CMC Interest Groups Course

Interest Group Ads in 2008

2008-05-07T14:17:00.000-07:00

The special election for Louisiana's 6th Congressional District has provided some examples of what interest group ads may look like in the 2008 elections. Here are 2 from the conservative Freedoms Watch group. (Don Cazayoux, the Democrat won). Just like our readings have said, the ads do not explicitly ask anyone to vote for a particular candidate. Religious ad...Obama Health Care ad

Green Collar Jobs

2008-05-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

With the boom in renewable energy there is also the creation of green jobs for lobbyists. The politico has a great story here that I have copied below:

Green energy means work for lobbyists
By: Jeanne Cummings
May 6, 2008 12:51 PM EST

Congressional leaders and all three presidential contenders are talking about spurring the economy by pumping money into renewable fuel research and creating green jobs.

But unlike many political promises, this is one for which they can actually begin to take some credit. Already, they have created new green jobs, and many of them are right here in Washington.

Ten years ago, the alternative energy industry spent less than $2 million on lobbying, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. As Congress began moving on two global warming bills last year, that spending reached nearly $16 million.

The American Wind Energy Association spent $815,700 on lobbyists last year, according to lobbying disclosure reports. The National Biodiesel Board shelled out $1.2 million — more than double its lobbying budget for 2006.

Behind those figures are lots and lots of new jobs.

In the first quarter of this year, for instance, the USA Biomass Power Producers Alliance paid Ernst & Young $70,000 for help on Capitol Hill. That relatively small contract alone helped keep 18 individual lobbyists busy from January to March, according to lobbying disclosure reports.

The emerging industry has also stepped up its political giving to lawmakers, which, of course, represents a different kind of jobs program.

In 1998, the alternative energy sector accounted for $308,000 in donations to candidates. So far this cycle, green industry donors have given nearly $528,000 — putting them on track to match or surpass their high water mark of nearly $957,000 in 2000, when global warming guru Al Gore topped the Democratic presidential ticket.

To be sure, the investment of the green companies in Congress pales in comparison to that of the established energy sector players.

Political giving by the oil and gas crowd this cycle has already surpassed $11.5 million — roughly 22 times more than the energy sector’s green newcomers.

Meanwhile, the oil and gas industries are a perennial entry on the center’s list of top lobbying sectors. They spent $82.6 million on lobbying last year, up from a record-breaking $75.3 million in 2006.

But the promise of economic growth and government grants in the green sector is turning some of the old energy giants into converts.

Take coal, for instance.

The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, representing coal producers, transporters and customers, is circling the Lieberman-Warner global warming bill, looking for a way to get in on the research grants and other goodies that might be included in it.

The coal industry, a perennial polluter, is developing new technology to capture its greenhouse emissions and transform itself from a dirty industry into a cleaner, if not clean, one.

That makes it a competitor of the wind and solar companies for research cash. But it also could turn it into a powerful new ally in pushing the legislation through the sharply divided Congress. Historically, the greens have given overwhelmingly to Democrats, while old energy’s political donations have tilted heavily toward Republicans.

Of course, old disagreements still simmer.

Much of the environmental community still shuns coal and questions its ability to go clean. An Illinois demonstration project aimed at creating a cleaner coal plant ran well over budget and didn’t meet expectations.

Meanwhile, the newly converted coal industry executives who see a green future must also keep an eye on their smokier present and resist change that comes too fast and is too costly for their industry.

The speed of reform proposed in the Senate global warming bill is a concern of theirs, but the industry hasn’t come out against the legislation. Instead, it has launched a nearly $40 million campaign to educate lawmakers about the role it hopes to have in a new green economy. The effort includes a national advertising campaign on cable television and a mobilization of hundreds of thousands of coal-friendly voters to reach out to House and Senate members.

Their pitch: Any new energy policy should proceed incrementally, include a broad diversity of fuels to protect national security and keep costs affordable for consumers.

“It’s obvious the next president and the next Congress are going to make decisions that will leave an indelible mark on the energy future of our country,” said Joe Lucas, a former Clinton administration energy official who’s now the coalition’s vice president for communications.

“If we have too abrupt a shift, it will create a disruption in energy markets that disadvantage consumers,” he added.

But Bruce Nilles, who heads the Sierra Club’s National Coal Campaign, says the federal government has waited too long to implement new energy policy.

Like the coal industry, the Sierra Club has stepped up its lobbying efforts in Washington. But it is being badly outmanned. Sierra’s lobbying payments amounted to $380,000 last year, while the National Mining Association spent $4 million.

