Reason for the Season

Don't believe the GOP lies directed at Democrats. The real reason the GOP doesn't want Democratss elected is they don't want to lose the free travel, golf fees, hotels and other perks they receive from corrupt lobbyists. Thus, it's open season on Democrats who will demand strong lobbying reform. Read this:

November 4th, 2006 -- Randy Risener
Fighting Dems News Service – A slew of lobbying reform measures are in store for the House of Representatives if Democrats retake control of the chamber as appears likely. And Republican members and their lobbyist benefactors are not going to like them.

As opposed to passing a law, the House on a majority vote can change its rules anytime and that is precisely what Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) promises to do in the event of a Democratic victory according to a report in the Washington Post.

Pelosi is presently Minority Leader and it is generally presumed she would be elected Speaker of the House in the event that Democrats win at least 15 seats in Tuesday’s elections.

The new rules would ban members from accepting travel, gifts or anything of value from lobbyists or from organizations employing lobbyists.

Many of the measures had been proposed earlier by GOP leaders in the wake of the Abramoff scandal but were abandoned when Republican came to the conclusion that the public did not care.

The bans would be far ranging and include accepting travel or lodging at any events that coordinated, funded, planned, requested or attended by lobbyists.

Pelosi also wants to do away with a House rule that permits former Representatives turned lobbyist to have access to the House floor, cloakrooms or House gym.

The new rules would also require any member or Congressional aide who engages in negotiations for private sector job to disclose that to the House Ethics Committee.

Pelosi also intends to crack down on the practice of earmarking, the practice of slipping spending measures into bills at the behest of lobbyists. Ban the practice after House-Senate negotiators had completed their work on legislation.

When Republicans took control of the House they initiated what became known as the K Street project where GOP leaders bullied and intimidated lobbyists and trade organizations to hire former Republican legislators, a strategy aimed at increasing contributions to GOP candidates.

Pelosi would implement regulations that would prevent majority Democrats from doing the same thing.