Tom Kavanagh

Ethics Policy Expected to Push Lobbyists From Federal Advisory Panels

Posted:

11/27/09

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The Obama administration's efforts to limit lobbyists' influence in Washington could force thousands of them from federal advisory panels, The Washington Post is reporting.

A new policy, announced quietly in the fall and now being phased in, prohibits lobbyists from holding seats on committees that advise federal agencies on trade rules, environmental regulations, consumer protections, and many of other government policies. Recent estimates put the total number of such committees at nearly 1,000, with membership of more than 60,000. Approximately 13,000 of the members are lobbyists.

"That is just the kind of special interest access that the president objects to," said White House ethics counsel Norm Eisen.

The Post reports that lobbyists and the businesses they represent object to being demonized, and warn that the policy will handicap federal regulators, who rely on the boards' technical advice and middleman role between government and industry.

Administration officials counter that criticism, however, saying that members of the business community can remain on the panels, provided they aren't lobbyists.

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Tom Kavanagh

Tom Kavanagh began working in journalism the year Jimmy Carter became president and, by God, they're both still around... more

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gvpal52

11:51AM Nov 27th 2009

"The Obama administration's efforts to limit lobbyists' influence"
This may sound good on the surface just like allot of Obama's ideas, but lobbyists often represent businesses and organizations that are in the best interest of the people. Closing the doors is getting out of hand and I could easily view this as yet another loss of the people power to influence policies in Washington. Be careful what you wish for, limited access is not always a good thing. Ask the Venezuelans what it's like to not know whats going in inside there government. To much unchecked centralized power in the house and the white house, no one is holding them accountable. Next thing will be the lockout of the press.

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(15)

gvpal52

11:53AM Nov 27th 2009

""The Obama administration's efforts" This is the part that bothers me, because they will pick and choose who to let in based on there own radical agenda. I just don't trust the Obama white house to take anymore power!

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(15)

beckjr2000

9:16PM Nov 27th 2009

gvpal52 - Nothing that this administration says should be taken at face value. We have seen time and time again that they will propose to do one thing and then on closer examination see what they are really up to. You can be assured that they will stack the deck with as many left wing socialists and SEIU members as possible. It only took Obama and the Democrats 10 months to completely loose the trust of 80% of America. He is just getting started killing jobs and our economy.

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(9)

Pete

11:55AM Nov 27th 2009

Now that Obama has blown billions more on the AMA, AAPR and the LA purchase to get the health care votes he likely don't want any professional lobbyists extorting any more money he has to print up. Obama has made it clear he is willing to BUY votes/political support.

For lobbyists it would be a field day. To bad the party is over, he just can't print money that fast. Without lobbyists now Obama can pick and choose who or what he wants to buy.

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(11)

igreen2115

12:07PM Nov 27th 2009

Ha....listen to the repubs defend the lobbyists in Washington.....still corrupt as hell I see. That is why america voted them out.

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(-5)

S Rogers

12:14PM Nov 27th 2009

Does the name Tom Daschle mean anything to you? Andy Stern, of SEIU fame who might as well be a lobbyist had 22 meeting with the Bamster while General McChrystal was granted only one of less than an hour. Game tally- Unions 22, Military 1.

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(9)

john black

3:26PM Nov 28th 2009

Exactly how many lobbyist did George Bush meet with during his term? Remember Richard Clark? Maybe you need to do a little research to see what happened next and why he should have met with him but wouldn't.

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(-4)

igreen2115

12:16PM Nov 27th 2009

Ethics Policy Expected to Push Lobbyists From Federal Advisory Panels........Hope and Change at last

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(-5)

igreen2115

12:21PM Nov 27th 2009

Does Richard Clark ring a bell? He begged and pleaded to talk to Bush and Cheney before 9/11. He was running around with his hair on fire because they knew something big was about to happen. Bush white house saw over 247 lobbyists.....but never talked to Richard Clark once. Oil and Wall street lobbyists 247, Richard Clark 0, Twin Towers 0

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(-5)

Christian Conservative

12:33PM Nov 27th 2009

igreen2115, to Richard Clarks credit ... he's the ONLY one within the Bush Administration that ... ADMITTED ... and ... APOLOGIZED ... for the incompetence of the Bush Administration.

I believe ... as a Christian Conservative ... that we must give accolades for this man's honesty ...
... just as we must stop ourselves from seeking to make the REST of the Bush administration un-accountable for their incompetence...

I mean ... just because George W. Bush was the FIRST ... "Born Again" . Christian Conservative ... that doesn't men we shouldn't be honest.
.