Nilles is working with state governors to combat global warming, and he’s coordinating a grass-roots effort to block some two dozen applications to build new coal-burning plants. Approval of those applications would increase pollution and reduce the market need for cleaner renewable energy producers, he argues.

“Rather than stepping up to make the demonstration project work, the industry goes on a $40 million ad campaign to confuse the issue and delay strong action at the federal level and oppose state efforts,” Nilles said.

“The coal industry has consistently refused to demonstrate how it can have a future in a world where we are trying to reduce global warming.”

Polarization and Other Data

2008-05-05T14:38:00.000-07:00

Polarization in American politics.

The disappearing center.

But ... the news is not all bad.

San Diego Land Use and the Outside Game

2008-05-01T14:40:00.000-07:00

Responding to the San Diego Airport Authority Board's proposal to build a five-story parking structure on North Harbor Drive (already a Grade-F traffic area), San Diego city councilmember Kevin Faulconer is holding a rally at Spanish Landing Park next Tuesday (12:30 pm) to raise awareness for the issue.

"We want to raise awareness and let the community know about the plan," Faulconer said. "Some people in the community don’t even realize this document is out."

He hopes that the rally will convince the Airport Authority Board to find an alternative solution to the parking structure. Concerned citizens have proposed alternative plans such as building other roads for buses and shuttles, which would by-pass Harbor Drive. Some also propose the improvement of the trolley and public transport system.

"I do know that this proposal for the huge parking structure is not one people support and we urge the airport authority to make changes to their current proposal," Faulconer said.

Faulconer aims to mobilize grassroots to convince the Airport Board Authority to develop their land in a more traffic-efficient manner.

Demosclerosis, continued

2008-04-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

See above: The Iron Triangle

Read the Contract with America. Did it really propose to slash government?

A timeline of campaign finance reform.

A timeline of congressional reforms.

State Government Lobbying in Action

2008-04-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, Dan and I went with the Rose Institute to Sacramento for the day. On the plane, I randomly got seated between two lobbyists who were heading up to Sacramento for the day. During the flight (and delay as Southwest tried to stop a mysterious fuel leak), I was able to have a long conversation with the two of them. They really represented the diversity of lobbyists and lobbyists' techniques. The one on my left, a lobbyist for some kind of builders association, was dressed very professionally in a suit and had lots of statistics and other information which he planned to use in his presentation (he never really told me what or who exactly he was lobbying). The one on my right, a mother who was president of her district's PTA, was relying less on statistics and more on an emotional appeal. She was talking to the Governor's staff and was trying to convince the Governor not to cut school funding. She had hand written letters from I believe fourth graders who had tried to explain to the Governor in their own ways why he should not cut funding. It was a very interesting experience to talk to both of them and hear them talk to each other because it was a real life example of much of what we have learned this semester.

Demosclerosis

2008-04-28T10:43:00.000-07:00

A recap of lobbying expenditures.

Current campaign spending.

Economic indicators and estimates: a fever chart of demosclerosis?

Los Angeles Lobbies D.C.

2008-04-23T13:19:00.000-07:00

A recent LA Times article highlights a prime example of local governments lobbying at the national level. A delegation of nearly 200 business owners and civic leaders from Los Angeles traveled to D.C. to lobby Congress for greater funding for transportation, education, small businesses, and many other interests. Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa, Santa Monica Mayor Herb Katz, and LAUSD Superintendent Brewer were among the high-profile delegates on the annual "Access Washington" trip sponsored by the LA Chamber of Commerce. Villaraigosa rallied the delegation, saying "Our job is to advocate for our fair share. Most of you know full well that when you look at what California gets for its tax dollars, and what Los Angeles gets, it's obviously nothing of what we could or should receive." The group held meetings and news conferences with Members of Congress, such as Rep. Dreir (R-San Dimas), Rep. Clyburn (D-SC), Sen. Murray (D-WA), and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), among others. Pelosi told the delegation, "Know your power. [...] When you come, it makes a big difference. People listen." The delegation also lobbied for national issues affecting Los Angeles, such as immigration reform and passage of the Colombia FTA.

Local Government, Lobbying Review

2008-04-23T12:08:00.000-07:00

The United States has a large number of local governments.

Local governments are creatures of the state.

Here in California, lobbyists must navigate municipal, county, and district governments.

Local governments often offer opportunities for public comment. Such opportunities may mean less than you think

As Nownes says, land use is a major issue for local government. Zoning is the word. A key concept is the conditional use permit.

Also as Nownes says, the process is so complex that interests often need consultants.

Big business does not always win:

Back to state government. Eminent domain is a big issue with the duel between Proposition 98 and Proposition 99.

