Obama Wants More Congressional Openness

[babylonsister]

Obama Wants More Congressional Openness
By David Nather, CQ Staff


Presidential candidate Barack Obama outlined a broad plan to “reform the greed and excesses of Washington” Monday, calling for a series of changes in the way Congress does business.

It’s not clear whether Democratic leaders in Congress are willing to go along with what their party’s nominee is suggesting.

The plan goes well beyond a simple response to the financial meltdown that has become Washington’s top priority.

It would require Congress, among other things, to hold all conference committee meetings and committee markups in public and spell out who benefits from all tax breaks in all new tax bills — in keeping with the open-government theme the Democratic presidential nominee has championed throughout his campaign.

“As president, I will make it impossible for congressmen or lobbyists to slip pork-barrel projects or corporate welfare into laws when no one is looking because when I am president, meetings where laws are written will be more open to the public. No more secrecy,” the Illinois senator said as he outlined the plan at a campaign speech in Green Bay, Wis.

“When there is a tax bill being debated in Congress, you will know the names of the corporations that would benefit and how much money they would get,” Obama said. “And we will put every corporate tax break and every pork-barrel project online for every American to see. You will know who asked for them and you can cast your vote accordingly.”

more...

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002957109

[gateley]

1. Can you imagine? A government BY the people? Wow. nt

[babylonsister]

2. No, after the past 8 years, I can't even imagine, but I'd like to.

:hi: