Speaker-elect Pelosi's lobbying reform

posted by gmach on December 4, 2024 - 2:47pm

Current Score: 2

A question for other Unity08 members, and particularly the founders. (I asked this question earlier, but it may have disappeared in the shuffle--or been deleted--but I'm assuming it just got lost):

The founders have previously stated their intense desire for lobbyist reform. Speaker Pelosi has a series of proposals to limit lobbyists' influence. Do you support these proposals? If not, why not?

While I recognize that your goals mostly involve getting a Unity ticket elected President, do you think it would be wise to get an early start on lobbying reform in this Congressional session so as to make things easier for your potential Unity08 President/VP? If so, have you considered using your political capital to support Speaker Pelosi and the Dems' proposals and work for their passage?

If you don't support Speaker Pelosi's lobbying reform proposals, why not?

Thanks,

Greg

pass it on

Comments Date

We Have Already Won

reino on December 22, 2024 - 7:59am

Just the fact that the corrupt Republicans have lost some of their power is already a victory for America.

The Republicans put corrupt people, like DeLay, Ney, and Boehner, at the top. They barely met and did not get anything done other than passing a resolution to keep alive a brain-dead woman. They did not even pass budgets for this year, and the budgets they passed in previous years were full of pork and burdened us with debt. They provided no oversight, even when the President lied us into war and their own members fondled interns.

No matter what the Democrats do, it will be better than what the Republicans have done to us since taking over the House in 1994. God Bless America for kicking those bums out! May they never return!

Stay a democrat

MFV on December 22, 2024 - 11:00am

reino: Meaning no disrespect for it is your right as an American to say and feel what you like, but why are you in this movement? You sound like you are a true blue democrat and there is nothing wrong with that. This movement is about trying to get the two parties to come together and work for the common good. The only good you see is through the eyes of a democrat and as I said that is great if you hate republicans then remain in your democratic party and work hard for them to retain control of Congress and gain the White House in 08. As I understand it Uo8 is going to have a bipartisan ticket, a democrat and a republican. How on earth are you going to support a ticket with a republican a part of it? Have a good day.

A Sooner Independent

Reino My Apology

MFV on December 22, 2024 - 2:26pm

Reino: My deepest apologies if I sounded like you had no right to criticize the republicans because I think you are a democrat or any other party affiliation It is none of my business what political party you are or aren't. Please accept my apology if I offended you in any way. I have just removed the shoe leather from my big trap.

A Sooner Independent

No Need to Apologize

reino on December 23, 2024 - 9:08am

I believe that this country needed to unify against the horrible Republican Congress, which is exactly what we did. Other Congresses have been corrupt, but this one broke all the records with high-level members getting indictments and a member being sentenced to jail. If the Democratic Congress turns out half as bad, then let's bring it down, too.

I wish this movement had been around last year. That way, it could have given me a candidate for Governor to vote for here in Illinois, where we are stuck with a horrible Democrat who just won reelection.

Our country now needs to unify to bring our troops home. A large majority of Americans now realizes the war was a mistake, and only 12% of Americans want to see a 'surge' in troop levels. Congress is now deciding whether to authorize an extra $100 billion for the war, which wouldn't even last until the end of the year. The rate at which Americans are dying there has been increasing, and basic services to the Iraqi people have been decreasing.

If this movement does support Republicans, I want it to support respectable Republicans such as the Senators from Maine or former Senator Chafee. If this movement wants to stay bipartisan and focused on clean government, it needs to avoid supporting corrupt politicians such as McCain, who was one of the Keating Five, has hired criminals to be in charge of his Presidential campaign, and supports the surge. Likewise, it needs to avoid corrupt Democrats such as Blagojevich and William Jefferson.

Hold on, Boomer...

jamesmcook on December 22, 2024 - 11:22am

Boomer, you have assumed that you need to be a Democrat in order to have a problem with the Republicans. That's certainly not true. I am not and never have been a Democrat, and it is perfectly clear to me that the Republicans have been the major source of problems in this country over the past six years. It's not a partisan thing; it's a substantively-informed judgment thing.

