McCain Flip-Flops On Lobbying Reform, Caves To Pressure From Religious Right
McCain Flip-Flops On Lobbying Reform, Caves To Pressure From Religious Right
In Dec. 2005, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) announced that he was introducing The Lobbying Transparency and Accountability Act of 2005. Section 105 of his bill called for “disclosure of grassroots activities by paid lobbyists.” McCain urged the necessity of this provision, stating:
It requires greater disclosure of the activities of lobbyists, including for the first time, grassroots lobbying firms. … Lobbyists distorted the truth, not only with false messages, but also with fake messengers. I hope by having, for the first time, disclosure of grassroots activities and the financial interests behind misleading front groups, that such a fraud on Members and voters can be avoided.
Conservative non-profit groups sprung into action, assembling a coalition to “help bring down” the McCain provision. While grassroots groups on both sides of the political spectrum oppose the proposal, “social conservative leaders such as Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, who broadcasts a radio program to hundreds of thousands of evangelical Christians, have been its most vehement critics.” McCain has been aggressively recruiting Dobson’s support.
After months of pushing back against the influence-peddling operations of grassroots lobbyists, McCain has decided to give in. According to The Hill:
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has told conservative activists that he will vote to strip a key provision on grassroots lobbying from the reform package he previously supported. … Jay Sekulow, chief counsel for the conservative American Center for Law and Justice, told The Hill that he had received confirmation from McCain’s staff yesterday that he would oppose the disclosure proposal.
McCain has engaged in a pattern of flip-flopping on lobbying reform. Prior to his most recent reversal, ThinkProgress reported McCain has been soliciting contributions from K Street lobbying firms while talking tough against lobbyists, and he has been trying to scuttle the lobbying reform effort by adding a “poison pill” to the bill.
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McCain grows more and more mercurial as time passes. He rivals GDumbya’s unique capacity to flip-flop and to adopt and defend the most ridiculous policy positions.
I think we are seeing the inevitable result of the six years he has spent as GDumbya’s favorite drinking buddy.
January 18th, 2007 at 10:16 amFrom 2000-2007 McCain went from “straight talking” to political whore. He’d sell his own mother if he thought it could get him a few more primary votes
January 18th, 2007 at 10:24 amMcCain’s been caving to the nutjobs on the right ever since he decided to run for president. He has lost all credibility.
January 18th, 2007 at 10:24 amNow that he needs a big campaign chest he’s against lobby reform. He’s definitely got republican values.
January 18th, 2007 at 10:27 amYeah, well… Did anybody expect anything different?
January 18th, 2007 at 10:37 amStraight talk from the maverick baby! On the plus side gopers in his own state rate him 4th amongst greed old pervert candidates.
January 18th, 2007 at 10:47 amMcCain is a sleazebag.
January 18th, 2007 at 10:56 amMcCain is a commodity, bought and paid for. Like all of the rethugs, bought and paid for.
January 18th, 2007 at 11:03 amLying, flip flop idiot!! Sick of them all.
January 18th, 2007 at 11:04 amMcCain’s double-talk reminds me of the tightrope the Dem nominee, Hillary, walks. (Make no mistake, SHE will be the Dem nominee in ‘08.) Repubs shift to the right when in nomination-mode and Dems shift to the left. What’s so hard to understand about this? That formula has worked for both parties for years….Oh, that’s right….Dems aren’t big in the history department…
Toooodles……
January 18th, 2007 at 11:06 amCaption:
Falwell: “This man is now a son of God;six years ago,not so much.”.
January 18th, 2007 at 11:10 amJohn McCame…the man with no shame.
He’s just an opportunistic tool. The “maverick” meme was purely a media creation.
January 18th, 2007 at 11:12 amMighty aphrodite is here;any minute now expect that tiresome pest who imitates her to show up and post non stop.
January 18th, 2007 at 11:15 amMA,
You actually posted something coherent, congratulations.
As far as Dems & your history lesson goes, you didn’t address revisionism. You know, like your Presidenttrying to raise 1/2 a Billion dollars to ‘polish his legacy’. (Read re-write history.)
At least Clinton got his polished for free!
