Citizens Against Government Waste is returning to a fight in Congress they thought they had already won-- open and competitive bidding in the defense procurement process. Yet, despite a scandal, a massive federal fine, and even criminal penalties for some of those involved, Boeing Co. is once again trying to use its political connections in Congress to secure an Air Force refueling tanker contract.
While the $35 billion cost to taxpayers of the tanker contract is significant, more is at stake in this battle than dollars and cents. Letting Congress disrupt the competitive procurement process will set a dangerous precedent for all future federal contracts. Members of Congress will simply select their favored pet contractors, regardless of the cost to taxpayers or the impact on our Armed Forces.
Please tell your U.S. Representative and Senators today that you won’t stand for this blatant political manipulation, by sending a customizeable letter from CAGW's website. Or, call them directly through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Thank you
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Tell your US Rep. and two US Senators NO to political manipulation of procurement process
Friday, March 21, 2008
Tell your two US Senators to vote YES on Fair Elections
It's now time again to contact your two US Senators and ask them to vote YES for public financing of congressional campaigns. A bill addresses this, called The Fair Elections Now Act (S.1285). Fair Elections is a major campaign finance reform issue, and passing it would undercut alot of questions relating to legislators' possible favoring of their private campaign contributors.
You can reach your senators through Yahoo! CapWiz, or, you can call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Thank you!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Don't miss Lawrence Lessig lecture on corruption Thurs. March 20th 1:30pm to 3:00pm ET by web cast
Sunlight Foundation announces on its website a lecture to be held on Thursday, March 20th from 1:30pm to 3:00pm ET by Stanford University professor Lawrence Lessig. He will be unveiling a new website called "Change-Congress.org" and will discuss the state of democracy in the United States and how corruption plays an influence on it.
The event will also be Web cast: http://www.visualwebcaster.com/thepressclub-lessig-032008 for the general public. Full details for the event are here.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
President Bush accepting undisclosed big money contributions for his presidential library while in office
The Sunlight Foundation blog has a post today on a much neglected ethical breach participated by the Bush administration-- he is, right now, accepting undisclosed very large financial contributons from people, corporations and other countries for his developing presidential library! This is an open door to corruption right now as we speak, because at this same time he is holding the nation's highest public office. There is at least one bill addressing this problem in Congress-- the Presidential Library Donation Reform Act of 2007 (H.R. 1254), which requires the disclosure of contributors to the libraries.
Sphere: Related ContentMonday, March 03, 2008
Tell your US Representative and two US Senators NO to Bush administration slush fund
Public Citizen has a grassroots campaign to stop President Bush from increasing his battle to put big money interests over the public interest. Please tell your US Representative and two US Senators enough is enough, and to deny the administration abusing this extra power.
I just found out that the president is asking Congress to give him a slush fund -- he wants the ability to move funds around in the Executive Office of the President, which could mean giving the White House's regulatory office more power to put us at risk.
This is the office that is responsible for children dying and getting brain damage in the 1980s from Reye's Syndrome, because it kept the FDA from putting a simple warning label on aspirin. And it's been playing this dangerous game time and time again ever since then, putting us all at risk in ways we don't always know about, because it's so powerful but very secretive.
I just took action to tell Congress to say NO to the slush fund for Bush's White House -- and you can, too, at
http://action.citizen.org/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=23409&track=slushTAF
It think it's just outrageous he thinks he can get away with this!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Transparency International Surveys/ Indices
Transparency International reports annually on government corruption on a country-by-country basis. I have distilled their rather byzantine presentation of their latest reports from their website onto All Things Reform's Google Notebook, entitled "Feb. 24, 2008 All Things Reform blog post: Transparency International Surveys/ Indices". I focused on the United States results.
Transparency International, the global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption, brings people together in a powerful worldwide coalition to end the devastating impact of corruption on men, women and children around the world. TI’s mission is to create change towards a world free of corruption.
Transparency International challenges the inevitability of corruption, and offers hope to its victims. Since its founding in 1993, TI has played a lead role in improving the lives of millions around the world by building momentum for the anti-corruption movement. TI raises awareness and diminishes apathy and tolerance of corruption, and devises and implements practical actions to address it.
Transparency International is a global network including more than 90 locally established national chapters and chapters-in-formation. These bodies fight corruption in the national arena in a number of ways. They bring together relevant players from government, civil society, business and the media to promote transparency in elections, in public administration, in procurement and in business. TI’s global network of chapters and contacts also use advocacy campaigns to lobby governments to implement anti-corruption reforms.
Politically non-partisan, TI does not undertake investigations of alleged corruption or expose individual cases, but at times will work in coalition with organisations that do.
Sphere: Related ContentTuesday, September 18, 2007
Report names the 22 Most Corrupt Members of Congress
CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) has released it's third annual Beyond DeLay: The 22 Most Corrupt Members of Congress (and two to watch). This is an opportunity for all constituents (and future voters) to check to see if their Congressmen is on the list.
Reminder: every citizen of the U.S. is a constituent (has representatives in elective offices from the local to the national levels.) Become familiar with yours; I particularly am an active correspondent with my U.S. Representative and two U.S. Senators. The white widget on the left panel of this page will take you to your own public servants' websites.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Support the Alaska Clean Elections Act
The Public Campaign Action Fund is running a petition drive to bring full public financing to state races in Alaska. And with several legislators now indicted for ethics violations, now is a great time to promote clean elections.
Accusations and guilty pleas of political corruption have been running high in Alaska. Four current and former legislators have been indicted on corruption and bribery charges while two corporate executives and a lobbyist have pled guilty to the same.
Alaska's elections should be about voters and not special interest donors--both honest and dishonest ones. Support Clean Elections campaign reform. Sign our petition below and tell others so we can build our base and make our elections about voters and volunteers instead of dollars and donors.
Alaska Clean Elections Act petition.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Keep political parties out of elective offices
According to a recent Washington Post article, U.S. Justice Department officials attended a dozen political briefings at the White House since 2001. They included preparations for upcoming elections. Partisan use of the Executive Branch should be prohibited, as it should be representative of all of the people, not just one political party.
A drawback to partisan political parties is their present reach into the elected offices of government officials. The exclusive role of a political party is to attract, nominate and support candidates before an election. It is when the Democratic and Republican Parties are special interests of those elected officials, that they lose their representation of all of their constituents.