Are you saying that people who want to make substantively-informed judgments should refrain from visiting Unity08, so long as those judgments lead them to the conclusion that the current party in power is more to blame for the country's problems than the party that's been out of power?

I'm not trying to put words in your mouth -- but this is how I interpret your comment. Please clarify.

========
Jim Cook
Irregular Times
http://irregulartimes.com

reionos comments

MFV on December 22, 2024 - 2:22pm

Jim: If I made it sound like only democrats can have problems with the republicans that was not my intent. I voted for Bush twice and I think he has done a poor job as President, in fact I have criticized him more than once on this blog. I based my statement about reino being a true blue democrat after reading all of his comments. And like I said that is great that is what makes America a democracy. I should have not assumed one way or the other on hir,her or anyones political affilliation. I need to be careful in the future.

A Sooner Independent

WE HAVE ALREADY WON ??? WON WHAT ???

popo on December 22, 2024 - 10:22am

REino, get real : The Only Thing Bipartisan In This Government WAS INCOMPETENCE AND CORRUPTION .. and if you don't understand that - you will be part of the problem - not the solution ..

In a sincere effort to help you individually and the cause of Unity08, I urge you to check the postings on my Blog, www.popopete.com, take the time to scroll through some postings - when you hit ones that RING BELLS read them with a mindset based on the Stated Goal of Untity08 "To Take Back Our Country" ..

If you will do that - and still think WE'VE WON Anything, I will be both surprised and disappointed !!

If you can then agree with me : Support My Effort To Get Unity08 To Support My Petition To The United States Supreme Court !!

On the other hand, if you can offer a better remedy than mine, I'll sure consider it as a potential option .. DO IT SOON BECAUSE WE'RE LOSING VALUABLE TIME !!

Citizen Evans of Boynton Beach, Florida

Email popopete@hotmail.com

Honesty

reino on December 23, 2024 - 9:20am

Speaker-to-be Pelosi has already kicked Jefferson off the Ways and Means Committee, and the Dems are in the process of suspending earmarks.

Contrast that with the party that elected DeLay as Majority Leader and allowed Ney to stay in charge of a Committee and keep his seat after there was proof he was accepting bribes. There is no comparison.

I refuse to support Gingrich, the man who called for Clinton's impeachment while getting some on the side from his secretary, leading to divorce #2. Gingrich was in charge of Congress when Abramoff and friends were rising in power, and Gingrich did nothing about it. He talks the talk, but unfortunately for him he has a record.

I see gloominess about our future

Ayesha Haqqiqa on December 10, 2024 - 3:19pm

on other sites I frequent. There are many who share the view that the Democrats better get it right or it is their last chance. I think it is very important that we endorse candidates who are willing to cut away the entire culture of corruption when it comes to lobbying and lobbyists. Personally, I'd like to see something along these lines: no one is allowed to be paid to be a lobbyist. First access to a congressperson's office should be people residig in their district. I'd like to see teleconferences/webcasts initiated where people interested in a given topic could communicate directly with their senator or representative without having to undergo the expense of travelling to Washington. These conferences could be set up at libraries or schools so those without internet service or phone service at home could take part. Perhaps it would be good to even legislate a requirement that so many meetings with constituents must be made before a congressperson could vote on a bill. It would require more emphasis on what is actually put before the House and Senate and would make it so that more citizens could get invovled.

Gloominess ??!!

popo on December 22, 2024 - 11:05am

AYESHA - You Don't Understand, These Are Exciting & Challenging Times - The Whole World Is Experiencing Growing Pains, and we have a chance to play Mentor ..

The cure for your Gloominess (and for other sufferers) - is understanding the core issues and recognizing/supporting Real & Practical Remedies .. Let me try to help you right now ..

The Current Core Issues Are : Political Incompetence & Corruption !!

The Real & Practical Remedies Are ...

