tagged w/ K Street
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This past term of Congress let the drug industry write much of a health care overhaul, extended of ethanol subsidies, passed the Marlboro Monopoly Act, crafted a subsidy-laden stimulus bill, gave us Cash-for-Clunkers and Cash-for-Caulkers, tried to pass a corporate-backed climate bill, and created a Wall Street "reform" that formalizes bailouts.
Call it the corporatist Congress.
H.R. 1, the first undertaking of the 111th Congress, was the $800 billion stimulus bill, a cornucopia of corporate welfare and special favors. The New York Times reported in early 2009, "the industries that stand to gain most from the proposed legislation were also working to help shape it even before Mr. Obama had won the election."
These included the likes of Google and other tech firms, but also the coal and power industries, whose five-year joint lobbying effort finally paid off with a billion-dollar earmark for a clean-coal project in Illinois.
The stimulus also created special subsidies for electric cars, high-speed rail, and other "green" technologies, including a "Production Tax Credit" for windmills -- allowing companies like General Electric to be paid, up front, for building windmills, even if they never spin. While profiting handsomely from these targeted tax breaks, GE also got $24.9 million in stimulus money for its Global Research Center.
In June, Congress passed a tobacco regulation bill known on K Street as the Marlboro Monopoly Act. Philip Morris, by far the largest tobacco company, had been backing the bill for a decade, knowing it would crush smaller competitors and lock in its market share.
Cash-for-clunkers transferred tax dollars to the automakers and car dealers who had proposed it, while driving up the price of new and used cars for everyone.
The encore was Cash-for-Caulkers, a home renovation bill backed by the Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, and Dow Chemical, who all get the subsidies.
Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/2010/12/farewell-congress-corporate-interests#ixzz19LERQEa3This past term of Congress let the drug industry write much of a health care overhaul,... more
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Jolted by a sudden tightening of the rules, lobbyists and military contractors who have long relied on lucrative earmarks from Congress were scrambling to find new ways to keep the federal money flowing.
House Republicans, seeking to outdo the Democrats in ethics reform, went even further Thursday by agreeing to swear off all earmarks, for both nonprofit and commercial organizations, for the next year.
“This is the best day we’ve had in a while,” said Representative Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican who has been a fierce opponent of earmarks — no-bid contracts directed by lawmakers — but had found little support among Republican colleagues before this week.
“In terms of us getting this moratorium, the stars were aligned. What the Democrats did certainly motivated the Republicans.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/12/us/politics/12lobby.html?hpJolted by a sudden tightening of the rules, lobbyists and military contractors who... more
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By Bob Cusack
A day after bashing lobbyists, President Barack Obama’s administration has invited K Street insiders to join private briefings on a range of topics addressed in Wednesday’s State of the Union.
The Treasury Department on Thursday morning invited selected individuals to “a series of conference calls with senior Obama administration officials to discuss key aspects of the State of the Union address.”
The invitation, which went to a variety of stakeholders, was sent by Fred Baldassaro, a senior adviser at the Treasury Department’s Office of Business Affairs and Public Liaison.
The invitation stated, “The White House is encouraging you to participate in these calls and will have a question and answer session at the end of each call. As a reminder, these calls are not intended for press purposes.”
The calls are scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, with the first topic being job creation and economic growth.
Another call, at 1 p.m., is on government reform and transparency. Republicans have criticized the Obama White House for not being more transparent in its discussions with Congress on healthcare reform. Obama recently acknowledged that the legislative process has not been as open as he promised on the campaign trail.
Other issues that will be addressed on Thursday include education, climate change and healthcare reform.
A handful of lobbyists told The Hill on Thursday morning that they received the invitations and were planning to call in.
Some lobbyists say they are extremely frustrated with the White House for criticizing them and then seeking their feedback. Others note that Democrats on Capitol Hill constantly urge them to make political donations.
One lobbyist said, “Bash lobbyists, then reach out to us. Bash lobbyists [while] I have received four Democratic invitations for fundraisers.”
In his State of the Union on Wednesday, Obama once again targeted K Street: “We face a deficit of trust — deep and corrosive doubts about how Washington works that have been growing for years. To close that credibility gap, we have to take action on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue — to end the outsized influence of lobbyists; to do our work openly; to give our people the government they deserve.”
The Treasury Department referred The Hill’s request for comment to the White House, which at press time had not responded to questions on this issue.
Lobbyists say the Obama White House has held many off-the-record teleconferences over the past year.
For example, lobbyists and others were invited to a teleconference with “senior Obama administration officials” on Monday to discuss the administration’s plan to improve the lives of middle-class families.
The invitation, which is addressed to “Friends,” emphasizes in bold and italics that “this call is for background information only and not intended for press purposes.” It advises callers to tell the operator “you’re joining the ‘White House Briefing Call.’ ”
Another lobbyist said these types of teleconferences occur “all the time.”
And that is why many on K Street are exasperated with Obama’s use of lobbyists as a punching bag. Some have said they understood why he used strong rhetoric on the campaign trail but are irritated the White House solicits their opinions while Obama’s friends in Congress badger them for political donations.By Bob Cusack
A day after bashing lobbyists, President Barack Obama’s... more
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Recently Orlando congressman Alan Grayson has taken a media bashing for calling a (gasp) female lobbyist "K Street Whore." On a radio program Rep. Grayson said about Linda "K Street Whore" Robertson:
“This lobbyist, this K street whore, is trying to teach me about economics..”
Now granted this may not have been a nice or even pc comment given that the lobbyist is a woman, but calling out these people who bribe our government officials is imperative. Why is the media bashing Rep. Grayson for saying what many Americans (who actually understand what a lobbyist is) are saying about "them." They are whores. Let me take that back - prostitutes work a (lol) hard and disgusting job for cash. These people simply let us do that for them while subverting our interests to further their own. Other than all the hard working prostitutes, I don't know why anyone would be really offended that someone is finally sticking up for them.Recently Orlando congressman Alan Grayson has taken a media bashing for calling a... more
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Huge corporations and foreign nations take a proprietary interest in the government of the United States because they own it. They bought it at the on-going auction called 'K-street' where is sold to the highest bidders the services of Congress, the White House and even the US Supreme Court.Huge corporations and foreign nations take a proprietary interest in the government of... more
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What are going to do about the media not even acknowledging John Edwards is a candidate for President? We better get it figured out and do it soon. He needs overwhelming support or their overwhelming blackout is going to work. We can't afford eight more years of what we've had for far too long. We have to have an honest President to rebuild our country.What are going to do about the media not even acknowledging John Edwards is a... more
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