GOP has a plan to restrain lobbying

[Deja Q]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/01/18/MNG9IGP0IF1.DTL

Rules also would limit acceptance of gifts by lawmakers


Washington -- Republican congressional leaders, stung by charges of corruption and worried that influence-peddling scandals could hurt the party in November's elections, announced proposals they say will rein in lobbyists and check unscrupulous lawmakers.

The package is not finished, but GOP leaders said the party probably will attempt to ban lawmakers from accepting privately funded travel, more strictly limit gifts to members of Congress and their staffs, and force greater disclosure of lobbying activities.

The legislation also is expected to require lawmakers and senior staff members to wait two years after leaving office before they can lobby Congress, double the current waiting period.

Article has more, but hasn't the GOP slammed down initiatives in the past to reform lobbying?

[Lerkfish]

1. its a preemptive strike...they wanted THEIR version of "reform" before

the dems got a real reform version in.
They make this version, they know where the loopholes are built in.

[quaoar]

2. Maybe they should call it No Lobbyist Left Behind

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/17/AR2006011701311.html

Loophole in Lobbying Bill Leaves Wiggle Room

By Jeffrey H. Birnbaum
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 18, 2006; Page A04

Lawmakers are about to bombard the American public with proposals that would crack down on lobbyists. Several prominent plans, including one outlined yesterday by House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), would specifically ban meals and privately paid travel for lawmakers.

Or would they?

According to lobbyists and ethics experts, even if Hastert's proposal is enacted, members of Congress and their staffs could still travel the world on an interest group's expense and eat steak on a lobbyist's account at the priciest restaurants in Washington.

The only requirement would be that whenever a lobbyist pays the bill, he or she must also hand the lawmaker a campaign contribution. Then the transaction would be perfectly okay.

[Inland]

3. All these rules enforced by House Ethics committee, tied up by repugs

The ethics committee enforces rules, and the repugs have tied it in partisan knots.


There could be a rule against being under seven feet tall and not a single house memeber would be punished for it, because there's no mechanism for enforcment.

[liberal N proud]

4. This is a ploy similar to giving the money they took back

make it look like they are for reform.
They will make a few minor adjustment in some rules and call it reform and continue to do business as usual.
Do you really expect them to give up their lavish life style supported by the lobbyist? I don't think so.

[ComerPerro]

6. I'm guessing that their reforms will result

in groups like Greenpeace, PETA, and the ACLU having less power and pull, while corporations will still be able to lobby all they want.

[Kansas Wyatt]

9. Attack, Attack, Attack: 'Elite Liberal Lobbyists who are...

Trying to destroy any poor corporation's only voice, for their survival.':sarcasm:

[ComerPerro]

11. Free market, coporations are exercising free speech when they give money

and so on and so on...

[no_hypocrisy]

5. Their idea of lobbying reform is not to get caught in the future.

[bridgit]

7. hastert has been watching this coming down the pike for well over...

a year = whatever, this is the result of the republicans allowing scum like delay to setup 'the k street project', an idiot's idea from the git-go.

it's too late for hastert, this is what republicans do, this is their culture of corruption & cronyism. they have been in charge of everything for the last four years, and much of the shit that has occurred in the last decade.

it is well past time for the republican party to take their own fall.

[underpants]

8. K-Street project K-Street project K-Street project K-Street project

I heard Barrack mention it on CNN this morning. Every time any of this is talked about the Dems need to get "K-Street project" out there so people can at least know about it and look it up for themselves.

[Hubert Flottz]

10. The GOP will fix this like they fix everything else!

They will keep on doing what they are doing, but they will LIE ABOUT IT! And Wolf, Timmy and Tweety, will swear to the lies, as being the gospel truth.