Democratic Lobbying Reform Legislation a Sham (1 Viewer)

[blackadder]

The more things change the more they stay the same.

The Republicrats continue to mock us. Loopholes large enough to drive a truck through will end up in legislation purporting to tighten lobbying rules, in order to placate the Israel lobby.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/01/AR2007010100682.html

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica][SIZE=-1]Stop That Spin
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<hr align="left" color="#cccccc" size="1">House Democrats boast that their proposed ethics legislation will ban travel provided by lobbying organizations to lawmakers. Don't believe it.
Maneuvering by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and others has opened a gaping loophole in the bill. Lobbies such as AIPAC and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have their own nonprofit foundations, which will still be allowed to underwrite congressional junkets under the new rules.


Watch for more lobbying groups to set up their own "non-lobbying" foundation affiliates as a result.

http://www.forward.com/articles/pro-israel-activists-block-travel-reform/

http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0.../edition_id/538/format/html/displaystory.html

Business as usual in Washington.

 

[TPS]

Those damn Israelis /beating others to the punch...

TPS

 

[JimEverett]

WASHINGTON - Lawmakers will still be able to hop on a plane and decamp to touristy hot spots on someone else&#8217;s dime. But under new rules coming up for a vote Thursday they will have a lot more explaining to do.

The new rules, unveiled Wednesday, expand current bans on some privately financed trips, prohibit travel on corporate jets and require greater public disclosure of targeted, and often hidden, special interest legislation.

While more restrictive, the new standards rely less on prohibiting behavior than they do on shining more light on how Congress goes about its business

http://news.bostonherald.com/politics/view.bg?articleid=175287

 

[blackadder]

WASHINGTON - Lawmakers will still be able to hop on a plane and decamp to touristy hot spots on someone else’s dime. But under new rules coming up for a vote Thursday they will have a lot more explaining to do.

The new rules, unveiled Wednesday, expand current bans on some privately financed trips, prohibit travel on corporate jets and require greater public disclosure of targeted, and often hidden, special interest legislation.

While more restrictive, the new standards rely less on prohibiting behavior than they do on shining more light on how Congress goes about its business

http://news.bostonherald.com/politics/view.bg?articleid=175287

But this will all be moot due to the loopholes.

Special interests can set up "non-lobbying" non-profit foundations, which will be exempt from these rules. The foundations can then be used to funnel the cash and free travel to politicians.

More of the same old shell game.

 

[JimEverett]

I think it is a really good piece of legislation. It obviously isn;t going to get rid of perks paid for by lobbyists and stuff, but it is going to make it a little bit more difficult.
Plus, I think there is some good coming out of trips paid for by certain groups. For example, I think it is a good thing if the American Institute of Architects flies a congressional delegation to the Netherlands to study city planning and/or levy protection. Of course that is much different from GE, through its non-profit foundation, flying a congressional delegation to Belize for a week-long conference on how to build a better light-bulb.
I mean I guess you could ban everything, but I think we would be a worse government for it.
Plus, I wonder if the reporting requirements are still the same for the non-profit trips. If so, then that helps a lot.

 

[Saint by the Bay]

A lot of this would be resolved by having an external ethics group to watchdog these guys. Currently they are being watched by an internal ethics committee filled with people getting the same perks.

 

[purvis_guy]

This is all for the Dems to say how much they are "cleaning up" Washington, and nothing will change except for how the trips are reported. The Republicans did essentially the same thing, when they first came to power, but found a way around their own rules.
.
And don't you just love how Nancy Pelosi is basically proclaiming herself "Queen of Washington", with all the parties and celeb bashes.

 

[varanook]

Just get rid of lobbyists.
Next problem?

 

[purvis_guy]

Just get rid of lobbyists.
Next problem?

536 congressmen and senators in Washington are now laughing hysterically

 

[varanook]

536 congressmen and senators in Washington are now laughing hysterically

I am sure they are, however I can't see the need for a lobbyist. Anyone that can give me a true legitimate reason, please do. Just seems a lot of corruption results from lobbyists.

 

[Sandman]

I am sure they are, however I can't see the need for a lobbyist. Anyone that can give me a true legitimate reason, please do. Just seems a lot of corruption results from lobbyists.

Article I of the Bill of Rights. Right to petition the government. People have the right to send someone to talk to their representatives to let them know the people's grievances. Is it abused? You bet. But there is a true legitimate reason for it.

 

[varanook]

Article I of the Bill of Rights. Right to petition the government. People have the right to send someone to talk to their representatives to let them know the people's grievances. Is it abused? You bet. But there is a true legitimate reason for it.

Umm, abused isn't the word. But thanks for the answer. I need to hire Billy Jim Bob and his redneck crew to go talk to my senators about my grievances. Think they gonna listen?

 

[Sandman]

Umm, abused isn't the word. But thanks for the answer. I need to hire Billy Jim Bob and his redneck crew to go talk to my senators about my grievances. Think they gonna listen?

Depends on what gifts they bring.

 

[purvis_guy]

Umm, abused isn't the word. But thanks for the answer. I need to hire Billy Jim Bob and his redneck crew to go talk to my senators about my grievances. Think they gonna listen?

If Billy Jim Bob takes them on a golf weekend to Belize, they will.