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Pelosi proposes act where no house member may accept gift of any value from lobbyists
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| occrider |
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Nancy Pelosi's tough new rules
Tuesday, October 31, 2006 | 11:28 AM ET
By Henry Champ
If, as many of the experts and polls are saying, the Democrats win the House of Representatives, then it follows that the loftily titled Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2006 should pass, at least in the House.
After all, the public is fed up with congressional ethics, or perhaps more to the point, the lack of such ethics. In every poll or focus group, at every town hall meeting or rally throughout this campaign, there have been calls for reform.
The act is a tough document, authored by Nancy Pelosi, the San Francisco-area congresswomen who has been the Democratic House leader since 2002. She will likely be the House Speaker if the Democrats win next Tuesday.
Here are some of the new rules Pelosi wants:
No House member may accept any gift of any value from lobbyists, or any firm or association that hires lobbyists.
No free travel, which means an end to the corporate jet line every Friday at Reagan National Airport.
No free tickets to Redskins games; or no meals of any value, even at a McDonalds; no front-row seats at entertainment venues. No, no and no.
Temptations resisted
To reduce temptations to cheat, Pelosi's bill attacks the usefulness of members to richly endowed lobbyists.
House members will no longer be able to slip in special-interest projects on unrelated legislation. Such measures will no longer be allowed on a bill once negotiations between the Senate and House are complete.
Further, all bills will be made available to the public a full 24 hours before a final vote; presumably this gives watchdog groups a chance to flag any skullduggery.
Under the Pelosi rules, lobbyists will no longer be able to use the House gym (you'd be surprised how much gets negotiated in a sauna). Lobbyists will no longer be allowed onto the House floor or to use the cloakrooms just off the floor, preventing last-minute arm-twisting.
What's more, no member or staffer will be able to negotiate for employment in the public sector without disclosing such contacts to the House Ethics Committee, and within three days of such contact being made.
Finally, all of this will be audited and investigated by a new Office of Public Integrity, and that office reports, directly and only, to the U.S. Attorneys Office.
At this point, you'd be entitled to ask, "heard this before, what makes you think it will be accepted by Congress?"
Can it work?
No doubt there will be attempts to water down some of these new regulations. In fact, many of these proposals have been in other bills that have been defeated in the recent past.
But several key congressional experts tell CBC News that Pelosi means business and might just be able to push this through. They put it this way.
Pelosi and the congressional Democratic leadership are not likely to get much credit simply for gaining control of the House.
Conventional wisdom already sees such a victory, should it happen, first and foremost as a repudiation of the Bush administration and the Republicans.
This Honest Leadership and Open Government Act is a way of hitting the bricks running. Plus, it could be enormously popular with voters of all persuasions.
They point out Pelosi herself has little national profile and wants quickly to paint some bold strokes. She promises the act will be the first legislation tackled if she leads a new Congress.
Also, Pelosi can and will extract promises of support from those getting leadership positions and plush committee chairmanships and the like.
These new rules will apply in the House as soon as they are passed by simple majority.
The Senate has different rules, but for Republicans and Democrats there, the pressure to comply with the Pelosi standards will be huge.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/reportsfroma..._new_rules.html
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Dammit I'm starting to become impressed. Transparency and accountability in our government proposed by the legislature??? FFS the last time I saw such a thing was 1994. If these are the San Francisco values republicans are so afraid of I have to say bring on the gayness. |
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| Shakka |
I don't know who could say no to that bill, though it should be funny to see that debate, watching representatives from all sides protesting for their perks. I might give back the free travel one--for business purposes only. Certainly not for personal use, though.
The real question is how will it be enforced? |
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| occrider |
| quote: | Originally posted by Shakka
The real question is how will it be enforced? |
I edited my original post to bold and bring forth some salient points I missed the first time ;)
| quote: |
Finally, all of this will be audited and investigated by a new Office of Public Integrity, and that office reports, directly and only, to the U.S. Attorneys Office. |
Seriously ... initially very impressed with Pelosi. |
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| Shakka |
Excellent! So what's it going to take to pass and more importantly, what's it going to cost? Lastly, who's gonna want to be a politician if this passes? No more perks???
| quote: | Originally posted by occrider
Seriously ... initially very impressed with Pelosi. |
You're falling into her carefully spun web of deception!!:toothless |
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| Marc Summers |
How can they control that?
It's not like lobbying is official, beside giving donations to the fund, or campaign.
From what I've experienced, Lobbying is all about lunch. And during lunch, they remind the official that their interest group gave them money during some campaign. It's all about reminding them about the last time they gave money. Free lunch, though! :D |
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| pmoisse |
| quote: | Originally posted by Marc Summers
How can they control that?
It's not like lobbying is official, beside giving donations to the fund, or campaign.
From what I've experienced, Lobbying is all about lunch. And during lunch, they remind the official that their interest group gave them money during some campaign. It's all about reminding them about the last time they gave money. Free lunch, though! :D |
I think that they could control it (to some degree) through use of individual IRS records audits, offical campaign/party financing audits and other such measures.
Regardless of the "how", even if they do a little bit at first, it's a step in the right direction. Spending tens of billions of dollars on the campaigns alone is unnecessary. Legislating and regulating the use of TV ads would go a long way in reducing the need to whore yourself for more money too.
This is also going to force Bush's hand in terms of him using a veto or not. Him using a veto could be viewed as condoning the corruption and the excessive lobbying influence that is currently in effect.
They would also have to perform more strict audits of lobby firms and restrict what they are able to do when meeting with their political contacts. There is always a financial fingerprint. You just have to find it.
If they can get this ball rolling, and a few lunches courtesy of lobbyists would be the least of anyone's worries.
Paul |
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| OurManFlint |
| Wait. So all of that was/is allowed to happen? Politicians accepting gifts from lobbyists? Passing this seems like such common sense to end any kind of monetary influence over the laws being made. That makes me think about what has happened in congress as the result of gifts, and who has benifited greatfully. |
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| josh4 |
| good. after all the scandals lately i dont see how many people could strongly oppose this |
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| Marc Summers |
| quote: | Originally posted by OurManFlint
Wait. So all of that was/is allowed to happen? Politicians accepting gifts from lobbyists? Passing this seems like such common sense to end any kind of monetary influence over the laws being made. That makes me think about what has happened in congress as the result of gifts, and who has benifited greatfully. |
Yeah, they do it so the politicians will support any bills or laws that their interest group pushes for. |
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| occrider |
| quote: | Originally posted by Shakka
Excellent! So what's it going to take to pass and more importantly, what's it going to cost? Lastly, who's gonna want to be a politician if this passes? No more perks???
You're falling into her carefully spun web of deception!!:toothless |
Notice I said I was initially impressed ;). Don't think I didn't notice that the date on the article was before the election. I will be extremely disappointed if there's no follow through on this. |
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| Clovis |
| I bet some of her peers are talking mad in private! |
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