by Mike Dorning
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama pledged Friday to limit lobbyist influence and secrecy in regulatory policy-making that he said has fostered a “second Gilded Age” of political dominance by powerful business interests.
Obama argued in a speech delivered in the early primary state of New Hampshire that undue influence of wealthy corporations has contributed to the income gap between rich and poor and frustrated attempts to address issues such as high prescription drug costs and global warming.
“The people I’ve met across this country don’t just want reform for reform’s sake,” the Illinois senator said. “They want reform that will help pay their doctor’s bills, or ensure that their tax dollars are spent wisely, or put us on the path to energy independence. They want real reform and they’re tired of the lobbyists standing in the way.”
Obama said he would ban lobbyists from giving gifts in any amount to executive branch employees.
The senator also said he would seek to limit the revolving-door relationships of officials who move back and forth between government posts and lobbying jobs.
Obama said he would bar presidential appointees from working on regulations or contracts related to a prior employer for two years. He also said officials who departed from his Administration would be barred from lobbying the executive branch for the remainder of his time in office.
“I refuse to accept the Washington logic that you cannot find thousands of talented, patriotic Americans willing to devote a few years to their country without the promise of a lucrative lobbying job after they’re done,” Obama said.
Obama also promised to reverse Bush Administration policies limiting the public disclosure of government records and deliberations.
“The more people know about how federal laws, rules and regulations are made, and who’s making them, the less likely it is that critical decisions will be hijacked by lobbyists and special interests,” Obama said.
Obama cited a task force assembled by Vice President Dick Cheney that included energy-industry lobbyists who advised the Bush Administration on drafting its energy policy. The Bush Administration successfully fended off lawsuits seeking records from the task force by invoking executive privilege.
“When there are meeings between lobbyists and a government agency, we won’t be going to the Supreme Court to keep it secret,” Obama said. “We’ll be putting them up on the Internet for every American to watch.”
A statement released by the campaign said that Obama would require top officials to conduct “significant business” in public and make available video through the Internet.
Obama also said he would wait five days before signing “non-emergency” legislation to allow for public scrutiny and produce a list of “every single tax break and earmark” to be made available to the public on-line.