Suprise, surpise! The Republicans have once again said adios to ethics reform.Knight Ridder papers reports, "A revolt by House Republicans aimed at killing lobby and ethics reform legislation was narrowly defused Thursday when GOP leaders compromised on terms, then delayed a final vote until next week.
The legislation still faces broad, if not unanimous, opposition from Democrats and a handful of Republican moderates who say the legislation falls far short of what Congress needs to remove the stain of scandal rising from recent criminal convictions for influence-peddling.
The legislative package, which will be voted on Tuesday, restricts some congressional travel, requires more frequent public disclosure of lobbying activity and forces public identification of sponsors of special-interest “earmarks” inserted into spending bills.
The measure’s defeat would have been an embarrassing setback for House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio."
Why can't Boehner and the Republicans just do what the people of this nation want and clean up Washington D.C?
I would be ashamed if I were the Republicans and my party had all the scandals, indictments, and investigations they have expereinced over the past year or so and not do anything to correct the problem.
Congressman Ford has the right idea on ethics. In a release last week Ford said, “I will vote no on this weak ethics reform bill because it does very little to rebuild people's confidence in Congress' integrity. To fix it, we should ban gifts to Congress, the Senate and their aides, double to two years the ban on lobbying by former members of Congress, end lavish junkets paid for by private groups and end all pork spending until we balance the budget. Even then, we should force up or down votes on every piece of pork submitted.
"This bill fails even the basic test of common sense. Ethics reform should fix the problem, instead of encouraging and pardoning the same behavior. My Republican colleagues have botched it again. Tennesseans deserve to know how Van Hilleary, Bob Corker and Ed Bryant would vote on this bill.”
It is time for the atmosphere to change in Congress. I believe Congressman Ford is just the person to shake things up in the U.S. Senate.
Read about Congressman Ford's actions on ethics reform here! (1 , 2, 3)
Read about John Boehner's views opposing ethics reform here!
Read about John Boehner's broken promises regarding ethics reform here!
