I grew up reading comic books wanting to be a superhero. Comics taught me that those who speak the truth are heroes, all the rest are liars.

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

What Do We Want? When Do We Want It?

We want reform…just not real reform, too much, too soon, too real...

According to The Hill Senate Democrats have declined to support legislation proposed by Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) to reform lobbying, even though he is their point man on the issue.

Good-government groups have made enforcement of the ethics and lobbying rules their top priority, and they consider Obama’s proposal the strongest means of enforcement. But lawmakers appear to view the medicine as too strong.

Democratic leaders tapped Obama to take a leading role on ethics reform when they unveiled their Honest Leadership and Open Government Act last month. They launched the initiative that would have created a Senate office of public integrity, which would have focused solely on lobbyists. It did not touch lawmakers.

When that initiative was launched, at a rally in the Library of Congress, Obama took center stage with Reid, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Rules Committee ranking Democrat Louise Slaughter (N.Y.). Forty Democratic senators co-sponsored the bill.

Obama’s bill would go further by expanding the scope of enforcement to include lawmakers. It appears to have been ignored.

Once more, if you want a different outcome, you have to start supporting Democrats that will make a difference. Same old as in they all do it so why change.

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