Lobbyists pushed off advisory panels

**Deku Trii** · 11-27-2009, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Hundreds, if not thousands, of lobbyists are likely to be ejected from federal advisory panels as part of a little-noticed initiative by the Obama administration to curb K Street's influence in Washington, according to White House officials and lobbying experts.

The new policy -- issued with little fanfare this fall by the White House ethics counsel -- may turn out to be the most far-reaching lobbying rule change so far from President Obama, who also has sought to restrict the ability of lobbyists to get jobs in his administration and to negotiate over stimulus contracts.

The initiative is aimed at a system of advisory committees so vast that federal officials don't have exact numbers for its size; the most recent estimates tally nearly 1,000 panels with total membership exceeding 60,000 people.

Under the policy, which is being phased in over the coming months, none of the more than 13,000 lobbyists in Washington would be able to hold seats on the committees, which advise agencies on trade rules, troop levels, environmental regulations, consumer protections and thousands of other government policies.

"Some folks have developed a comfortable Beltway perch sitting on these boards while at the same time working as lobbyists to influence the government," said White House ethics counsel Norm Eisen, who disclosed the policy in a September blog posting on the White House Web site. "That is just the kind of special interest access that the president objects to."

washingtonpost.com

***Cosmonautical*** · 11-27-2009, 11:15 PM

Way to go Obama, this is the kind of stuff the US actually needs done to legitemately represent the public (as stupid as I think most of the public may be).

Robotazy · 11-28-2009, 02:06 AM

Woooooo.

I don't understand at all.

Woooooo.

**Deku Trii** · 11-28-2009, 10:25 AM

^Lobbyists essentially advise politicians on how legislation will affect their group and try to persuade them to vote certain ways. Those with the most money get the loudest voice.

**Valigarmander** · 11-28-2009, 02:18 PM

I want to make a socialist joke, but eh, those are eating up my soul.

It's good to see the government taking steps forward like this.

Kil'jaeden · 11-29-2009, 05:12 PM

The first thing that came to mind when I saw the title was "....and into the rancor pit."

11-27-2009, 11:15 PM	#2
*Cosmonautical* Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: I rub my tilde all over your asterisk Gender: Posts: 28,100 Thanks: 2,151 Thanked 5,338 Times in 2,433 Posts	Way to go Obama, this is the kind of stuff the US actually needs done to legitemately represent the public (as stupid as I think most of the public may be).

11-28-2009, 02:06 AM	#3
Robotazy PRESS ANY KEY TO PANIC! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: A Tiny Shed Gender: Posts: 16,483 Thanks: 529 Thanked 1,254 Times in 897 Posts Blog Entries: 46	Woooooo. I don't understand at all. Woooooo.

11-28-2009, 10:25 AM	#4
Deku Trii PP&R Mod Current Events Mod Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Texas Gender: Posts: 9,031 Thanks: 521 Thanked 1,099 Times in 583 Posts	^Lobbyists essentially advise politicians on how legislation will affect their group and try to persuade them to vote certain ways. Those with the most money get the loudest voice.

11-28-2009, 02:18 PM	#5
Valigarmander The Bee's Knees Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The land of rain and trees (Oregon) Gender: Posts: 29,755 Thanks: 1,649 Thanked 5,700 Times in 2,580 Posts Blog Entries: 20	I want to make a socialist joke, but eh, those are eating up my soul. It's good to see the government taking steps forward like this.

11-29-2009, 05:12 PM	#6
Kil'jaeden Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: in your mind Gender: Posts: 2,132 Thanks: 21 Thanked 146 Times in 99 Posts	The first thing that came to mind when I saw the title was "....and into the rancor pit."