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01562: Re: [WDDM] Reason for caution - all things are not as they appear.

From: "Bruce Eggum" <bruceeggum(at)gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2008 11:14:18 -0600
Subject: Re: [WDDM] Reason for caution - all things are not as they appear.

Dear Mikael,

Thanks for your concern. Yes, the Democrats are the only party attempting to rein in the Lobbyist's who purchase votes from political officials. Much lobbying is purchased by corporations who want special treatment or laws passed which will favor them.

The issue you speak of I recall and there was much concern for bloggers and activists like myself. The end result was a definition of a Lobbyist which does not fit the average activist. I continually ask people to contact their representative on my Blog and my Website. I have had sometimes four "US Official" visits a day checking me out but no charges yet. I am more afraid of Bush as I call him a Fascist Dictator on my sites. But fear is from his terrorist ways and to submit to it would stop any chance of "change". I also am active trying to get impeachment going in the House.

http://bruceeggum.blogster.com/evidence_impeach_table

http://www.rallycongress.com/usinitiative/

The article I posted was from Barack Obama's website of what he intends to do to limit lobbyist affect on our democratic system. Barac Obama [democtat] has detailed his intentions of how to deal with many problems and I commend him for "putting it in print". I also appreciate his efforts on lobbyists.

B. Lobbying Registration

Under the LDA, an individual or organization which intends to spend over a certain amount of money on lobbying must register with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House. The dollar amount which may require registration is (semiannually) either $24,500 in the case of in-house lobbyists or $6,000 with respect to retained outside lobbyists.

Registration is required only if there is a "lobbyist." A lobbyist is a person who has made or will make two or more "lobbying contacts" and who spends or will spend over 20% of his or her time on "lobbying activities." A lobbying contact is an oral or written communication with a covered executive or legislative branch official on behalf of a client or employer regarding legislation, government programs, policy or positions, federal contracts or the nomination or confirmation of anyone to federal office. 2 U.S.C. § 1602(8)(A). There are many types of contact which are exempt including congressional testimony and inquiries about the status of government proceedings and actions. Id. § 1602(8)(B); Lobbying Disclosure Technical Amendments Act of 1998, Pub. L. No. 105-166, 112 Stat. 38, 39 (1998). Covered government officials include every member and employee of Congress and every White House employee as well as senior officials and employees of the executive departments and agencies of government. 2 U.S.C. § 1601(3); 5 U.S.C. § 7511(b)(2)(B); Lobbying Disclosure Technical Amendments Act of 1998, Pub. L. No. 105-166, 112 Stat. 38, 39 (1998).

"Lobbying activities" mean lobbying contacts and efforts in support of such contacts, including research.

In sum, an organization (e.g. corporation or union) which has employees or hires individuals who are "lobbyists" and intends to spend over the specified amounts on lobbying activities must register under the LDA. Registration is required within 45 days of the lobbying contact or the employment of lobbyists, whichever is earlier. Form LD-1 is used.

As you can see, the definition eliminates the casual "activist".

http://library.findlaw.com/1999/Jan/1/241466.html


Have GREAT days, Bruce

On Feb 16, 2008 9:50 AM, <Michael Stansfield> wrote:
Reason for caution.  It the past years there have been many organizations without large amounts on money for lobbying, yet they have organized with large groups of people using email chains in a effort to info people of bills going before congress with unfavorable details.  The solution they devolped was to request their members email their congressmen when bills go before congress that they dislike.  Many congressmen were in-indated with emails.  As a result congress has passed legislation that if you want to ask someone to contact their representative you must register with congress as a lobbyist.  Therefore a lobbyist is everyone.  Or more appropriatily anyone that stands in the way of the powers of congress.  If the purpose of a representative is to represent the people in their district, than it is in opposition to democracy to force the public to register as a lobbyist to contact their congressman.  It is evident that congress is attempting to increase their own power base at the expense of the people and saddly it was the Democrats who wrote and passed this legislation.  I urge you to user caution with the term lobbyist, because in washington it is and can be used like the term communist to silence any voices from people in opposition to the power they dominate over us.
 
Reason for caution, Reason for Democracy,
 
Michael Stansfield

----- Original Message ----
From: Bruce Eggum
To: wddm@world-wide-democracy.net
Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2008 6:00:14 AM
Subject: [WDDM] Direct Democracy with Obama

Direct Democracy with people inner-actions see plan below.

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/ethics/

Go to issues and Barack has his plan outlined on all issues. You can see what he will do.

Plan to Change Washington

"I am in this race to tell the corporate lobbyists that their days of setting the agenda in Washington are over. I have done more than any other candidate in this race to take on lobbyists — and won. They have not funded my campaign, they will not get a job in my White House, and they will not drown out the voices of the American people when I am president."
— Barack Obama, Speech in Des Moines, IA, November 10, 2007

The Problem

Lobbyists Write National Policies: For example, Vice President Dick Cheney's Energy Task Force of oil and gas lobbyists met secretly to develop national energy policy.

Secrecy Dominates Government Actions: The Bush administration has ignored public disclosure rules and has invoked a legal tool known as the "state secrets" privilege more than any other previous administration to get cases thrown out of civil court.