Step # 1. Click On www.popopete.com, Read/Digest The Information regarding a Petition I Submitted To Chief Justice Roberts Of The United States Supreme Court Date October 1 2024 (Scroll Back To A Posting Of Feb 4 2024) .. Consider the validity of the grievances/charges AND the Real & Practical Nature Of The Remedy !!

Step # 2. Get Rid Of The Gloominess & Start Working With Me To Get Unity08 To Support My Petition !!

Ayesha, this I promise you, if you will make the effort to scroll through my Blog and understand what my postings say : It Will Give You A Whole New Outlook on The Possibilities This Nation has for the Future - If We Elect And Supervise Politicians Who Believe Passionately In Our Form Of Government AND - have Demonstrated In Their Careers : Wisdom, Dedication & Integrity !!

Cast the Gloom aside and make it A Loving Christmas & Productive New Year !!

Citizen Evans of Boynton Beach, Florida

Email popoppete@hotmail.com

NYT Editorial

GEA on December 9, 2024 - 10:14pm

The NYT is just saying to expect the same as always, greed to rule. It is time for a major change. We in Pa are trying to clean sweep the whole lot of our elected ranks. In just a few years we have turned out a bunch of self-indulgent inscumbents. More to come.

Yes, but...

Mark Greene on December 5, 2024 - 2:04pm

Pelosi's & the Dems' reforms are great as far as they go, which isn't very. Certainly we must pass it, and as Jack suggests, failure at fulfilling such a basic expectation of the voters could be catastrophic, as would Murtha's and others' attempts to water it down.

It is important to recognize that these so-called "reforms" are really quite basic, and only shed the light of day on the practices and players. They don't actually eliminate any mafeasance, unspoken quid pro quo, etc. And as long as campaigns are privately funded and lobbyists have the capability to aggregate campaign funds on behalf of their preferred incumbents, the payback will be there.

The Dems' weak ethics reform is a good start to establishing credibility. Real effectiveness will only be accomplished through aggressive campaign finance reform leading toward the full public financing of federal campaigns.

Mark Greene
Texas Democrat in the Middle

Nuff said

smhiott on December 18, 2024 - 4:42pm

Sounds about right

You have a second

MFV on December 9, 2024 - 8:20pm

The title of my post speaks for itself.

A Sooner Independent

If the Dems fail to pass

jlohman on December 5, 2024 - 10:53am

If the Dems fail to pass meaningful reforms, they are history. Here is an editorial from the NY Times:

The New York Times Editorial
Is the New Congress to Be Believed?
December 3, 2024

Well before Election Day, the smart-money lobbyists of K Street were already shifting campaign donations to safe Democratic incumbents, greasing access to the next Congressional majority. That should be warning enough to the incoming speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, and Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, to deliver quickly and credibly on their campaign vows to attack the corrupt, quid-pro-quo culture that besotted the Republican-controlled Capitol.

Yet even before the new Congress arrives, there is disquieting talk of advance compromises on what will be done -- or not done. It's fortunate the incoming members will be in the Capitol this week, preparing for January and, not incidentally, observing the lame-duck finale of the Congress that failed on this vital issue.

There will be only one good chance to get this right. Once the new year begins, any feeling of urgency will fade, replaced by a determination to acquire, and protect, whatever power and turf are available. At a minimum, the reforms must include:

Creation of a public integrity office to do more than merely audit lobbyists' filings. If Congress is to regain the public's respect, both houses must create an independent office to investigate the behavioral lapses of lawmakers themselves, not just their sycophants. Anything less, and the ethics issue falls back into the lap of the moribund internal policing machinery that has long protected wayward members.

An enforceable ban, with penalties, on all meals, gifts and travel -- not just from lobbyists, but also from the organizations that hire them. The ban should cover staff members as well. Privately financed ''fact-finding'' junkets should at long last be banned, along with lawmakers' riding as fat cats' chattel on corporate jets for token fares.

Restraints on the revolving-door horde of Congressional alumni turned backslapping lobbyists. Former lawmakers should be required to wait two years, not one, before cashing in on their nice-to-see-you cachet. No lobbyists, even former members, should have access to the floor, gym or cloakroom of either house. If a sitting member of Congress or a staff member starts negotiating for a job in the private sector, he or she should be required to disclose it. The public cannot be expected to tolerate replays of the low moment when architects of the new Medicare drug subsidy plan were secretly working to land lucrative jobs in the pharmaceutical industry while they devised the legislation.

