Barack Obama Proposes Ethics Reform Plan Today in NH

[flpoljunkie]

MANCHESTER, N.H. - Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama on Tuesday proposed centralizing and expanding the regulation of lobbyists to reduce the influence of special interest money in Washington.

Obama unveiled his plan at a voter roundtable at a restaurant here. It would create a central database giving the public access to lobbying reports, ethics records and campaign finance filings. It would also expand lobbying disclosure rules to include lobbyists seeking government contracts and presidential pardons, and enforce congressional lobbying laws and ethics rules through an independent entity.

Government contractors would be required to report money spent on lobbying and campaign contributions.

"It's no secret that most Americans think the country is on the wrong track," Obama said in a press statement. "But the reason isn't just failed policies. It's a system in Washington that has failed the American people. A system that has not kept the most fundamental trust of American democracy: that our government is of the people, and that it must govern for all the people not just the interests of the wealthy and well-connected."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070904/ap_on_el_pr/obama_ethics_4;_ylt=AnXHKVMjRxeEELkt9ACLyjRsaMYA

[AlinPA]

1. Andrew Jackson ran on this issue. Republican corruption was terrible at the time.

It started the Demococratic party which has changed over time.

[rinsd]

2. This is his bread and butter and I am glad he is getting back to it.

I've been saying for weeks that government reform/transparency is an issue the Obama simply OWNS and he should center his campaign around it.

[BeyondGeography]

3. He's already winning "The Purity Primary"; this will only add to his advantage

plus it will help counter those who claim to see no difference between Obama's record and Clinton's.

For more:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/21/AR2007082101420.html

[rinsd]

4. Obama deserves alot of credit for his transparency (nt)