World

Obama 'to curb role of lobbyists'

by Sanjay Jha | November 11, 2008 at 09:51 pm

240 views | 20 Recommendations | 3 comments

Even before Barack Obama has formally taken over the Presidency of the US, he has given indication of reversal of many of President Bush's actions and executive orders. President elect's office has also come out strongly against the role of lobbyists in the US administration and announced that their role will be curtailed in the new administration.

US President-elect Barack Obama will introduce rules to restrict the role of lobbyists as he shapes his administration, says a senior official.

Transition chief John Podesta said Mr Obama would introduce "the strictest and most far reaching ethics rules of any transition team in history".

He promised the "most open and transparent" ever handover of power.

Mr Obama's defeated Republican rival John McCain, meanwhile, cracked jokes about his defeat on a US talk show.

In his first post-election TV interview, Arizona Senator McCain said that since being trounced by Mr Obama in last week's election he had been "sleeping like a baby".

"I sleep two hours, wake up and cry," he added, repeating a gag he made after losing to George W Bush during the Republican primaries in 2000.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend Sign In or Join to post comments

Uwe Paschen

at 04:12 on November 12th, 2008

now that would be so nice, however did Clinton not try that as well and so did Carter, ouch they did get hurt by that move.

Albert Milliron

at 04:47 on November 12th, 2008

I agree with this move by Obama. These guys are demonized but they do provide services to government officials. Each Lobbyists provides information that is difficult or impossible for the Congressman to obtain. If a Congressman uses this data from differing positions it helps in the descision making process. We all are aware of the negatives but I think PE Obama will soon find that Lobbiest provide services as well as push for access and influence. Anyone who has ever visited their congressman or worked on the Hill is blown away by the mass of Lobbyists in DC.

Annoyed (not verified)

at 05:59 on November 12th, 2008

Information provided by lobbyists is at best biased.

Lobbying is defined as the act of using access to influence and affect legislation. It is not intended as an information portal for Congressmen.

The whole idea behind lobbying is to succeed in their own cause be it allowing a dangerous drug to be marketed or law change to free companies from paying compensation to injured workers. The whole idea is to sway a politicians viewpoint to the lobbyists cause. So any 'information' provided cannot be relied upon. And any 'services' provided are also intended to sweeten a poilitician to sway them to the lobbyist's viewpoint.

It is precisely the 'information' and 'services' they provide that has become the 'acceptable face' of corruption in Washington.

If you genuinely believe that lobbyists provide vital information and services then I am afraid that you are either naive, deluded or deliberately trying to mislead un-informed people.