The American League of Lobbyists, a powerful institution that defends and defines the role of Washington’s booming influence industry, is surveying its members to see whether it should drop what would seem to be the existential word “lobbyist” from its identity. The term “Government Relations Professionals” is used in some of the leading choices for a new name, according to The Hill newspaper, which first reported the league’s “rebranding” plans.

We suggest “Congress Plus” as a more truthful name for an industry that employs more than 400 former members of the Senate and House, plus former Congressional staff members estimated in one study to total 5,400 people over a recent 10-year period. Not to mention untold dozens of lobbyists who smartly shift back and forth to Congressional committee posts as the electoral pendulum makes partisan swings that prove increasingly lucrative for experienced insiders.