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Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (01/01/06 through 01/22/2007) Donate to DU
 
Eric J in MN Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-09-06 12:13 AM
Original message
Stop Democratic corruption BEFORE it happens....
Tell Congress, no more golfing trips to Scotland supposedly paid for by a charity.


Please ban privately-paid trips for members of Congress.

Do not make exceptions for trips paid for by lobbyists, educational groups, and charities. All three of those groups are seeking to influence legislation when they offer to pay for Congressional travel.

All travel by a member of Congress should be paid for by the public or by the member personally. Letting the public pay for important trips prevents conflicts-of-interest.


Send the above email to your Congressperson and Senators (with or without changes.)
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babylonsister Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-09-06 12:18 AM
Response to Original message
1. Aren''t ethics going to be addressed by the Dems immediately?
I can't imagine privately-paid trips for members of Congress being embraced. We shall see.
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Kagemusha Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-09-06 12:25 AM
Response to Reply #1
3. Yeah, but it's a whole month until Pelosi can act on them.
We shall see, indeed.
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Eric J in MN Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-09-06 12:27 AM
Response to Reply #1
4. They will pass an Ethics Bill in the first 100 hours, but....
Edited on Sat Dec-09-06 12:30 AM by Eric J in MN
...they are still deciding whether it will be strict or full-of-loopholes.

The bill could say, NO PRIVATELY FUNDED TRIPS BY CONGRESS.

Or it could say, YES, MORE PRIVATELY FUNDED TRIPS, BUT LOBBYISTS CAN'T RIDE ALONG. (The lobbyist could visit a Congressman after he returns from a golf trip paid for by a lobbyist-related charity in this case.)

I know that Congress is still deciding from two sources: a conversation I had with Congressman-elect Tim Walz (D-MN) , and a C-Span interview with Rep. Michael E. Capuano (D-MA).

Therefore, we should contact Congress now and say no privately-funded trips.
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babylonsister Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-09-06 12:47 AM
Response to Reply #4
6. No brainer for me, Eric. Privately funded trips are UNETHICAL. PERIOD. nt
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Eric J in MN Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-09-06 12:56 AM
Response to Reply #6
7. Can you please contact the offices of your Congressperson...
...and Senators on this issue?
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babylonsister Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-09-06 01:00 AM
Response to Reply #7
8. My senators won't listen but I have a new shining star, Nick Lampson
who replaced DeLay, and I will contact him.
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Toots Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-12-06 09:50 AM
Response to Reply #1
20. Yes after they get settled into their new luxury digs and enjoy all their new percs of power..
Edited on Tue Dec-12-06 09:50 AM by Toots
:shrug: I do believe it is too late. The moment one Congress person gets better treatment than any other Congress person they have taken the bait..
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PsN2Wind Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-09-06 12:24 AM
Response to Original message
2. The Democrats have two years to prove
themselves better than the Repubs. They need to do so decisively or risk a swing back to Repub control.
That means laying down a clear law to Dem Reps and Senators that even the appearance of corruption means loss of committee assignments or expulsion. It also means legislation that benefits the entire population not just cronies, donors and family.
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Eric J in MN Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Dec-10-06 07:54 PM
Response to Reply #2
15. Speaking of family members, I haven't heard any plans to ban...
...the close relatives of Senators from being federal lobbyists.
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bananas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-09-06 12:46 AM
Response to Original message
5. Isn't it a little late for that?
Edited on Sat Dec-09-06 12:47 AM by bananas
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2884306&mesg_id=2884707

on edit: no it's not too late but I'm not holding my breath.
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Eric J in MN Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-09-06 09:35 AM
Response to Reply #5
9. The trouble with impeaching Bush is that...
...it woud give us President Cheney, who would probably nuke Iran.

The trouble with the simultaneous impeachment of both Bush and Cheney is that it would set a precedent which the Republicans would use the next time Democrats held the White House and Republicans held the Senate and House.
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Eric J in MN Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-12-06 02:50 PM
Response to Reply #5
23. Please ask your representatives for an Ethics Bill without loopholes.
No privately-funded travel.
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Bjorn Against Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-09-06 11:53 AM
Response to Original message
10. Yes they need to stop privately paid trips, and they have to go after William Jefferson
The Democrats are going to have a hard time convincing many people they are sincere about ethics reform unless they go after William Jefferson hard. The guy is a disgrace to the party and he will undermine any serious efforts to bring about changes to the ethics rules. The guy was caught red handed taking bribes, and he should be thrown out along with all the corrupt Republicans.
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Eric J in MN Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-09-06 03:14 PM
Response to Reply #10
12. People in Louisiana have a chance to vote out William Jefferson today.
http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/12/9/82143/3744

Yes, if he wins, the Democrats should investigate him.
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Eric J in MN Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-12-06 12:13 PM
Response to Reply #12
22. Oh well, that election didn't have the result I wanted.
William (cash-in-his-freezer) Jefferson won.
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goforit Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-09-06 12:28 PM
Response to Original message
11. The best way is to screw the corporations royally... keep addictions away.
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Eric J in MN Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-09-06 07:27 PM
Response to Reply #11
13. Which addictions? NT
NT
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wain Donating Member (803 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-09-06 07:55 PM
Response to Original message
14. Absolutely right. We need to police ourselves.
The republicans failed at this big time - in addition to not comprehending how to wear the mantle of power.

There are too many interest groups seeking influence, with the means to compromise politicians.

Our leadership needs to pro-actively and persistently guard against and prevent scandal.

x(
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Eric J in MN Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Dec-10-06 10:13 PM
Response to Original message
16. kick
kick
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Eric J in MN Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-12-06 10:41 AM
Response to Reply #16
21. kick
kick
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Eric J in MN Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-11-06 08:45 AM
Response to Original message
17. kick
kick
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OzarkDem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-11-06 08:46 AM
Response to Original message
18. Pelosi already took care of this
Why do you keep bringing it up?
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Eric J in MN Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-12-06 09:06 AM
Response to Reply #18
19. An Ethics Bill which is full of loopholes won't take care of corruption.
I'm bringing this up because I want a stronger Ethics Bill than the one she introduced last February.

I want no privately-funded trips by Congresspersons, not privately-funded trips in which lobbyists can't ride along.
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