Wasteful Spending is Out of Control: The current administration has abused its power by handing out contracts without competition to its politically connected friends and supporters. These abuses cost taxpayers billions of dollars each year.

Barack Obama's Plan

Shine the Light on Washington Lobbying

  • Centralize Ethics and Lobbying Information for Voters: Obama will create a centralized Internet database of lobbying reports, ethics records, and campaign finance filings in a searchable, sortable and downloadable format.

  • Require Independent Monitoring of Lobbying Laws and Ethics Rules: Obama will use the power of the presidency to fight for an independent watchdog agency to oversee the investigation of congressional ethics violations so that the public can be assured that ethics complaints will be investigated.

  • Support Campaign Finance Reform: Obama supports public financing of campaigns combined with free television and radio time as a way to reduce the influence of moneyed special interests. Obama introduced public financing legislation in the Illinois State Senate, and is the only 2008 candidate to have sponsored Senator Russ Feingold's (D-WI) tough bill to reform the presidential public financing system.

Shine the Light on Federal Contracts, Tax Breaks and Earmarks

  • Create a Public "Contracts and Influence" Database: As president, Obama will create a "contracts and influence" database that will disclose how much federal contractors spend on lobbying, and what contracts they are getting and how well they complete them.

  • Expose Special Interest Tax Breaks to Public Scrutiny: Barack Obama will ensure that any tax breaks for corporate recipients — or tax earmarks — are also publicly available on the Internet in an easily searchable format.

  • End Abuse of No-Bid Contracts: Barack Obama will end abuse of no-bid contracts by requiring that nearly all contract orders over $25,000 be competitively awarded.

  • Sunlight Before Signing: Too often bills are rushed through Congress and to the president before the public has the opportunity to review them. As president, Obama will not sign any non-emergency bill without giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House website for five days.

  • Shine Light on Earmarks and Pork Barrel Spending: Obama's Transparency and Integrity in Earmarks Act will shed light on all earmarks by disclosing the name of the legislator who asked for each earmark, along with a written justification, 72 hours before they can be approved by the full Senate.

Bring Americans Back into their Government

  • Hold 21st Century Fireside Chats: Obama will bring democracy and policy directly to the people by requiring his Cabinet officials to have periodic national broadband townhall meetings to discuss issues before their agencies.

  • Make White House Communications Public: Obama will amend executive orders to ensure that communications about regulatory policymaking between persons outside government and all White House staff are disclosed to the public.

  • Conduct Regulatory Agency Business in Public: Obama will require his appointees who lead the executive branch departments and rulemaking agencies to conduct the significant business of the agency in public, so that any citizen can see in person or watch on the Internet these debates.

  • Release Presidential Records: Obama will nullify the Bush attempts to make the timely release of presidential records more difficult.



Free the Executive Branch from Special Interest Influence

  • Close the Revolving Door on Former and Future Employers: No political appointees in an Obama administration will be permitted to work on regulations or contracts directly and substantially related to their prior employer for two years. And no political appointee will be able to lobby the executive branch after leaving government service during the remainder of the administration.

  • Free Career Officials from the Influence of Politics: Obama will issue an executive order asking all new hires at the agencies to sign a form affirming that no political appointee offered them the job solely on the basis of political affiliation or contribution.

  • Reform the Political Appointee Process: FEMA Director Michael Brown was not qualified to head the agency, and the result was a disaster for the people of the Gulf Coast. But in an Obama administration, every official will have to rise to the standard of proven excellence in the agency's mission.

Barack Obama's Record:

  • Federal Ethics Reform: Obama and Senator Feingold (D-WI) took on both parties and proposed ethics legislation that was described as the "gold standard" for reform. It was because of their leadership that ending subsidized corporate jet travel, mandating disclosure of lobbyists' bundling of contributions, and enacting strong new restrictions of lobbyist-sponsored trips became part of the final ethics bill that was signed into law. The Washington Post wrote in an editorial, "The final package is the strongest ethics legislation to emerge from Congress yet."

  • Google for Government: Americans have the right to know how their tax dollars are spent, but that information has been hidden from public view for too long. That's why Barack Obama and Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) passed a law to create a Google-like search engine to allow regular people to approximately track federal grants, contracts, earmarks, and loans online. The Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "It would enable the public to see where federal money goes and how it is spent. It's a brilliant idea."

  • Illinois Reform: In 1998, Obama joined forces with former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon (D-IL) to pass the toughest campaign finance law in Illinois history. The legislation banned the personal use of campaign money by Illinois legislators and banned most gifts from lobbyists. Before the law was passed, one organization ranked Illinois worst among 50 states for its campaign finance regulations.

  • A High Standard: Unlike other candidates Obama's campaign refuses to accept contributions from Washington lobbyists and political action committees.

          For More Information about Barack's Plan

    (PDF)Read the Plan
    Read and Watch the Speech



--
Bruce Eggum
Gresham Wisconsin, USA
President King http://www.thisnation.com/library/antifederalist/74.html
http://www.doinggovernment.com/
Check out my Blog too
http://bruceeggum.blogster.com/


  vote


--
Bruce Eggum
Gresham Wisconsin, USA
President King http://www.thisnation.com/library/antifederalist/74.html
http://www.doinggovernment.com/
Check out my Blog too
http://bruceeggum.blogster.com/
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