Obama's five step plan on ethics

[illinoisprogressive]

Obama strayed from the stump speech today, unveiling a “five-step” plan to end what he called the emergence of a "second Gilded Age in America" in a Manchester, N.H. speech centered on government reform.His plan: A permanent “doorstop” on lobbyists; End no-bid contracts; Ban lobbyist gifts; Pick an administration not based on partisan politics; Return government to the people.

Obama set up the plan by blasting the Bush Administration for what he called Industrial Revolution-era-like big business and corruption and compared himself to Teddy Roosevelt. Speaking to an audience in the cafeteria at New Hampshire's Community Technology College, Obama received polite applause -- a reaction quite different from the usual loud cheers at his rallies and town hall meetings.

"We need a president who sees government not as a tool to enrich well-connected friends and high-priced lobbyists, but as the defender of fairness and opportunity for every American," Obama said. "That's what this country has always been about, and that's the kind of President I intend to be."

Obama attacked Bush and his Administration’s failure to implement systems for health care, energy independence, and education, saying lobbyists in these industries had a heavy hand in influencing legislation.

"Billions of no-bid, no-strings-attached contracts have been handed out in New Orleans and Iraq and at Walter Reed Medical Center on the sole basis of who you know and the favors you've done,” Obama said, “and yet we're somehow surprised when the families in the Ninth Ward are still living in trailers, or our soldiers don't have the body armor they need, or our veterans are forced to come home to squalor and neglect."

The five-step ethics reform plan, Obama said, promises to "make the White House the people's house and send the Washington lobbyists back to K Street."

To read the five points go to this link:
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/06/22/233649.aspx

[MichiganVote]

1. Teddy R. wasn't exactly a complete bleeding heart.

[papau]

2. I like the speech and the thoughts - but why did NBC see crowd "polite applause" as a problem? - its

New England for goodness sake.

Getting loud emotion and cheers requires outsiders in the crowd.

[jefferson_dem]

3. Great message and great presentation by Obama.

By the way, text and video of the speech is on his site - http://origin.barackobama.com/issues/corruption/

[mckeown1128]

4. A great post as usual Illinois.

Kick and rec.

[Ethelk2044]

5. I watched it. It was a very good speech.