Posted on 01/09/2006 5:05:30 PM PST by listenhillary
Time for capital cleanup
By Sen. Harry Reid DenverPost.com
For many Americans, the start of the New Year is a time to pause and reflect. We take stock of our blessings and make New Year's resolutions about how we can improve.
I believe it is appropriate for us to pause and reflect on the state of our union.
Americans are asking serious questions about what is happening in government, and they are right to be disappointed by what they see. Never before in our history have we seen such corruption. It's not only the scandals at the House, Senate and White House that are contributing to the corruption, but the corrupt priorities of lawmakers, too.
Washington has become a place where special interests rule. It's now a city where the powerful and the well-connected get taken care of and everyone else gets left behind.
The problem is Washington is run by leaders who put their own political interests ahead of America's interests. Wined and dined by their well-connected friends, these individuals have forgotten who they really work for.
There's a price to pay for this corruption, and it's the American people who are forced to pay it. Year after year, they see special interests get the perks, while their priorities go unaddressed.
Consider 2005. Last year, Congress did not pass a single item of legislation to make health care more affordable, to create high-paying, quality jobs, to help seniors live more secure retirements or to help middle-class families make ends meet.
Now, look what the Republican Congress did manage to do. It supported billions of dollars in tax breaks for special interests and multimillionaires and paid for them by cutting student loans and health care for seniors.
Is it any wonder Americans are fed up with how Washington works?
The good news is Americans do not have to accept more of the same in 2006. Just as January is a time for identifying problems, it is also a time for coming forward with solutions to solve them.
This New Year, Democrats resolve to clean up Washington, so America's government can once again focus on the priorities of America's people. We have a plan to put an end to business as usual in the nation's capital. Democrats want to shine a bright light on the relationship between lobbyists and lawmakers and clean up the system of quid pro quo and pay to play politics that gave rise to Jack Abramoff and Tom DeLay.
Honest leadership isn't a partisan goal. It is the key to a stronger union. When leaders work together in a bipartisan manner and put progress ahead of politics, there is no limit to how far America can go.
We can have an economy that creates good-paying jobs and pays down the debt. We can kick our dependence on foreign oil. We can help middle-class families make ends meet, and we can protect Americans, whether the threat is terrorism, avian flu or a disaster like Hurricane Katrina.
In a few weeks, President Bush will deliver his State of the Union Address. When he does, I want you to ask yourself, is this the best America can do - a government where the special interests come before the people? Or can we do better for your family and friends?
I believe we can do better, and it's pessimistic to suggest anything less. The truth is, our government can make a difference for all Americans. It only takes leaders who will put people, not politics, first.
U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., is the Senate Democratic leader.
yo harry...did ya give the money back yet?
Doogle
He takes in $45K from Abramhoff, and then decides to lecture everyone on how he and his party are gonna clean things up in D.C? That's pretty hilarious.
As part of his tour of Red States, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) visits Phoenix, AZ and Denver, CO.
(Not sure of the dates)
Hey, Harry...what about the $68,000+ payola you got from Abramoff?..........hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?
Roll Call's Billings reports that January 18 is the day to mark on your calendars for the unveiling of a key component of the 2006 Democratic agenda, the "Honest Leadership Act."
Amen. You go first, Harry. Then Hillary, Edward, Mr. Byrd, Mr. Schumer...
I bet Harry was razing Hell, too, when the Clinton cesspool was in full swing.
I agree with Reid and I believe we should start in Nevada, California, Massachusetts and New York! :-]
Consider 2005. Last year, Congress did not pass a single item of legislation to make health care more affordable, to create high-paying, quality jobs, to help seniors live more secure retirements or to help middle-class families make ends meet.
Every single item is something that our government has NO
business doing!
the honest leadership act? are all democrats gonna resign at the same time?
It should be amusing!
Fabulous. I give you 5 gold stars.....
This puke has funneled millions to his family in Nevada.
Somewhere floating is a list of those receiving money, anyone know where I can locate it.?
Harry, you can start by looking into how the money was spent on The Big Dig in Boston.
A fitting article from a man who definitely knows a thing or two about corruption and scandal.