Piddles,
January 18th, 2007 at 11:21 amMcCain is “shifting to the right”? LOL! It’s more like he’s “sh*tting for the right?. And it stinks.
January 18th, 2007 at 11:23 amAnd the Republicans ARE really good with history, if you count repeating past historical blunders.
January 18th, 2007 at 11:25 amShould have Larry Flint in the picture with those two. At least then there would be someone with ties to Fallwell that I could respect.
January 18th, 2007 at 11:29 amI heard some conservative talk FM station in Toledo. the ACLJ folks have a show. It starts with the MLK I Have A Dream speech (!) and then says Pelosi and Reid will make it so that men such as MLK would have to register as lobbyists, all evangelists would have to register as lobbyists to petition the govt. for a redress of grievances. No mention of Abramoffism. With DC corruption actually edgeing out the war in Nov. exit polls, I thought lobby reform would be one thing on which the evangelists wouldn’t get Roved. Silly me.
January 18th, 2007 at 11:32 amTrue to form mccain style. Not to be trusted. Failure on the fence.
January 18th, 2007 at 11:36 amOh my God, Falwell is enermous. He looks terrible, so bloated…like he hasn’t missed a meal (paid for by his church, no doubt!) since the elder Bush administration. He looks like the Sally Struthers / Jabba the Hut charcter on South Park.
January 18th, 2007 at 11:43 amHas Fatwell ever dated Haggard?
January 18th, 2007 at 11:59 amCheeks McCain can’t be much of a date…he can’t make a decision
until he determines which way the wind blows.
That’s why he’s with Fatwell; the guys always blowing wind.
Falwell is no longer anything more than a bloated caraciture. It’s people like Sekulow who bear watching. He’s bucking big-time for SCOTUS and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he and McCain have cut a deal.
January 18th, 2007 at 12:05 pmMighty Aphrodite, I whole heartedly agree with your post. Both sides preach to the base but legislate toward the masses. Look a little harder inside the republicans and you’ll find just as many, if not more, that follow McCains flip and flop.
January 18th, 2007 at 12:14 pmMcCain is a Bush lover whore now, so he must resign or be voted out of the Senate! He can forget about running for president > PERIOD.
January 18th, 2007 at 12:19 pmMcCain is a man that will say or do anything to get elected president. He is actually becoming a security risk he wants it so badly.
January 18th, 2007 at 12:35 pmOff topic but relative. I just read this at RawStory:
124 Republicans agreeing with 232 Democrats. There is a future
January 18th, 2007 at 12:46 pmGod, how I love to see photos of McCain and Falwell in those academic robes. It reminds me of what a waste my life has been.
Wait. Did I say love? I meant hate.
January 18th, 2007 at 12:51 pmMcCain’s last disaster was the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform law, that made it possible for people like George Soros to give millions to left-wing groups to try to “fix” the election outcome.
Looks like he’s going to let go another bomb.
January 18th, 2007 at 1:01 pmSounds like the Straight Talk Express is officially off the tracks without brakes and heading straight downhill….
Will the media whores notice?
January 18th, 2007 at 1:11 pmMcFlop is toast-http://news.bostonherald.com/editorial/view.bg?articleid=177706
January 18th, 2007 at 1:26 pmI don’t get why we never see “dirt” ads on Repubs flip-flopping… They do it way more than Dems. If a Dem flip-flops, it’s usually because they honestly have had a change of heart and now disagree with something they used to agree with. McCain is clearly doing this because he wants more $$$ for his presidential campaign.
January 18th, 2007 at 1:35 pmExactly… “Independent” voters voted for him because he was a “center” Repub, not a far-right winger (although I always suspected he was more political than he let on). And they can clearly see he’s no longer a straight-talker. He’s pandering to the far-far-right and that’s pissing them off. He’s taking the wrong approach. This would have worked for his advantage in 2000, but right now, right-pandering is the opposite of what the sacred “swing” voters want!!
January 18th, 2007 at 1:38 pmShame on YOU THINKPROGRESS!!!!
