With our PrObama series, RK reviews Obama's positions on the issues, his outstanding record and blueprint for the future of America. The more we know, the better we champion the cause of the next president of the United States of America.
ETHICS REFORM
As a freshman senator, Barack Obama made his mark on the issue of Ethics Reform, but previously he had already led the largest ethics reform effort in the history of the Illinois state legislature. For Obama, Ethics Reform isn't just talk, it's practice. Obama leads on this issue, the Obama campaign takes no money from PACs or corporate lobbyists. Contrast this to John McCain who is essentially owned by the lobbyist class that runs his campaign, and there's really no choice. For patriotic Americans who favor open government, who believe government should be of, for, and by the people, and who believe that every vote should count, every vote should go to Obama.
Americans can expect president Barack Obama to enact and enforce the most stringent ethics rules, and rules for open government, especially on his administration.
"I am in this race to tell the corporate lobbyists
that their days of setting the agenda in
Washington are over. I have done more than
any other candidate in this race to take on
lobbyists - and won. They have not funded my
campaign, they will not get a job in my White
House, and they will not drown out the voices
of the American people when I am president."
-- Barack Obama, Speech in Des Moines, IA, November 10, 2007Barac k Obama's Plan to Change Washington
At a Glance
A Leader for Reform
Obama reached across the aisle and challenged leaders of both parties to pass historic ethics reforms both in Washington and Springfield, IL. Unlike other candidates, he refuses to accept campaign contributions from PACs and Washington lobbyists.Close the Revolving Door
Obama will close the revolving door between the executive branch and K-Street lobbying shops. Obama's appointees will serve the American people, not their own financial interests.Increase Transparency
Obama will increase transparency so that ordinary Americans can understand their government and trust that their money is well spent.End Wasteful No-Bid Contracts
Obama will clean up government contracting and end the abuse of no-bid contracts.THE PROBLEM
Lobbyists Write National Policies
For example, Vice President Dick Cheney's Energy Task Force of oil and gas lobbyists met secretly to develop national energy policy.Secrecy Dominates Government Actions
The Bush administration has ignored public disclosure rules and has invoked a legal tool known as the 'state secrets' privilege more than any other previous administration to get cases thrown out of civil court.Wasteful Spending is Out of Control
The current administration has abused its power by handing out contracts without competition to its politically connected friends and supporters. These abuses cost taxpayers billions of dollars each year.ETHICS
BARACK OBAMA's Plan
Shine Light on Washington Lobbying
Centralize Ethics and Lobbying Information for Voters: Obama will create a centralized Internet database of lobbying reports, ethics records, and campaign finance filings in a searchable, sortable and downloadable
format.Require Independent Monitoring of Lobbying Laws and Ethics Rules: Obama will use the power of the presidency to fight for an independent watchdog agency to oversee the investigation of congressional ethics violations so that the public can be assured that ethics complaints will be investigated.
Support Campaign Finance Reform: Obama supports public financing of campaigns combined with free television and radio time as a way to reduce the influence of moneyed special interests. Obama introduced public financing legislation in the Illinois State Senate, and is the only 2008 candidate to have sponsored
Senator Russ Feingold's (D-WI) tough bill to reform the presidential public financing system.
Shine the Light on Federal Contracts, Tax Breaks and Earmarks
Create a Public "Contracts and Influence" Database: As president, Obama will create a "contracts and influence" database that will disclose how much federal contractors spend on lobbying, and what contracts they are getting and how well they complete them.Expose Special Interest Tax Breaks to Public Scrutiny: Barack Obama will ensure that any tax breaks for corporate recipients - or tax earmarks - are also publicly available on the Internet in an easily searchable format.
End Abuse of No-Bid Contracts: Barack Obama will end abuse of no-bid contracts by requiring that nearly all contract orders over $25,000 be competitively awarded.
Sunlight Before Signing: Too often bills are rushed through Congress and to the president before the public has the opportunity to review them. As president, Obama will not sign any non-emergency bill without giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House website for five days.
Shine Light on Earmarks and Pork Barrel Spending: Obama's Transparency and Integrity in Earmarks Act will shed light on all earmarks by disclosing the name of the legislator who asked for each earmark, along with a written justification, 72 hours before they can be approved by the full Senate.
Bring Americans Back into their Government
Hold 21st Century Fireside Chats: Obama will bring democracy and policy directly to the people by requiring his Cabinet officials to have periodic national broadband townhall meetings to discuss issues before their agencies.Make White House Communications Public: Obama will amend executive orders to ensure that
communications about regulatory policymaking between persons outside government and all White House staff are disclosed to the public.Conduct Regulatory Agency Business in Public: Obama will require his appointees who lead the executive branch departments and rulemaking agencies to conduct the significant business of the agency in public, so that any citizen can watch these debates in person or on the Internet.
Release Presidential Records: Obama will nullify the Bush attempts to make the timely release of
presidential records more difficult.?Free the Executive Branch from Special Interest Influence
Close the Revolving Door on Former and Future Employers: No political appointees in an Obama administration will be permitted to work on regulations or contracts directly and substantially related to their prior employer for two years. And no political appointee will be able to lobby the executive branch
after leaving government service during the remainder of the administration.Free Career Officials from the Influence of Politics: Obama will issue an executive order asking all new hires at the agencies to sign a form affirming that no political appointee offered them the job solely on the basis of
political affiliation or contribution.Reform the Political Appointee Process: FEMA Director Michael Brown was not qualified to head the agency, and the result was a disaster for the people of the Gulf Coast. But in an Obama administration, every official will have to rise to the standard of proven excellence in the agency's mission.
OBAMA'S RECORD
Federal Ethics Reform
Obama and Senator Feingold (D-WI) took on both parties and proposed ethics legislation that was described as the "gold standard" for reform. It was because of their leadership that ending subsidized corporate jet travel, mandating disclosure of lobbyists' bundling of contributions, and enacting strong new
restrictions of lobbyist-sponsored trips became part of the final ethics bill that was signed into law. The Washington Post wrote in an editorial, "The final package is the strongest ethics legislation to emerge from
Congress yet."Google for Government
Americans have the right to know how their tax dollars are spent, but that information has been hidden from public view for too long. That's why Barack Obama and Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) passed a law to create a Google-like search engine to allow regular people to track federal grants, contracts, earmarks, and loans online. The Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "It would enable the public to see where federal money goes
and how it is spent. It's a brilliant idea."Illinois Reform
In 1998, Obama joined forces with former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon (D-IL) to pass the toughest campaign finance law in Illinois history. The legislation banned the personal use of campaign money by Illinois legislators and banned most gifts from lobbyists. Before the law was passed, one organization ranked Illinois worst among
50 states for its campaign finance regulations.A High Standard
Unlike other candidates Obama's campaign refuses to accept contributions from Washington lobbyists and political action committees.FOR MORE INFORMATION
Read and Watch the Speech