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(-10)

gvpal52

11:51PM Nov 27th 2009

most Christians live without fear because of there faith. Your the one who is afraid because you know you are going down hill. We will fearlessly see you to the bottom and continue to live without fear of you or any human. We feel guided not threatened and you live in a constant state of defence. Look deeper and you will find the peace that we go to sleep with in our hearts every night. Warning! we are stronger than you inside and will prevail no matter what you think. Your just lost right now, look for home in your heart of hearts.

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(3)

igreen2115

12:36PM Nov 27th 2009

Dear Christian Conservative.....When will Bush and Cheney apologize for 9/11? And to the people who were stupid enough to still trust them on that day? Hey...what was Bush doing on that day? Anyone know?

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(-6)

Christian Conservative

3:55PM Nov 27th 2009

igreen2115 said:
"When will Bush and Cheney apologize for 9/11? And to the people who were stupid enough to still trust them on that day? Hey...what was Bush doing on that day? Anyone know?"

On the day that we were being attacked, George W. Bush was reading "The Pet Goat" ... it's sometimes referred to as "My Pet Goat".

But I don't point to this as being such a blunder.

I point to the stunning array of incompetence that LED UP TO the attack.

The outgoing Clinton Administration warned Bush and Cheney of Al Qaida.

But they were so smug with themselves at having won the Presidency 'though the back door' of the Electoral College ... they figured that all they had to do for 4 years was implement their Welfare for the Wealthy Ideology.

Look ... here's the issue ...

When you vote for a candidate who claims Government IS the problem ... you are GUARANTEEING incompetence.

See?

Why would anyone vote for someone who wants to be part of a system they believe IS A PROBLEM.

They don't respect the system they want to be part of.

And look at the results.

- Incompetence after Katrina
- Massive Welfare for the Wealthy scheme
- Calling other nations evil and urging war on every front
- Terrorist Attack on the Pentagon
- Terrorist Attack on World Trade Center Building 2
- Terrorist Attack on World Trade Center Building 1
- Terrorist murder hundreds on the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania
- Ignoring Osama bin Laden to refocus on Saddam Hussein ...
- Lying to go to war and nation build Iraq
- "Misplacing" millions of dollars shipped to Iraq on pallets
- Incompetent handling of the Iraq War
- Establishing a 'quagmire' in Iraq
- Massaging Angela Merkel at a G8 summit
- Record Budget Deficits (Inherited a $700 BILLION surplus ... gave us a $1.2 TRILLION deficit.)
- Watched as our economic system was collapsing all around
- Nationalized Banking on October 13, 2008

I didn't vote for George W. Bush ... but I gritted my teeth and hoped and prayed he wouldn't screw things up too badly.

My prayers were not answered.
.

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(-4)

Clay Gunter

2:34PM Nov 27th 2009

Its about time someone did something about this! Since Bush was in office, the number of lobbyist has grown 8 fold! Lobbyist are some of the most worthless people in our government automatically putting the value of the dollar bill over human life and the value of human beings just to start with! This is a great day now that Obama is pushing these cash-registers of the greedy politicians out! This is long overdue!

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(-1)

Clay Gunter

2:42PM Nov 27th 2009

WRONG COMMENT! Lobbyist and Special Interest groups ARE NOT the same! Bush increased lobbyist 8-fold during his regime! This is one of the tools by which Bush dragged us down into this recession with! Obama adding troops was wrong, but this? Its as RIGHT as it gets! LOL!

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(-3)

john black

3:15PM Nov 28th 2009

Pretty much I agree with you on this. Something should have been done about this problem years ago and if it had been we wouldn't be facing near as many problems as we are right now.

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(-1)

pattaylore

6:27PM Nov 27th 2009

I find it interesting that Obama even wants to get into the lobbyist issue at all. He nominated 17 of them himself for various governmental positions. Perhaps he simply wishes to replace those lobbyists he doesn't know, or who can't give him something in return for their service.

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(4)

Christian Conservative

7:55PM Nov 27th 2009

Thank you, Modern Republican.

You have validated everything I've said about Modern Republicans.

They are fearful of people who disagree with them.

This is evidence of a belief system that is Morally Vacant.
.

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(-2)

rovpoolman

10:17AM Nov 29th 2009

Christian Conservative try this one out "Pray for Obama Psalm 109:8"

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(1)

ogates1

8:47AM Nov 28th 2009

"Lobbyists often represent businesses and organizations that are in the best interest of the people"????(I am only quoting)IS THAT THE EPITOMY OF OXYMORONIC STATEMENTS???
And wouldn't our legislative branch function better for the people without lobbyists who work for SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS!!!!!

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(4)

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