Among those

Personnel note: Alberto Martinez named Managing Partner of Continental Strategy in D.C.

floridapolitics.com · 2024-11-18

- Marco Rubio ... ### Related Articles Headlines New Administration #### As Elon Musk gained power in Washington, his popularity has fallen, an AP-NORC poll finds ... Headlines Immigration Enforcement #### Wife of U.S. Coast Guard member arrested over expired visa after security check for military housing * * * Alberto Martinez ‘His experience in Washington and success in corporate advocacy make him uniquely positioned to lead our growth efforts.’ **Continental Strategy** has a new head honcho in Washington. The firm announced the appointment of **Alberto Martinez**, a former Chief of Staff to U.S. Sen. **Marco Rubio**, as Managing Partner of its Washington office. Martinez joins Continental Strategy after seven years working as a founding executive for public affairs firm **Targeted Victory**. He boasts more than two decades of experience in politics and an interesting CV ... Former state lawmaker and U.S. Ambassador **Carlos Trujillo**, the President and founder of Continental Strategy, ... Martinez spent a decade working for Rubio, whom **Donald Trump** tapped last week to **serve as U.S. Secretary of State**. According to **Gary Fineout** of **POLITICO**, Rubio was quick to praise Continental ... Earlier this month, Continental Strategy announced it was promoting **Katie Wiles** to direct the firm’s Jacksonville and Washington offices. Wiles previously served as Director of Communications for former Jacksonville Mayor **Lenny Curry**. She is the daughter of **Susie Wiles**, who will **serve as Trump’s Chief of Staff** after he retakes the White House in January. Trujillo won four straight terms in the Florida House, serving until March 2018, when Trump chose him to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the Organization of American States. He launched Continental Strategy in 2022. Within its first full year of operation, it became — and **remains** — a **Top 15 firm** in Florida. ... Jesse Scheckner has covered South Florida with a focus on Miami-Dade County since 2012. His work has been recognized by the Hearst Foundation, Society of Professional Journalists, Florida Society of News Editors, Florida MMA Awards and ... #### previousCareerSource offers to return taxpayer dollars following Glen Gilzean spending controversy ... - ##### George Greenfield November 19, 2024 at 9:11 am Remote work isn’t just a trend, it’s the future of work. qs Work Remotely from your own house. We just want your typing ... Take a Look…… Begin here>>>>>>>>> Payathome9.Com Comments are closed. * * * #FlaPol * * * Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media. Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, Liam Fineout, A.G. Gancarski, Ryan Nicol, ... - Home - Elections - 2026 - New Administration - Culture Wars - [Legislative

Henry Kissinger Quote: “America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests.”

quotefancy.com · 2025-01-01

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