"Time to Put Curbs on Lobbying"

[GreenPartyVoter]

Each year, for the last 12 years, I travel to all 72 counties in Wisconsin and hold a listening session. Anyone is welcome to attend these open meetings -- you don't need to give me a campaign contribution or buy me a meal. Attendees are there to let me know what's on their mind.

This is what lobbying should be about -- ordinary people meeting with their elected representatives to ask questions and throw out ideas.

Unfortunately, this is not what most lobbying looks like in Washington, D.C. In the last six months, we have seen stories of lobbyists funding international junkets for members, which include days on famous golf courses and nights in luxurious resorts. And we have heard reports of lobbyists providing members with free access to their companies' or clients' corporate jets.

I have devoted a great deal of time to reforming our campaign finance laws so as to reduce the influence of special interests and return some measure of power to the American people. But campaign contributions are only part of the story. According to the Center for Public Integrity, lobbying expenditures in 2003-04 totaled $5.4 billion -- twice what candidates spent running for federal office.

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0726-24.htm

[Deja Q]

1. In a civilized society, it wouldn't have been allowed to start...

never mind continue to the outrageous lengths these days... and the politicians are so deep in their power, they're not going to change a thing. The "contributions" help them too much.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Agreed. Unfortunately it is here and now we have to root it out. Fetch

the biggest roto-router you can find!!

[annabanana]

2. to tell you the truth..

I had forgotten what it actually means to lobby your representative. For so long it's been the purview of the "pay to play" crowd.

I think that money should be absolutely removed from the equation. Otherwise it's just a fancy name for bribery.

[Robbien]

4. Universities are being forced to hire lobbyists to get access

to public officials. Norquist's K Street Program. Pay for Play.

Every company had to hire a lobbyist and now they are forcing public schools to do the same.

We are not in Kansas any more.