>>>Consider 2005. Last year, Congress did not pass a single item of legislation to make health care more affordable, to create high-paying, quality jobs, to help seniors live more secure retirements or to help middle-class families make ends meet.<<<
Ummmmm... because the United States Congress is not responsible for any of those things, save protecting Social Security. You can thank the Democrat party for killing any reform of that particular program, by the way. Fixing Social Security would deprive the American left of one of its biggest "point-the-finger" issues... and what is bad for the citizens of the United States (the legal ones) is good for the liberals.
These people amaze me with their horse crap. here we have the pot calling the kettle black.They must truly believe every American is as stupid as the leftists they suck up to.
After all these donations, Harry might be a little saddle sore...
http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_give/S6NV00028
| 1 | MGM Mirage | $105,200 |
| 2 | Mandalay Resort Group | $78,350 |
| 3 | Simmons Cooper LLC | $73,400 |
| 4 | Harrah's Entertainment | $68,600 |
| 5 | Station Casinos | $38,000 |
| 6 | Caesars Entertainment | $37,215 |
| 7 | Baron & Budd | $37,000 |
| 8 | Newmont Mining | $36,799 |
| 9 | Citigroup Inc | $35,250 |
| 10 | Lionel, Sawyer & Collins | $35,000 |
| 11 | Sierra Nevada Corp | $34,300 |
| 12 | Park Place Entertainment | $31,850 |
| 13 | Waters & Kraus | $31,650 |
| 14 | Weitz & Luxenberg | $25,000 |
| 15 | Microsoft Corp | $24,000 |
| 16 | Cassidy & Assoc/Interpublic Group | $23,662 |
| 17 | American Media Inc | $22,000 |
| 18 | Thornton, Early & Naumes | $21,000 |
| 19 | Petroleum Marketers Assn | $20,000 |
| 20 | Greenberg, Traurig et al | $19,941 |
Guess this means Harry is onboard for releasing the Barrett report? Ha Ha, silly me. Everyone knows Pres Klinton's C.U.C. is off limits. Her husbands too.
| The top industries supporting Harry Reid are: | ||
| Lawyers/Law Firms | $1,171,538 | |
| Casinos/Gambling | $520,613 | |
| Lobbyists | $292,816 | |
| Real Estate | $277,950 | |
| Securities & Investment | $252,450 | |
| Health Professionals | $201,149 | |
| Business Services | $148,589 | |
| Retired | $147,450 | |
| TV/Movies/Music | $142,500 | |
| Insurance | $136,410 | |
| Transportation Unions | $135,500 | |
| Computers/Internet | $124,025 | |
| Misc Finance | $115,825 | |
| Leadership PACs | $112,500 | |
| Public Sector Unions | $111,500 | |
| Commercial Banks | $110,396 | |
| General Contractors | $105,700 | |
| Construction Services | $104,150 | |
| Pro-Israel | $94,200 | |
| Mining | $82,349 | |
He had better watch his mouth!
Bush tried that, he still has knives sticking out of his back from the ordeal.
He must not feel the pain because he hasn't changed his modus operandi. Sorry to say.
And congress does that...how?
Using the democrats to clean up a mess is like cleaning windows with elephant dung.Harry and the rats are traitors who stab the military in the back while it's in the middle of fighting a war.
Sierra Harry can start the clean-up by setting a good example, he should resign today!
How would he know? No, really - how would he know? That Barrett Report comes out in 10 days...
I need to buy a Senator.
Physician, heal thyself.
Harry Reid Tied to Chinagate Figure
June 2000:
China uses computers from U.S. illegally
By Bill Gertz THE WASHINGTON TIMES
China's main nuclear weapons center is using U.S. supercomputers illegally to simulate warhead detonations without actual underground tests, The Washington Times has learned.
U.S.-origin high-performance computers are being used at the Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics, the main nuclear weapons facility in Beijing. The facility is viewed by officials as China's version of Los Alamos National Laboratory, according to Clinton administration intelligence officials.
-snip-
A U.S. intelligence official who was not familiar with the report said that it has been difficult for U.S. intelligence agencies to learn whether China is using complete U.S. advanced computers, or whether they are using a combination of U.S. components and homemade systems.
