Sen. Dems declined to support legislation Obama to reform lobbying

[RSchewe]

Dems cool on Obama bill

Senate Democrats have declined to support legislation proposed by Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) to reform lobbying, even though he is their point man on the issue.

Good-government groups have made enforcement of the ethics and lobbying rules their top priority, and they consider Obama’s proposal the strongest means of enforcement. But lawmakers appear to view the medicine as too strong.

(...)

But as enthusiastic as Obama’s Democratic colleagues are about him as a party leader, they are decidedly unexcited about his proposal.

“I think, understandably, my colleagues are concerned about the possibility of an independent commission being used to politicize ethics issues,” Obama said in an interview.

Specifically, Obama has proposed setting up a congressional ethics-enforcement commission staffed with former judges and former members of Congress to investigate possible violations of lobbying and ethics rules. The findings of the commission would be presented to the Senate Ethics Committee, which would retain the power to impose penalties.

(...)

“Real reform is hard to do because people are happy with the status quo,” Surrusco said. “If they can get by with something that is wishy-washy, they will.”

Meredith McGehee, a lobbyist with the Campaign Legal Center, another group pushing reform, said lawmakers are “scared to death” of any proposal that would empower an independent entity to investigate violations of ethics rules.

The Campaign Legal Center generally supports Obama’s proposal but is concentrating its effort on the other lobbying reform proposal that good-government groups believe has real teeth. That proposal is sponsored by Reps. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) and Marty Meehan (D-Mass.).

more...

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/022806/news1.html

[RSchewe]

1. That sure didn't take long. I guess they believe the public's attention

span has finally expired on this issue. Reality has now arrived in Congress and the fake show from a few weeks back has been shown to be the act that it was.

Back to business as usual.


You know it is bad when even these WEAK reform proposals have failed.

[xchrom]

2. they are afraid of wekening their position vs the repukes.

that i can't blame them for -- and i'm not shy from critisizing dems when i think they're wrong.

i just don't think they're wrong in this case.

[RSchewe]

3. Weakening their position? I did not know they had any strength in the one

they currently have.

If this is the case, they should have not bothered with the dog and pony show the other day and saved us the fake ethical stance.

[xchrom]

7. what ever.

[ripple]

4. They're handing it to McCain

on a silver platter. This is bullshit.

[mattclearing]

5. Dunno if Obama's proposal is the best idea.

Having a bunch of former insiders look into ethics? Reminds me of the 9/11 commission, and we see how that turned out.

Probably better than what McCain is selling, but not a solution.

[warrens]

6. The real issue is the flood of millionaires running for office

People like Obama and Durbin have no wealth of their own, only the power of incumbancy. While Obama and Durbin are willing to make fundraising harder for themselves, a lot of their equally unwealthy peers are not. It takes millions of dollars to run a Senate campaign, and it's probable that any campaign is going to commit technical violations of any ethics law.

The only solution I can think of is total public funding of elections.