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AM Feed - April 25: House Adds More Water to Already Diluted "Reform" Measure

Hot Topics

• It’s the same old, same old in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives: The Republican leadership quietly stripped any remaining reform measures out of proposed ethics legislation – a clear attempt to severely undermine the push for real changes to lobbying rules. The House measure, which was already weaker than legislation passed by the Senate, now no longer requires lobbyists to disclose which members of Congress and aides they’ve contacted, and doesn’t require them to disclose what fundraising they’ve conducted for federal candidates, either. In short, the muddy line that “separates” lobbyists from lawmakers will stay that way with this bill. [link]
• Enron founder and former CEO (and close friend to President Bush) Kenneth Lay is set to take the stand in his criminal trial stemming from the collapse of the former energy giant. So how will he attempt to explain his role in the disaster, which left multitudes of employees on the streets? He’s just too darn optimistic. Lay’s defense team will attempt to show that Lay wasn’t willfully misleading investors – he was simply too focused on the good news. (Like, say, the fact that Lay himself pocketed $220 million while the company went in the tank.) [link]
• A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) exposes severe shortcomings with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) when it comes to keeping the American public safe from dangerous drugs. The FDA is troubled by bureaucratic infighting, and a lack of real authority when it comes to pushing drug manufacturers to ensure the safety of their products. Ten medications (approved by the FDA) have been taken off the market since 2000 due to deaths and other injuries caused by the drugs. [link]

Quote of the Day

“If President Bush hopes the “shake-up” of his administration initiated last week will re-energize his listless presidency, he’s bound to be disappointed. A far more audacious makeover is needed – one that sends Vice President Dick Cheney into early retirement.” – Excerpt from a 4/23 editorial in the Los Angeles Times. [link]

Morning Snark

• Of course, the downside to an early retirement by Cheney is obvious: It leaves him with that much more time to go hunting.

1. So all that was accomplished by the so called lobbiest reform bill was to figure out how to hide more information so no one knows who is getting the payoffs.
   It certainly does reform it to make it easier to bribe members of “our” government doesn’t it.
   
   WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE?
   
   Why is everyone sitting around with their thumbs in their…ears just letting these people give the country to the corporations. THEY are not Americans, they are GLOBAL CORPORATIONS. After they run this country into the ground, they can just move.
   
   Where will you go?
   — MO    Apr 24, 10:40    #
2. My comments exactly, MO; they lessened the control over lobbying, not tightened it. This is the result of one party power – there are no checks and balances to stop the Republican business loving prostitutes who are feeding at the trough.
   — jen    Apr 24, 10:44    #
3. And the obviously useless Democrat party makes me ill because, by their total inaction, they are as much a part of it as the republicans.
   
   And the republicans should just be called the Corporate Party but that would be way too honest for them wouldn’t it.
   
   Who is going to indict Bush for lying us into a war resulting in the deaths of more that 100,000 people?
   — MO    Apr 24, 11:38    #
4. The only way we are going to rid of the corruption in Washington is to Voted out the Republians. Take a look a your Congress reps voting record and who they have taken donations from. Then Vote them out.
   Mine is rubber stamp for Bush. she alsohas taken money from Tom Delay. Over $300,000.00 form the oil industry, the given then a Tax break.
   Bush needs to be impeached, but this not going to hapen until the Democats gain the majority. So vote Blue this Fall and Wath the president fall.
   People pay attention. Stop griping and get out there and do something . We can set at our computer all day long and write about how bad things are, but actions speak louder than words
   — Gregory A Reece    Apr 24, 12:07    #
5. Gregory, you are forgetting that the Repugs control the voting machines and the electoral infrastructure. And even if the Dems do regain control of one or both houses, does anyone who’s really truthful with themselves think that the Dems will do anything to rectify the mess created by the Repugs and make them accountable for their crimes against humanity and democracy?
   — John    Apr 24, 13:30    #

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