McCain & Feingold Move to Tighten Lobbying Laws. Why? Abramoff!

[kpete]

McCain Moves to Tighten Lobbying Laws as Abramoff Probe Spreads

By Jonathan D. Salant
Dec. 15 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Senators John McCain and Russell Feingold, who led the drive to ban unlimited corporate and union donations to political parties, will make the first bipartisan effort in a decade to strengthen lobbying laws. Their legislation comes as a scandal threatens to ensnare some colleagues.

The lawmakers will introduce a measure as early as today that would require lobbyists to disclose through quarterly electronic reports all the contributions they make, the fund- raisers they arrange and the amount they spend on behalf of candidates and political parties, according to a person who has seen a draft. The legislation would require disclosure of all grass-roots activities and double to two years the waiting period before a lawmaker-turned-lobbyist could lobby a former colleague.

McCain, an Arizona Republican, said he was spurred to act after hearings by his Indian Affairs Committee showed that lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his partner, Michael Scanlon, had charged Indian clients more than $80 million and directed the tribes to donate money to politicians and pet projects.

``It's obvious why it's needed,'' McCain told reporters at the Capitol yesterday. ``One word: Abramoff.''
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=washingtonstory&sid=aksXlUVzzdfQ

[Crazy Dave]

1. It's such a wasted effort and creates even more corruption.

No matter what the crime, no matter what the authorities do, the crooks will always move on and figure out a different way to stay one step ahead of the law. People get rich by telling people what they can or can't do, finding different loopholes or give out bribes so they look the other way.

[jsamuel]

2. your right, i mean, why even live anymore... why bother, it sucks anyway

:sarcasm:

:eyes:

[Crazy Dave]

3. And what comes next?

Instead of another group of swift boat veterans we'll start seeing more groups of ex-football teammates, boyscout troops, old school teachers, etc. to accept contributions for smear campaigns.

[blm]

4. If McCain really hated corruption, he'd back the Kerry-Wellstone public

financing of campaigns bill.

But, NOOOOOOO.......... instead of REAL REFORM, McCain had to muck around and offer his compromise bill which does practically NOTHING.