Read a little. Learn a lot. • Tightly-written news, views and stuff • Follow us on TwitterBe a Facebook FanTumble us!

16 Nov 2011 21:00

tags

Politics: Barney Frank condemns Newt Gingrich on Freddie Mac claim

  • There are two ‘L’ words that apply with Newt, lobbyist and liar. Mr. Gingrich was reprimanded for lying. He has a history of doing that and this is nonsense that he was being paid $1.6 million and maybe more to talk about history.
  • Rep. Barney Frank • Pulling no punches in his condemnation of Newt Gingrich, over Gingrich’s claim that his $1.6 million in income from Freddie Mac was earned not as a lobbyist, but as a historian. Frank and Gingrich are former colleagues in the House, and it doesn’t seem they terribly care for one another — at a previous debate, Gingrich suggested Frank and financial reform law co-sponsor Chris Dodd should be jailed. source

15 Jun 2011 11:17

tags

Tech: Facebook’s growing war chest of former presidential aides

They didn’t get Robert Gibbs, but they did get Joe Lockhart (Clinton’s press secretary). And a bunch of Bush aides. Looks like someone’s prepping for a big legislative fight in DC. source

11 May 2011 10:48

tags

Tech: When Google uses lobbyists, they use them for awesome reasons

While the food industry lobbies Arizona politicians to keep Happy Meals happy, Google lobbies Nevada politicians to allow self-driving cars. Awesome. source

24 Jun 2010 19:45

tags

U.S.: The DISCLOSE (unless your lobbying group is huge) Act passes

  • good The House passes the DISCLOSE act, designed to make political groups disclose who their five largest donors are (and to make the head of the largest company appear in the ads).
  • bad It sounds good for fans of political transparency, but it makes notable exemptions for the largest lobbying groups – inculding  the Humane Society, NRA, and AARP. WTF? Why are they special? source

18 Jan 2010 09:27

tags

U.S.: The underground lobbying game: Political advocates skirt the rules

  • All the increasing restrictions on lobbyists are a disincentive to be a lobbyist, and those who think they can deregister are eagerly doing so. It is creating some apparent contradictions.
  • Veteran political lawyer Jan Baran • Regarding the apparent push for lobbyists to be lobbyists in everything but name. Essentially, legal restrictions on what lobbyists can do is creating something of a black market for lobbying. By leaving “lobbyist” as a hard-and-fast definition, many policy advocates choose to simply not register and avoid the oversight. Why are there always loopholes when it comes to the business of political influence? It creates vacuums like this one. source

26 Dec 2009 21:47

tags

Biz: Chocolate milk under fire at schools; the dairy industry fights back

  • $1 million to convince kids that chocolate milk is A-OK source