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Lobbying ban revoked on last day in office

Lobbying ban revoked on last day in office

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https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2021/01/20/trump-revokes-lobbying-ban-he-signed-at-the-beginning-of-his-presidency/

The Trumpster got a lot of deserved credit in his early days for signing several ethics orders for his incoming administration. Among those ws an executive order requiring federal appointees to sign a pledge to not lobby the agencies in which you worked for 5 years after leaving. He was draining the swamp. He gave a bunch of speeches on it and what not. Winning.

Then he revoked it yesterday. WHY? Was it all a publicity stunt from the very beginning? Swamp is still swamp.

This seems like a no-brainer. It's not no lobbying, just not lobbying directly to the agency you just left. Why's it not a law already?

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@wildgrass said
https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2021/01/20/trump-revokes-lobbying-ban-he-signed-at-the-beginning-of-his-presidency/

The Trumpster got a lot of deserved credit in his early days for signing several ethics orders for his incoming administration. Among those ws an executive order requiring federal appointees to sign a pledge to not lobby the agencies in which yo ...[text shortened]... not no lobbying, just not lobbying directly to the agency you just left. Why's it not a law already?
Yes it was a blatant publicity stunt like the rest of his time in office.
But there should be a bipartisan federal law prohibiting lobbying for at least five years after serving in government. It wouldn’t drain the swamp but there would be a lot less of the pesky blood sucking leeches in the stinking water.

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@kevcvs57
Right you're talking about a broad lobbying ban, which is debatable. Political appointees often only serve a short time and limiting their career options after that would definitely shrink the applicant pool. But lobbying the agency you just left seems like an obvious thing we need to fix. Your former boss who just left and now makes 10x salary is asking you for a no bid military contract worth billions? How can you say no?


@wildgrass said
@kevcvs57
Right you're talking about a broad lobbying ban, which is debatable. Political appointees often only serve a short time and limiting their career options after that would definitely shrink the applicant pool. But lobbying the agency you just left seems like an obvious thing we need to fix. Your former boss who just left and now makes 10x salary is asking you for a no bid military contract worth billions? How can you say no?
Big business petitioning the government for anything should be illegal.

Period. End the graft.

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@kevcvs57 said
Yes it was a blatant publicity stunt like the rest of his time in office.
But there should be a bipartisan federal law prohibiting lobbying for at least five years after serving in government. It wouldn’t drain the swamp but there would be a lot less of the pesky blood sucking leeches in the stinking water.
You are right. There is NOTHING worse than a parasite.


@wildgrass said
https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2021/01/20/trump-revokes-lobbying-ban-he-signed-at-the-beginning-of-his-presidency/

The Trumpster got a lot of deserved credit in his early days for signing several ethics orders for his incoming administration. Among those ws an executive order requiring federal appointees to sign a pledge to not lobby the agencies in which yo ...[text shortened]... not no lobbying, just not lobbying directly to the agency you just left. Why's it not a law already?
Bill Clinton did did the same thing before leaving office.
I heard Trump criticized slick willie for it once, so now Trump is a hypocrite since he did the same thing.


@suzianne said
Big business petitioning the government for anything should be illegal.

Period. End the graft.
What about the CEO of a big business? Should she be able to petition the government for something as a citizen or should that also be illegal? What if that personal petition is for decrease in corporate regulation? Can she call her Congressman and ask for repeal of corporate regulation?


@sh76 said
What about the CEO of a big business? Should she be able to petition the government for something as a citizen or should that also be illegal? What if that personal petition is for decrease in corporate regulation? Can she call her Congressman and ask for repeal of corporate regulation?
Lobbying is going to go on in one form or another regardless of regulations. My only beef with lobbying, is the well to do have a number of ways to purchase access to lawmakers, while the working class does not.

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@wildgrass said
@kevcvs57
Right you're talking about a broad lobbying ban, which is debatable. Political appointees often only serve a short time and limiting their career options after that would definitely shrink the applicant pool. But lobbying the agency you just left seems like an obvious thing we need to fix. Your former boss who just left and now makes 10x salary is asking you for a no bid military contract worth billions? How can you say no?
Oh I’d love to tell all of my former bosses to go hump themselves.
Lobbying is lobbying, if you have worked (even on a voluntarily basis) for a government agency you should not be able lobby for anything related to that agency. It’s legalised corruption involving tax payers dollars.

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@sh76 said
What about the CEO of a big business? Should she be able to petition the government for something as a citizen or should that also be illegal? What if that personal petition is for decrease in corporate regulation? Can she call her Congressman and ask for repeal of corporate regulation?
I would say everyone including corporations can lobby for anything as long as the CEO hasn’t worked within the department being lobbied. A lot of ex ministers and civil servants get suspiciously high paying jobs in big corporations related to their department before the ink on their golden handshake cheques has dried.

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@mchill said
Lobbying is going to go on in one form or another regardless of regulations. My only beef with lobbying, is the well to do have a number of ways to purchase access to lawmakers, while the working class does not.
It's one thing to have a beef with it, it's another to suggest Constitutional, fair and sensible legislation to curb it.

But if you have an idea, by all means, present it.

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@sh76 said
It's one thing to have a beef with it, it's another to suggest Constitutional, fair and sensible legislation to curb it.

But if you have an idea, by all means, present it.
It looks like Biden is implementing an "ethics pledge" for all appointees that includes a legally-binding ban on lobbying for 2 years. This one cannot be revoked. It could be stronger, and it could be just a law, but still good on ya Biden.

https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/535176-biden-signs-executive-order-invoking-2-year-lobbying-ban-for-appointees


@wildgrass said
https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2021/01/20/trump-revokes-lobbying-ban-he-signed-at-the-beginning-of-his-presidency/

The Trumpster got a lot of deserved credit in his early days for signing several ethics orders for his incoming administration. Among those ws an executive order requiring federal appointees to sign a pledge to not lobby the agencies in which yo ...[text shortened]... not no lobbying, just not lobbying directly to the agency you just left. Why's it not a law already?
DRAIN THE SWAMP, HUH?

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