Comments on: Jack Abramoff: The lobbyist's playbook
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- Proposed Campaign Finance Reforms
Who can contribute: Contributions to a candidates campaign can only be made by registered voters who can cast a vote for the candidate. Voters to approve the maximum amount each individual can contribute. The candidate can only contribute the approved maximum to his own campaign.
Contributions to National Political Parties: Contributions to National Political Parties can only be made by registered voters, the maximum amount equal to the above approved for a candidate. National Parties may not use any of the contributions collected to financially support the campaign of ANY candidate for public office.
Penalties for non-compliance: If significant violations are proven by investigation, the candidate will be removed from the ballot if the violations are found before the election. If found after the election and the violator was elected, the elected candidate will be immediately impeached and removed from office and face a significant financial fine. Contributors who exceed the maximum contributions shall also be fined for trying to buy political influence. Corporations, PAC Organizations, and Unions, who try to influence or finance individuals who contribute to the campaign shall also be fined for trying to buy political influence. National Political Parties in violation will be fined. In extreme cases of non-compliance, individuals could be incarcerated and National Parties dissolved.
Proposed Financial Influence Reform
Lobbyist must be registered and licensed. Those elected to ANY public office cannot accept gifts, services, or cash from registered Lobbyist, nor from persons associated with Registered Lobbyist. In the event of a legislative vote that will benefit lobbyists, the public office holder cannot vote on the legislation if he or any member of his family has worked for, or been associated with, the organization the Lobbyist Represents within the last ten years. Public Office Holders who complete their term of office and return to the private sector, must wait ten years before they can become a Registered Lobbyist. For the same ten year period, the public servant who has returned to the private sector, cannot write books nor make public appearances that generate income beyond a reasonable fair market value.
Penalties for non-compliance: If significant violations are proven by investigation, the public office holder in violation will be immediately impeached and removed from office and face a significant financial fine. Lobbyist in violation shall permanently loose their license to Lobby and be fined. The Corporations, PAC Organizations, and Unions, represented by the Lobbyist, shall also be fined. In extreme cases of non-compliance, individuals could be incarcerated.
Investigations of Non-Compliance to Campaign finance & Financial Influence Reforms
Investigations by Legislative and Executive branches of government are prohibited due to a conflict of interest. All investigations shall be conducted by the Judicial Branch of Government. Investigators must also be members of the Judicial Branch, a Department of the Judicial Branch to be designated "The Bureau of Congressional & Executive Branches Investigation." Bureau Investigations finding that violations did occur, shall be heard by a panel of three Federal Judges, a unanimous vote of all three Judges required to conclude violations did occur. In the event the Judges find violations occurred, the public office holder will be immediately removed from office. The Judges shall access the punishment in fines and incarceration. - Reply to this comment
- It's time to clean House...... anyone involved in this criminal activity against the people goes to jail for 20 years minimum.... then they can spend some time with all the people busted for a joint that are in for 5-10. That makes going to jail for a joint all the more absurd.
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- The amount of money corporations spend on Campaigns and Lobbying is shocking, see charts on this page:
http://www.verisi.com/resources/campaign-finance.htm
Spending by unions is generally much smaller. I think 3 things can help lessen the impact of money on US politics:
1. constitutional amendment to eliminate corporate personhood
2. public financing for all elections
3. version control system for all legislation (http://www.quora.com/What-are-the-nontechnical-barriers-to-adopting-a-version-control-system-for-use-in-writing-bills-new-laws ) - Reply to this comment
- Thanks to Leslie Stahl for saying "I Hate You" to this bum. This is a great story, the only part I didn't approve of is everyone seems to focus on what Abramoff did to the Indian Tribes. No mention was ever made what this guy and his partner in crime Tom DeLay did to the garment workers on Saipan. Abramoff paid for trips to the island for DeLay and his family and in turn Tom DeLay ensured all legislation on behalf of the workers there never saw the light of day. He even threatened to have the Dept. of the Interior's funding cut off unless they stopped investigating the factories. This was Washington politics at it's utmost worst, they actually supported Human Rights abuses on American soil.
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- repubiscum, and nothing has changed.
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- Many politicians feed at the trough, but they don't all use the same size spoons. And some use earth movers.
Will Congress stop this?
Nawwww. - Reply to this comment
- The biggest fraud in the room is Ms. Stahl. How dare she (and the rest of the 60 minutes crew) spend an entire career by pretending to once again be 'mad' about Washington corruption. How is it that she is surprised about something that any taxi driver in America could tell you in ten seconds? And for a small tip he could tell you that the way to get it done is to give the politicians lots of money and high paying jobs for their friends and relatives. How does Stahl think corrupt governments work anyhow?
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- Why on earth is Leslie Stahl shocked and angered by all of this? She is behaving as if she was unaware that it happens all the time. If that is really true, then she should resign her position as a major newscaster, because she is the most naive newscaster on the face of the planet.
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- This is a story of a swindler, that makes our Congress swindlers too, that turns media into swindlers too. All are corrupt. No one in Congress took a stand for the people and the media is no watch dog either. Media is owned and bought for the same as Congress.
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- Abramhoff went to jail for cheating some of his clients and for tax evasion. He didn't "corrupt the system," he used the system and the system is corrupt.
How is the media contributing? By refusing to do the thorough investigating of the real problems in government...remember Watergate and Iran-Contra?...if the problem involves one of their darlings. How much did you learn about Rangel's ethics investigation from the media? Bet you heard all about Joe the Plumber's personal history though, didn't you? - Reply to this comment
