This is what I'm talking about !!! (pic)

[sabra]

Senator Harry Reid, center, said the Democrats' plans for a lobbying overhaul unveiled today far exceed new Republican proposals.

[Swamp Rat]

1. kick!

:kick:

[Catherine Vincent]

2. I like that picture.

Where was Hillary, btw?

[patrice]

10. Me too. I like the look on Barak Obama's face.

Calm. Serious.

[SupplyConcerns]

20. Yeah, but what is he doing with his arms?

I hope they just caught him reaching for something, and that he wasn't spending any length of time with his arms all wrapped around himself.

[patrice]

26. I cross my arms when I'm excited/nervous. Helps me center.

Probably shouldn't, though, because it looks defensive.

[Clark2008]

11. At the plantation?

:shrug:

Sorry - I was being snarky. :hi:

[FreedomAngel82]

52. I didn't see her there either

I believe Kerry is still in the mid east isn't he?

[savemefromdumbya]

3. Honest government please

not banana republican plantation

[CottonBear]

4. Honest Leadership-Open Government! Go Senator Reid! n/t

[mindfulNJ]

5. forgive my ignorance

but who is the woman to the right of Nancy Pelosi?

[TomInTib]

12. Rep Slaughter (D-NY). And that's what she did today. Killed 'em.

[madokie]

18. as she said they don't call me slaughter for nothing

Gotta' love her

[FreedomAngel82]

53. She's one of my favorites!

She kicks ass in the House.

[JerseyGuy]

16. Louise Slaughter

Congresswoman from upstate NY. I never saw her before, but she was great.

[mindfulNJ]

43. Thanks

:)

[FreedomAngel82]

54. If you all haven't with Slaughter

watch her interview on the Washington Journal. She did great. I saw the last half of it this morning and she handled the calls very well. Even the rightwing one.

[patrice]

6. Yay! Everybody!!!

The truth will set you free.

Be brave.

We're with you.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

7. Great Pic! This One's MUCH Better Than The One After The Secret Session

Thanks.

[Dr Fate]

8. Great. Now filibuster Alito. Chew gum and walk. thanx. n/t

n/t

[BuyingThyme]

9. I'm against this crap.

They're watering down the scandals by implying that they have something to do with a lack of legislation.

If they convince people this is a matter of legislation, people will think it's not a matter of corruption.

Extremely poor Dem strategy. They're giving the Republicans an out.

[Lerkfish]

14. my concern as well. It minimizes the crime by implying the law is faulty.

having said that, though, I'm glad they're doing something.

[WhereThereIsFire]

23. Focus should remain on the CRIMES that wer committed.

We can't let the repugnants think they found another loophole to slip through ... this does give them a bit of daylight in the deep dark hole they'd fallen into. MORE emphasis on the CRIMES that were committed ... Al had the RIGHT idea on Monday!! Stick with Al & Tipper. How about a Gore-Obama ticket?

[FreedomAngel82]

55. As Rep Slaughter said

this is only the beginning.

[tex-wyo-dem]

24. I share your concern, however....

the Rethugs successfully got the media discourse to go down the path of "we need to fix the system" instead of "the existing system needs enforced" and "Reps knowingly and repeatedly broke existing laws," so I think the Dems felt it was in their best interest to fight fire with fire. Good strategy if they come out of it looking like the real reformers; very bad strategy if it ends up giving the Reps a PR out.

One thing that won't be watered down no matter how you slice it is the impending indictments on the horizon. Reps are scrambling to put a positive spin on this problem before the earthquake comes that could very well rock their party to its very core.

[BuyingThyme]

29. Yes, if they can look like reformers on an issue that doesn't need reform,

they can get a couple Brownie points.

But it's not going to happen because the Republicans will block the Dem bill while saying the Puke version is tougher. It doesn't matter what's in either bill, won't matter which one is actually "tougher."

All that matters is that this move gives the Republicans an out which has been irreversibly legitimized by bad Dem leadership.

[druidity33]

49. they would have anyway...

The RNC has already begun their "lobbying reform" package and they would have introduced it in the next month or so... but this way the Dems have preempted their proposal. I am trying to be hopeful that the American people will recognize the crimes that have been committed... we all have to keep at them to investigate and prosecute. Visualize a brighter future, then fight for it.

