We need to increase funding so that when Congress people need to go on “fact finding” missions – it is at tax payer expense, not a lobbyist group. There needs to be strict guidelines on who goes on these missions, and how much work vs. fun takes place.

We need to ban all gifts to members of our government. If someone wants to go out to eat with a lobbyist to discuss an important issue, they need to be buying their own steak.

We need campaign finance reform. While this would actually require a constitutional amendment, I would like to see put in place a directive that says elected officials cannot accept a campaign contribution from anyone that cannot vote for them. Not more contributions from people in other states, districts, businesses, unions, people from foreign countries, or special interest groups.

Take the money away from lobbyists, and they lose their power.

Thanks for the link… Loved the article.

All great nations fail. That is a simple fact of history. It would be a tragedy if this great nation only made it 230 years due to the arrogance of power hungry politicians.

http://campaignforliberty.com/article.php?view=5

http://www.campaignforliberty.com/article.php

I wish she would have cited her sorces a little more, but it’s still beautifully written.

Putting ethics standards is never a bad thing. But why not expand on it and make all lobbyists illegal. That would be real change. Because keeping lobbyists from coming into positions of influence doesn’t curtail them from using dirty politicians. Here’s a novel idea – how about ethical politicians as well.

Obama has done some bad things, including waiving his own ethics standards in the case of Bill Lynn, a former lobbyist who is now a nominee for a position in the defense department.

It would have been nice if Obama could have stuck to his own standards for a least a week.