Detailed disclosure of costly and undebated ''earmarks'' -- amendments passed as pork-barrel favors to backdoor pleaders. The secretive spending and midnight conference games should be brought into the sunlight via Internet technology. Transparency will not stop lawmakers from trying to get funding for pet projects back home. But it might at least discourage them from doing the same thing on behalf of special interest lobbyists.

The new Congress must realize the ethics issue will test its mettle in the opening hours, and signal if real change is possible. A field general of the incoming majority, Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, is already warning that failure to deliver on ethics reform will be ''devastating to our standing'' in the very first moment of Democratic power.

He is absolutely right.

Jack Lohman
www.ThrowTheRascalsOut.org

REFORM LOBBYING - A CONTRADICTION OF MEANING !

popo on December 22, 2024 - 2:27pm

AM I THE ONLY PERSON THAT BELIEVES - by Virtue Of THE DECLARTION OF INDEPENDENCE, THE CONSTITUTION & BILL OF RIGHTS - ONLY WE THE PEOPLE SHOULD POSESS THE RIGHT TO LOBBY CONGRESS ??!!

WE ARE THE SOVEREIGN POWER - THE ONLY INSTITUTION WITH THE RIGHT TO GRANT CONCESSIONS AFFECTING OUR LIVES, LIBERTY & PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS !!

The Affects Lobbying Has Had Upon Our Lives, Liberties & Pursuit Of Happiness - Have Been Disastrous .. It Has Caused Members To Prostitute Themselves and Destroyed Reputations & Families - It has Resulted In The Perversion Of Our Constitution & Bill Of Rights !!

By Law - Congress Had No Right To Grant Special Access To Paid Agents of Domestic and/or Foreign Entities : Without Public Hearings & Consent Of A Voter Majority !

IT'S TIME TO SEND A STRONG MESSAGE TO THE POLITICIANS OF THIS COUNTRY & THIS IS A GOOD PLACE TO BEGIN ..

WE WANT A LAW PASSED "OUTLAWING LOBBYING BY PAID AGENTS OF PRIVATE INTERESTS - DOMESTIC & FOREIGN" and we want it Passed Now !!

NEXT WE NEED TO DEMAND THE DRAFTING & PASSAGE OF LAWS BY NOVEMBER 2024 THAT GUARANTEE ..

Those In Office & Those Seeking Office Are :

1. Subject to the same Rules Of Law As The Rest Of Us !

2. Bound By Formal Employment Contracts Containing : Job Descriptions, Required Standards of Conduct & Performance, Plus Regulations Regarding Termination !

WE'D BETTER START RIGHT NOW BY SENDING A UNITY08 MESSAGE TO SENATOR PELOSI (With A Copy To The Media) UNITY08 WANTS LOBBYING BY PAID AGENTS ENDED NOT REFORMED !! that will be like throwing a fox in the Hen House WE WILL ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH - Create Controversy, Draw Attention To Our Organization And Our Cause !!

If we're just going to sit around debating each other - 08 will be here before you know it - and we'll still be debating or out of business.

Damn it let's start stirring things up - faint heart never won fair maiden.

Citizen Evans of Boynton Beach, Florida

www.popopete.com
Email popopete@hotmail.com

NYT Editorial

MFV on December 9, 2024 - 8:14pm

I cannot believe my eyes, this coming from an Northeastern newspaper. I only wish the new congress would do the things the writer outlined. It is a sad commentary on American government to know that the most productive work of a congress must happen in the first two or three months of a new session. As we know after this as the writer of the editorial pointed out the sense of urgency for the good of the nation gives way to power acquisition. As my old govt prof told my class years ago. " Politics, the pursuit of power."

A Sooner Independent

Unity08. A people's movement to take our country back.

Speaker-elect Pelosi's lobbying reform