According to Clinton administration officials, the president hopes to dramatically ease export control on high-powered computers.
An amendment to the current defense authorization bill sponsored by Sen. Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, would make it easier for the president to change the export rules by reducing a congressional notification period from 180 days to 30 days.
THE SENATORS' SONS: PART TWO
In Nevada, Reid Is the Name to Know
Members of one lawmaker's family represent nearly every major industry in their home state. And their clients rely on his goodwill.
By Chuck Neubauer and Richard T. Cooper Times Staff Writers
June 23, 2003
WASHINGTON - It was the kind of legislation that slips under the radar here.
The name alone made the eyes glaze over: "The Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act of 2002." In a welter of technical jargon, it dealt with boundary shifts, land trades and other arcane matters - all in Nevada.
FOR THE RECORD
Lobbyists - A graphic accompanying an article in Monday's Section A on Nevada Sen. Harry Reid's lobbyist relatives incorrectly said that the University of Nevada at Reno paid $10,000 a month to the Lionel Sawyer & Collins law firm. In fact, the university paid the firm $40,000 in the last half of 2002, according to federal lobbyist reports.
As he introduced it, Nevada's senior U.S. senator, Democrat Harry Reid, assured colleagues that his bill was a bipartisan measure to protect the environment and help the economy in America's fastest-growing state.
What Reid did not explain was that the bill promised a cavalcade of benefits to real estate developers, corporations and local institutions that were paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in lobbying fees to his sons' and son-in-law's firms, federal lobbyist reports show.
The Howard Hughes Corp. alone paid $300,000 to the tiny Washington consulting firm of son-in-law Steven Barringer to push a provision allowing the company to acquire 998 acres of federal land ripe for development in the exploding Las Vegas metropolitan area.
Barringer is listed in federal lobbyist reports as one of Hughes' representatives on the measure that his father-in-law introduced.
Other provisions were intended to benefit a real estate development headed by a senior partner in the Nevada law firm that employs all four of Reid's sons - by moving the right-of-way for a federal power-transmission line off his property and onto what had been protected federal wilderness.
The governments of three of Nevada's biggest cities - Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson - also gained from the legislation, which freed up tens of thousands of acres of federal land for development and annexation. All three were represented by Reid's family members who contacted his staff on their clients' behalf.
The Clark County land bill, which was approved in a late-night session just before Congress recessed in October, reflects a new twist in an old game: These days, when corporations and other interests want to cement a vital relationship with someone in Congress, they're likely to reach out to hire a member of the family.
More here:
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-sonsday223jun23,1,5816793.story?ctrack=2&cset=true
Thank you very much, good list. differnt than the other one but yours shows the corp. thanks again.
Wrong attitude, you need to BECOME a senator.
Ping
Every single item is something that our government has NO
business doing!
How do we get this across to Congress?
He's coming to AZ to support the sleazy guy that's running against Senator Kyl (my very favorite senator)
Oh, I heard him say he has "no intention of giving that money back, because he didn't do anything wrong. It's a Republican problem, not his." He's using this to make an attack on the GOP and he figures the damage will be done by the time it gets real nasty and he has to give his money back.
70+ years of letting them get away with it is kind of hard to overcome.
The constitution strictly interpreted could be viewed as a severe threat to our elected officials power. There's no danger of it being strictly interpreted anytime soon. I try not to get too pissed off about it.
They should all go first, Republican and Democrat alike. Bunch of pandering hacks the lot of them. I'll help them pack if they all promise to leave office within the week. Nobody would miss a one of them. Well of course except for the Democrats and Republicans that desire new government programs. No one else would miss them though
Hey Harry, You give the money your buddy Jack Abramoff got you back yet?
Thank you billbears for delivering your usual rant from the Politically Irrelevant Tempertatrum Party
But that's all you have, isn't it? At what point would you actually criticize the Republican party (your 'team')? Is there even a point that would happen?
(sound of mechanical breathing)
"Join us, manwiththehands. And you will discover the awesome corrupting power of the Dark Side of the 17th Amendment!"
(sound of mechanical breathing)
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