Posted by Jeff Zeleny at 5:38 p.m.
In the end, the Democratic point man on ethics and lobbying reform voted no.
When the Senate passed its election-year ethics package this afternoon by a 90 to 8 vote, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) was among those opposing the legislation. Two other Democrats and five Republicans also voted no, including Arizona Sen. John McCain, one of the most vocal advocates on the subject.
So why would the senators who seemed so supportive of reform object to the legislation? Because the final product was thin soup, absent any of the tough components ranging from regulating air travel to creating an office of public integrity to police the lawmakers.
The vote came only hours after former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, whose behavior sparked the entire discussion, was sentenced in federal court on conspiracy and wire fraud charges.
“Ironically, after learning today that Jack Abramoff will spend nearly six years in prison, the Senate passed a lobbying reform bill that does little to change the culture that allowed him to abuse the system in the first place," Obama said in a statement. "The Senate has missed a once-in-a-decade opportunity to clean up the way we do business in Washington.
"This bill fails to create an independent enforcement mechanism to investigate misconduct by members of Congress," he added. "It fails to stop lobbyists from currying influence by flying lawmakers on private jets. And it does nothing to prevent members of Congress from negotiating for jobs with the very industries they’re supposed to regulate.”
The bill does, however, ban lobbyists from giving gifts or meals to lawmakers.
No matter, though, because the Senate was still in session as the dinner hour approached.
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Comments
I listened to the proceedings off-and-on for much of the day today. What I heard only deepened my political despair. These people are so divorced from reality I really think they need either a 12-step program of some kind or, at the very least, a swift smack upside their heads. They don't seem to have a clue that they are quickly losing, if they haven't already lost, the respect of the citizenry. No one wants to listen to these gasbags, let alone be bothered to go out and vote for any of them.
The Republicans control the government lock, stock and barrel and are as corrupt a bunch as ever have darkened the banks of the Potomac. The Democrats have been totally unable to mount any kind of opposition and mostly seem to be semi-comatose.
On a day when uber-lobbyist Abramoff gets some, just some, of his just desserts, the Senate comes up with gruel! How fitting. We need some regime change right here at home. Maybe we can outsource Congress.
Posted by: Figbash | March 29, 2006 7:51 PM
I personally think every American should go to
the poles this election and cast a vote for anyone
that is not in office now, and fire the lot of them.
Maybe then the politicians would understand that
the people that hire them are who they were hired
to represent.
Posted by: Rory M. | March 30, 2006 9:59 AM
Figbash, the whole point of disapproving of your representatives is that you DO vote, although you don't vote for the ones you feel aren't doing a good enough job. Ideally, when you don't like your particular lardbutt gasbag congressman and you think he hasn't been on speaking terms with reality since, say, 1948, you will also let him know -- as politely and respectfully as possible and using as many specific instances as possible -- that unless he straightens up you will be voting for anyone who runs against him. Further, he should also know that you'll also let your neighbors know what a rotten job he's doing and explain to them in detail the reasons THEY should consider voting for somebody else.
Ultimately, I still believe that it really is OUR government. I used to believe we could just let representatives take care of their own little world and just check in with them around election time, but recent leadership issues have disabused me of that illusion. We have to be on top of what's going on and providing input as to our satisfaction or lack thereof.
Hang in there, Figbash!
Posted by: John | March 30, 2006 11:56 AM
Whcih is more predictable: the Sun rising in the East, the Cubs losing, or Trib reporter Jeff Zeleny giving Barack Obama free publicity?
Posted by: Bruce | March 30, 2006 12:02 PM
Bruce,
The answer is (d) - you complaining about Jeff Zeleny giving Barack Obama free publicity (or complaining about anything and everything that is posted in the Swamp for that matter).
Posted by: Dienne | March 30, 2006 12:52 PM
"Whcih is more predictable: the Sun rising in the East, the Cubs losing, or Trib reporter Jeff Zeleny giving Barack Obama free publicity?
Posted by: Bruce | Mar 30, 2006 12:02:49 PM
First of all, since you're so insistent that the Tribune cannot possibly live up to your ever-so-exacting standards, you might like to know you yourself have misspelled "which." Given your advanced age, perhaps you might want to have your eyes examined. I'd so hate to think of you going blind and being unable to flunk more of your students.
Second, more predictable than any of the things you mentioned is your complaining about anything that isn't an ode to the virtues of Bush OR that doesn't blast liberals.
What. Ever.
Posted by: John | March 30, 2006 2:42 PM
Thanks for the good wishes, John. I DO vote - early and often. :-) And rest assured that I am no stranger to Dick Durbin's, Barack Obama's, and especially Rahmbo Emanuel's e-mail inboxes and fax machines.
Maybe what we need is another choice at the polls: The Democrat, the Republican or None of the Above. I'd bet a nose full of nickels on None of the Above.
The sad part is that we DO have some good representatives in in Washington DC. It's the SYSTEM that's broken and nothing will change until we GET THE MONEY OUT OF POLITICS.
Posted by: Figbash | March 30, 2006 5:45 PM
Figbash, I can't resist asking. "A nose full of nickels?" I hate to even think about picturing somebody who could actually make a profit at that. It's downright scary!
Posted by: John | March 31, 2006 2:22 PM