| Building The Washington Grassroots Organization |
“We must stop any and all practices that would lead a reasonable person to believe that a public servant has become indebted to a lobbyist...We must restore the American people’s confidence in the ethics process by ensuring that political self—interest can no longer prevent politicians from enforcing ethics rules.”
— Washington Post, January 4, 2007
As a freshman U.S. Senator, Obama was appointed the Democrats’ point–man for ethic reforms. This is due to his unquestionable honesty, his ability to work in a bi–partisan manner, and his successful ethics reform legislation in the State of Illinois. Obama recommended the following reform initiatives:
On January 18, 2007, the Senate finally passed a tougher Ethics Reform Bill. This bill passed only after overcoming Republican opposition to the stricter rules. Senators Obama and Feingold are widely credited with ensuring that these tougher rules were included in the final bill, which is awaiting reconciliation with the House’s version.
“And as people have looked away in disillusionment and frustration, we know what’s filled the void: the cynics, and the lobbyists, and the special interests who’ve turned our government into a game only they can afford to play. They write the checks and you get stuck with the bills, they get the access while you get to write a letter, they think they own this government, but we’re here today to take it back. The time for that politics is over. It’s time to turn the page.”
— Presidential Announcement, February 10, 2007