Campaign Finance Reform Made Easy

Since we are in the middle of a Presidential campaign and fundraising is still going on by both candidates, lets talk about reform:

 

Senator Obama, after securing the Democratic nomination, informed the Democratic National Committee not to accept any campaign contributions from lobbyists or special interest groups --- a good move for the American people and for politics in general.  However, individual Democrats running for office can still accept campaign contributions from those groups and that has to be changed if true reform is to ever be accomplished.  

Senator McCain, the Republican candidate, on the other hand, does receive contributions from lobbyists and special interest groups and has had representatives of those groups on his campaign staff.  

To complete the circle on the Democratic side, every Democrat in Congress should announce that they will not accept any campaign contributions from lobbyists or special interest groups and will use public financing starting now.  No tricks, no gimmicks, no loopholes --- just plain old fashion common sense that no court can strike down and where the people can get an honest shake.  At the same time, the Democrats should announce that those groups will be seen by them on the same basis they see the average taxpayer.  Access to elected officials should be the same for everyone. 

 

The practice of taking trips with special interest groups or using their planes and lodging also has to stop.  If a trip is necessary, it can be taken by the elected official and his aids.  No special interest people allowed.  The average American would not mind the government picking up the tab if the fact finding trip is necessary.

 

Elected officials would tell you this is naive thinking and it would not work.  But of course it would work if elected officials had the backbone and character to stand up and be counted.  It is very simple: stand up for the American people; no legislation and/or debate is required.  The Democrats in Congress should adopt this approach and change the game while letting the Republican brand die with the present corrupt system of special interest.

Obama And Lobbyists: The Facts

Barack Obama, now the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, has made a case in this election concerning what he claims is his outright disgust for lobbyists.  Although that it is true that Obama has not taken any money from special interests or lobbyists since he announced his candidacy, Obama did in fact have a "cozy" relationship with lobbyists before his Presidential bid, to say the least.  

So why does it matter if he no longer takes lobbyist money?  It matters because it reveals Obama to be something he claims not to be----just another politician.  He didn't mind taking lobbyist money until he realized it might challenge him politically.  This reminds me a whole lot of Mitt Romney, who was pro-choice until he decided to run for the GOP nomination.  Both Obama and Mitt made the calculated, political decision rather than a sincere, honest conversion.  They want votes.  In part, that's why I admire people like Clinton and McCain, not that I agree with them 100% of the time, but because they at least stand up for what they believe in.  They don't change just to try to gain points with an electorate.  You may not agree with them, but at least their consistent and sincere in their positions.  

So here is Obama's history with lobbyists:

-In Chicago, the AP reports, 

"Barack Obama played poker and basketball with lobbyists when he was a state senator. He took their campaign donations and worked with them to write legislation ... A look at Obama’s seven years in the Illinois Legislature reveals a complicated relationship with lobbyists - particularly for someone who now makes criticism of lobbyists a centerpiece of his presidential campaign."

-David Boniers of the Edwards's campaign had this to say:

"If you look at his record in Illinois when he had a major -- sponsored a major health bill that's what he did. He watered down with the help of the corporate lobbyist and they got a weak product out of that."

-Now on to his Presidential ambitions, the No Quarter political blog reports:

"Three political aides on Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) payroll were registered lobbyists for dozens of corporations, including Wal-Mart, British Petroleum and Lockheed Martin, while they received payments from his campaign, according to public documents."

-Domenico Montanaro of NBC, reports on the role of lobbyists in the Obama campaign:

"Obama's co-chair in New Hampshire, Jim Demers, is a state based lobbyist for the pharmaceutical and financial services industries amongst others.   Michael Bauer is a state based lobbyist in Chicago. And in Nevada, Obama's campaign also has three state based lobbyists who play senior advising roles in August last year."

-Domenico also reports on Obama's national co-chair, Jim Hodges of South Carolina:

"Hodges is the founder of Hodges Consulting Group, a state-based lobbying firm he started in 2003. The firm is a subsidiary of Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman, L.L.P, a law firm that represents clients in North Carolina and South Carolina.  Hodges Consulting describes itself on its Web site as “well positioned to offer highly effective lobbying services and unparalleled state budget expertise. Hodges Consulting Group can also provide federal representation to clients.  Hodges is, in fact, a registered federal lobbyist, a search of the Senate Office of Public Records Lobbying Disclosure Act Database shows."

-Oh, yea, and by the way, Obama does take lobbyist money it appears, just not at the federal level, as NBC's Domenico also reports:

"Though Obama has also said that he won't take federal PAC and lobbyist money on his campaign, he does take money from state based lobbyists. Obama has justified taking money from state based lobbyists and working with them."

It seems the media does indeed have a lot of dirt to report on.  Why leave it just to independent researchers on the internet?  The American public deserve the truth----a complete, un-biased vetting of all candidates running for public office, especially the Presidency.

Corporate America: Leaving the Average American in the Dust

Corporate America has the power to transform the quality of life for its employees and the people of this country.  They have failed to do so because of their greed.  They give exorbitant bonuses, stock options, and the like to their CEOs and executives, even when their companies are losing money.  This is done at the expense of their faithful employees who make everything possible for the company.

 

At a time when health insurance and retirement benefits are being reduced for the average worker, (some benefits are being eliminated) CEOs and executives are still receiving their exorbitant bonuses and stock options.  All the while corporate America enjoys the advantage of loop holes in federal tax laws that allows them to pay less tax than the average American.

 

They also enjoy corporate welfare from the federal government under the disguise of need.  If CEOs and Executives were given bonuses and stock options at a ratio that can be related to their average worker's salary, the excess they are now being paid could be diverted to a health insurance fund for their employees.  That would alleviate the reduction in health coverage employees are experiencing.  But, of course, greed gets in the way. 

 

It is also corporate America that spends millions of dollars to hire lobbyists, some have their own lobbyists within their company.  Their purpose is to influence Congress and State Legislatures so they can receive special treatment while the average American, when contacting their representatives, receive either a standard reply or none at all.  

It is time for Congress and State Legislatures to show lobbyists the door and treat them like the average American.  Corporate America and their lobbyists have destroyed the checks and balances that were created to take care of the average person's business.  Their greed has corrupted our system and something must be done to change it.