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   Dan Savage, the brilliant and foul-mouthed sex columnist, has become one of the most important ethicists in America. Are we screwed?
 Washingtons budget hawks want to decimate the federal workforce to shrink the deficit. It will have the opposite effect.
 There arent nearly enough counterterrorism experts to instruct all of Americas police. So we got these guys instead.
 Last year there wasn�t a single fatal airline accident in the developed world. So why is the U.S. health care system still accidently killing hundreds of thousands? The answer is a lack of transparency.
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July 8, 2010
THEY DO LOVE THEIR LOBBYISTS.... Last week, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said he couldn't tell anyone what Republicans would do if they won a congressional majority. Hoping to evade any kind of substantive debate, Boehner said he preferred to wait -- his taxpayer-financed "America Speaking Out" gimmick would tell GOP candidates what to think. The next question, then, is who'll shape the "America Speaking Out" project. It obviously isn't the public -- GOP leaders are ignoring ideas generated by the initiative that they don't already like -- but it might be the lobbyists. (via Alex Seitz-Wald)
Imagine that. House Republicans don't have a policy agenda, but they're willing to put one together, just as soon as the lobbyists tell the party what to think. This seems to fit into a larger pattern. When the Senate began work on a jobs bill, Republicans huddled with corporate lobbyists. When the House began work on Wall Street reform, Republicans huddled with industry lobbyists. When Congress worked on health care reform, Republicans huddled with insurance lobbyists. When the Senate moved forward on an energy/climate bill, Republicans huddled with energy lobbyists. This even extends to candidate recruitment. When Republicans needed a U.S. Senate candidate in Indiana they turned to Dan Coats -- a corporate bank lobbyist who lives in D.C. If I didn't know better, I might think Republicans' "Tea Party populism" shtick is just some kind of cheap charade. That couldn't be, could it? —Steve Benen 12:40 PM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (17)
Comments
Of course this meeting will be televised on c-span so that they won't be accused of backroom dealing....right? Posted by: atlliberal on July 8, 2010 at 12:41 PM | PERMALINKAs little regard as I have for Republicans (it would be hard to imagine anyone having less actually), I think this is an unfair criticism. They do operate from a set of values, odious as they might be. And then to seek input from various sources toward shaping policy seems to me a reasonable approach. It may all be a charade, but they'd be fools not to take public input and give it some attention. The big tent , its not your fathers big tent anymore . Posted by: FRP on July 8, 2010 at 12:58 PM | PERMALINKSince when do lobbyists get counted as the public? Posted by: GC on July 8, 2010 at 12:59 PM | PERMALINKNever underestimate the stupidity of the American public. Posted by: jeff on July 8, 2010 at 1:00 PM | PERMALINKBoehner said he preferred to wait -- his taxpayer-financed "America Speaking Out" gimmick would tell GOP candidates what to think. Reasonable , aside from being publicly funded . Posted by: FRP on July 8, 2010 at 1:00 PM | PERMALINK> Since when do lobbyists get counted Since the Supreme Court recognized that large immortal corporate people are the same as individual meat people, I think. Ya know, now that they're also dumping gun control, corporate hostile takeovers are likely to become a whole lot more interesting. How long before a corporation becomes a candidate for public office, ya think? Posted by: Hank Roberts on July 8, 2010 at 1:08 PM | PERMALINK"John Boehner (R-Ohio) said he couldn't tell anyone what Republicans would do if they won a congressional majority.." So, no more "Contract With America? I guess it didn't work out as well as Newt and his stooges expected... At least they are open about being in bed with corporate lobbyists. They don't pretend to be interested in the wishes of the people like another corporation controlled party I know. Posted by: Ron Byers on July 8, 2010 at 1:24 PM | PERMALINKAsk not for whom the Congress toils. Cuz it sure as hell ain't for thee! Posted by: cr on July 8, 2010 at 1:34 PM | PERMALINKwe are specialized in offering all kinds of world brand shoes,apparel,jeans,t-shirts,hoody,jackets,coats,pants,handbags,wallets,watches,sunglasses,belts,caps etc.. free shipping!free return!lowest price! $3o Air J0rdan sh0es,Sh0x sh0es,Gucci,1V sh0es $33 True-Religion jeans, Ed Hardy jeans,1V,C00gi jeans,Aff1icti0n jeans $15 Ed-Hardy ,1v ,Guc ci Bikini $15 P0L0, Ed-Hardy, Gu cci, 1v, Lac0ste T-shirts $25 C0ach,Gu cci,1v,Prada,Juicy,Chane1 handbag, $10 C0ach,Ed-Hardy,1v sunglasses $9 New Era caps. Welcome to -----------www.netsowntown.com Posted by: ahfieah on July 8, 2010 at 1:50 PM | PERMALINKLobbyists being the main agenda-forming base of the Rebaglican Party - it figuresAre there some in the teaparty movement honest enough to oppose Republican style pork like subsides to oil, nuclear, and corn? Most of the "conservative" point of view is hypocritical BGC-ism anyway. Posted by: Neil B on July 8, 2010 at 2:08 PM | PERMALINKLobbyists write their entire agenda. Candidates con the public to get into office but after that they are lobbyist's sock puppets...and they are blatant about it as demonstrated by their "huddling" with lobbyists on all legislation. Posted by: bjobotts on July 8, 2010 at 2:10 PM | PERMALINKSeven hours and counting for the selling crap spam post on this thread as well. WM, please explaing why you are unable to do anything about this spam post, which has been appearing for months. Thanks. Posted by: emjayay on July 8, 2010 at 8:50 PM | PERMALINKTo be fair, Steve, the democrats do their share of huddling with lobbyists. Obama and the baucus senate committee cozied up to big pharma and HC insurance companies. There are enough loop holes in the finance bill that wall street can continue to exploit the economy at its leisure. It's true, though, that the gopers would likely go further toward dereguation. Better our toadies than theirs, I guess. Posted by: CDW on July 9, 2010 at 10:35 AM | PERMALINKsome genuinely interesting information, well written and generally user genial . Posted by: Alissa on January 5, 2011 at 6:40 PM | PERMALINK
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