Kerry Unrolls Blueprint For Strict Lobbying Rules

[DrFunkenstein]

Kerry Vows to Crack Down on Lobbying

CONCORD, N.H. - Unrolling the blueprint for his first 100 days as president, Democrat John Kerry says he would enact tight restrictions on lobbying.

In a speech prepared for delivery Friday, Kerry said he would issue an executive order requiring officials in his administration to wait five years after leaving office before lobbying government agencies. President Clinton issued such an order in 1992 but revoked it weeks before leaving office in 2000.

Now, most government officials must wait one year before lobbying their former agencies. Likewise, members of Congress can't lobby former colleagues for one year. But Kerry says President Bush has abused the system.

"We will end the sorry spectacle of George Bush's campaign manager selling access for contracts to rebuild Iraq," Kerry says in an excerpt of his address at Concord High School. Joe Allbaugh, Bush's campaign manager in 2000, heads a firm created to help clients take advantage of business opportunities in Iraq.

Kerry also proposes making public all meetings between lobbyists and government officials as well as any "special interest deals" inserted into legislation.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031121/ap_on_el_pr/kerry_2

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[La_Serpiente]

1. Sounds like a good idea to me

nothing wrong with that :-)

[cosmicdot]

2. I wouldn't mind if lobbyists became history

if Congress needs info ... they can have hearings ... and call in people to testify

How many quasi-branches of the gov't do we need?

Open up K Street to more restaurants!

[aquart]

3. Sounds great. How will he make it happen?

[La_Serpiente]

4. Sign an

executive order. That's it.

[blm]

16. Yes...this is perfect for an executive order.

Then if the GOP tries to overturn it they would be exposing themselves as vultures, publicly. heheh.

[DrFunkenstein]

5. Kerry Would Slash Government Pork, Too

"We must also take a hard look at federal spending. We simply can’t afford to keep wasting money on the wrong things.

It won’t be easy. The special interests will stop at nothing to keep their special deals. That’s why I’ve joined John McCain in calling for a “Corporate Subsidy Reform Commission” modeled after the military base-closing commission. A bipartisan group would recommend corporate subsidies to be eliminated and Congress would have to vote up or down on the entire package."

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2002_1203.html

[shance]

6. Kerrys doing some good stuff these days****

This is a great idea.

[HFishbine]

7. This is the kind of stuff

that originally attracted me to Kerry (and which got lost in his Dean bashing). OUght to copy it to the GD forum too.

[sandnsea]

8. This will change Washington

Real policies that really make a difference. That's what drew me to Kerry in the first place, when you look below the surface, there's real Democratic values and real solutions. He really is the real deal guys.

[w4rma]

9. Good plan (n/t)

[Monte Carlo]

10. Wow, Kerry's campaign has taken a massive swing for the better recently...

... ever since Cahill took over for Jordan managing it. He's been announcing bold steps and visions instead of just bashing Dean all the time. Kudos, Mr. Kerry.

[sandnsea]

13. It's always been there

It's just that it's usually been in such detail that people wouldn't read it. She's getting things out in small portions and it's helping alot. Plus the newspapers are actually reporting something besides 3 words about Dean and ignoring the other 3000 words he said.

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. I am so sick of

lobbyists.

It's time for separation of business and state.

[George_Bonanza]

12. Everybody admits this will change Washington, then?

Then why are some people still stuck with the image of boring do-nothing Kerry? He has laid plan after plan of how he's going to change America for the better, yet it gets forgotten in the mass of the "Dean Revolution". I guess some people are just forever bound to hate Kerry. He foregoes the debate to filibuster the Medicare bill... Political move. He helps out children... Political move. He takes a picture with his wife... Political move.

[sandnsea]

14. Some people don't need this help

As far as I can see; whether a health care plan passes or what it will really provide, what kind of college tuition program is put in place, will affirmative action be advocated; alot of people don't need this so they really don't care to worry about the details. Write a check and start a Revolution against Bush.

[DrFunkenstein]

15. Did I Mention Kerry Never Accepted PAC Or "Soft Money?"

Not bad for 18 years in Congress. Campaigning the hard way has meant that he hasn't had to kiss lobbyist ass the whole time. He also pushed hard with Paul Wellstone to put in public financing at the federal level.

I wonder if this has anything to do with his amazing environmental record?

[JohnKleeb]

17. Good for Kerry

Although that figure in the background is freaking me out :) but Kerry's message is good. I am glad too that he mentioned how Bush's buddies take advantage of the situation over there.

[DrFunkenstein]

18. I've Seen A Cat Without A Smile

But never a smile without a cat!;-)