[FreedomAngel82]

56. Go and watch Rep Slaughter on the Washington Journal

from this morning. She laid it all out there.

[bettyellen]

33. uhm, the meme was "culture of corruption" ... wakee wakeee.....

i'm guessing you missed the show.

[BuyingThyme]

39. Nope. It's reform.

[bettyellen]

41. was or is? did you actually see it? because it was about corruption.

republican corruption. loud and clear.

[lumberjack_jeff]

34. Yeah, it should be judges in front of the banner. n/t

[HillDem]

13. Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Reid

Sounds pretty good doesn't it?


Lets make it happen!

[grace0418]

15. Yay! Durbin and Obama are my senators! Look at em there!

Woo-hoo!

[madame defarge]

25. Ditto! Ain't IL great?!!! n/t

[Ernesto]

17. Sure, I'm prejudiced, but Dems ARE better looking than rupukes! n-t

[sabra]

19. LOL, no doubt...

[me b zola]

21. It was a good day!

'No more no bid contracts, no more war profiteering, bring an end to the era of Halliburtin!!'


:applause: :woohoo:

[JuniperLea]

22. Dems far and wide are growing sets!

Revolution, get down!



(Anyone have the lyrics to The BellRays' tune "Revolution Get Down"?)

[Carla in Ca]

27. And, to complete the mission,

this article, courtesy of Hoffmania, shows big loopholes in the Repug offerings. That needs to be played up as well.


What Do The GOP and the NHL Have In Common?
No balls.

They rewrite the rules as a charade, then leave a loophole to minimalize DeLay's crimes. What a big fat fake show.

Loophole in Lobbying Bill Leaves Wiggle Room

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

MORE.

<http://www.hoffmania.com/blog/2006/01/what_do_the_gop.html>

[bpilgrim]

28. added to the Gallery - Vote for your favorites!

http://GLobalFreePress.com

thanks for sharing :toast:

peace

[sabra]

31. sweet!

peace.

[texpatriot2004]

30. "We throw the gauntlet down today!" Rep. Slaughter nm

[AuntiBush]

32. What a Fine Photo of our Stateswomen & Statesmen!

Love the title, "Honest Leadership - Open Government!"

Yup, at Democrats.gov/ where-else!

:thumbusup: And, great photo, too.

[0007]

37. Indeed it is....hope they start punching hard.

[mzmolly]

35. Is this on video anywhere?

:shrug:

I missed it :(

[sabra]

38. It will be on C-Span.com archives some time in the near future...

[mzmolly]

40. Thanks!

I checked to see if they are re-airing but am confused as it looks like they are tonight - for 45 seconds?

[FreedomAngel82]

57. It's at C-span.org

You can see it there and also Rep Slaughter on the Washington Journal. Only sad thing is they're missing the part when they all walk in. :(

[mzmolly]

58. Thanks Freedomangel!

:hi:

[wishlist]

36. Dems esp Obama actually got good coverage on my 5pm ABC network

My local ABC affiliate ran a story about the lobbying quoting Obama saying that Abramoff and k street was a Repub problem and making it clear that Dem plan was much more stringent while Repub allowed more lobbying loopholes.

[Straight Shooter]

42. Dems standing in front of a banner Honest Leadership Open Government

The implication is clear as a bell that what we currently have with the opposition party is dishonest leadership and a secret government.

I don't see any Repubs standing up there in front of the banner, do you? The Dems have hit upon an easy to remember and forceful slogan.

Let the sunshine in.

[Orsino]

44. Lesser of two evils.

End the buying of access by lobbyists, I say. Don't further legalize it.

The government that is bought is no longer "honest," no matter how open.

[ThatsMyBarack]

45. Great photo!

They all seem to be intelligent people. How refreshing!

:beer: <----(rootbeer!)

[Catfight]

46. That's what diversity looks like....repugs look like white male pigs. nt

[Mossadeq]

47. Nice.

Obama and Durbin look like two hitmen waiting for the word to take down the administration.

[bleever]

48. The Democrats look like America. Why do Republicans hate America?

:shrug:

[YOY]

50. If the first black president isn't that man standing to Reid's left then

I'll truly be disappointed with the Democratic party.

[FreedomAngel82]

51. Love it!

This is my new desktop background. :D