Choose your words carefully. You may not like John McCain…actually that seems obvious. More importantly he is supporting a position that is ethical AND is what the people want. Our congressman are elected to represent the will of people and clearly the priorities of the people have begun to change.
January 18th, 2007 at 1:42 pmI don’t get why we never see “dirt†ads on Repubs flip-flopping… They do it way more than Dems.
Comment by Parrotlover77 #31
Parrot,
I’ve not seen it yet but…
…word has it that MoveON.org has an ad out critical of McCain…
January 18th, 2007 at 1:48 pmLol Neil > McCain is NOT ethical about anything! He is a warmongering whore and most Americans dislike him now!
January 18th, 2007 at 1:57 pmDetours on the Straight Talk Express:
http://toddumbarger.blogspot.com/2007/01/wisdom-of-bush-102.html
January 18th, 2007 at 2:00 pmIs it just me, or is Jerry Falwell morphing into Jabba the Hut?
January 18th, 2007 at 2:49 pmIsn’t about time someone called him a whore to his face…I mean, with cameras rolling?
January 18th, 2007 at 3:46 pmMcCain is a non-starter; I hope the GOP nominates him to run in 2008. It’s a long shot but they have made more than a few mistakes.
January 18th, 2007 at 4:43 pmAccording to this piece, McCain originally supported more disclosure by lobbyists, including “for the first time, grassroots lobbying firms.” It also says that grassroots groups on both sides of the spectrum opposed the proposal, but conservatives were most adamantly against it. Does anyone know why progressive groups would oppose this? Is there a principled reason to oppose it, or is it just that even the best of us want to protect our favorite lobbyists? I’m definitely curious.
January 18th, 2007 at 5:38 pmAccording to this piece, McCain originally supported more disclosure by lobbyists, “including, for the first time, grassroots lobbying firms.” It also says that grassroots groups on both sides of the spectrum opposed this provision, though conservative groups were more adamantly against it.
My question is — does anyone know why progressive groups would oppose this? Is there a principled reason to oppose it, or is it just a matter that even the best of us have an urge to protect our side’s lobbyists?
I’m curious…
January 18th, 2007 at 5:46 pmAdd this one to the growing list of issues John “The Maverick” McCain has flip-flopped on.
I guess the straight talk wasn’t so straight after all.
January 18th, 2007 at 5:47 pmOh, that’s right….Dems aren’t big in the history department…
Toooodles……
Blather by mightette hypochrite
Which explains, of course, why most of the professors–including those in the History Departments–at the most prestigious American universities are liberal/progressive, eh? Incidentally, we haven’t seen any indication that you are particularly knowledgable about history; you’re only capable to taking meaningless jabs. What an ugly soul you must have!
January 18th, 2007 at 8:29 pm“you’re only capable to taking meaningless jabs. What an ugly soul you must have! Comment by Lora — January 18, 2007 @ 8:29 pm”
****Dear critic, I don’t have a soul, I’m an immortal jewish zionist! We will rise up out of Israel without dying! My place in heaven is assured, so what I do here on earth isn’t relevant – as long as I make sure zionism brings the *rapture*!
As for my posts on the whole moving to the *extremes*, that was just rhetoric! I wanted to throw you off the whole big swing to the middle of *compassionate-conservatism* we shoved down your unsuspecting throats! You know how we always *pander* in elections to the middle, and govern to the far right as republicans! It doesn’t matter if it’s attacking minorities, the poor, gays, whatever! We always come out swinging with the most divisive of legislative agendas!
Then come election time, we offer contrition and a promise we won’t do it *this-time*, and we screw you again!
That’s why we *fear* you’re going to do the same to us! It’s why we fear both the super-religious Obama, and the seen as centrist Hill’Reh so much! We’re just scared crapless that they’re going to get that centrist vote and veer far left like we love to do!
I don’t know why I shared so much of my *hidden* self, maybe it’s because you smell good, or I just get *hot* thinking about your lustiness. Whatever the case, I hope you won’t use this against me in the next election!
January 18th, 2007 at 9:11 pmTo I_am_mighty……..,
January 18th, 2007 at 10:13 pmIn actuality, I did try out a new (for me) brand of soap today.