The Unbelievable Primary Show

2008-04-22T21:38:00.000-07:00

Primary: The Musical! - courtesy of (Politico) Playbook TV's James Kotecki:

Mentioned: Rust Belt, China, Wal Mart

I think the video should show up above but just in case it doesn't

PicCell Wireless Contributes Money From Calls to Sponsor Lobbyists and Grassroots

2008-04-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

Today I received this e-mail from the wireless company I used while abroad:

Dear Lindsay Mandel,

In December, you helped us write a donation check to The Borgen Project in the amount of $3,547.40. And you were giving by simply using your PicCell phone! For every call you made during a designated 12-day period in December, PicCell Wireless contributed $0.10 toward The Borgen Project's landmark efforts to pass the Global Poverty Act in U.S. Congress.

$3,547.40 makes a big difference in fighting the good fight
The donation covered the cost of sending a Borgen Project delegation to Washington, D.C. to build support for the Global Poverty Act. The remaining funds were used to reinforce a public awareness campaign.

Your impact by the numbers
3: Number of Senators who had co-sponsored the Global Poverty Act before PicCell raised enough money to send a Borgen Project delegation to Washington, D.C. to build support for the Global Poverty Act.

14: Number of Senators who have now co-sponsored the Global Poverty Act after The Borgen Project delegation arrived in Washington, D.C. In the weeks following The Borgen Project's meetings, the bill passed in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and will next be voted on by the entire Senate.

Thank you for being part of this international effort!

Learn more about...
PicCell Philanthropy
The Borgen Project
The Global Poverty Act
How you can help

Kindest regards,
PicCell Wireless

Surprising Source of Obama Support

2008-04-22T05:08:00.000-07:00

The New York Times reports that hedge fund managers like Barack Obama. Why?

In a word, access. Unlike Mr. McCain and Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Obama is relatively new to national politics and is therefore open to bringing new people — and new money — into the tent. For money types who want a table, or at least to look involved and get an invitation to the right parties, Mr. Obama is the candidate. As one of the hedge fund managers on the Alpha list said, “To be in Hillary’s inner circle, you had to be giving a decade ago, when Bill was president.” The same goes for Mr. McCain.

Image Improvement

2008-04-21T17:13:00.000-07:00

http://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/

Direct Democracy and Grassroots

2008-04-21T10:39:00.000-07:00

A humorous but accurate take on a day in a lobbyist's life.

Information on behested payments.

California campaign finance limits. Note the absence of limits for ballot measures.

The mechanics of direct democracy:

Ballot measures are big business. Firms specialize just in petition signatures.

ACLU Takes a Stand

2008-04-21T00:46:00.000-07:00

This article, from CNN.com describes the ACLU's involvement in a Texas custody case between Child Protective Services and the Yearning for Zion ranch. The ranch, owned by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was convicted of forcing female children into abusive, polygamist relationships. The ACLU had a representative inside the courtroom and issued a statement of concern that the decision violated the basic right of the women and children on the ranch to worship and live as they please. I thought this was a good example of an interest group monitoring and trying to influence the judicial branch.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/20/polygamy.sect/index.html

McCain Direct Mail & Interest Groups

2008-04-16T14:18:00.000-07:00

I drove home this morning to get a pillow. And as I walked in, what should I find on the entry hall table next to this week's issue of The Economist, but a direct mail piece addressed to my mother from none other than Senator and American Hero John McCain.

Although he spends most of the letter explaining how "liberals" like Obama, Clinton, and Pelosi are plotting to "win total control of the government" and laying out plans to "pass record-setting tax increases," he also takes a jab at MoveOn.org:

If liberal organizations like MoveOn.org have their way, our troops will be recklessly pulled out of Iraq and our enemies will be handed a victory they have neither won nor deserve. [sic] [replaced original underlining with bold]

Well, if MoveOn.org wants it, it must be a bad idea. I'm sure my mother would agree.

EDIT: This HTML Editor = fail. Here are the links to the letter:

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh232/bigchris1313/Page1.jpg
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh232/bigchris1313/Page2.jpg
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh232/bigchris1313/Page3.jpg
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh232/bigchris1313/Page4.jpg

State Lobbying: Stakes and Rules

2008-04-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

Some video

Political maps of California 2006.

Oil companies are usually powerful. But in California, the education lobby is more powerful.

Want to know about lobbyists in California? Look here.

Some lobbyist profiles:

JG and Associates

Lang, Hansen, O'Malley & Miller

FPPC information on lobbyists

From the CA Lobbying Disclosure Information Manual: "Gifts made directly to members of an official’s immediate family are not subject to the gift limits unless the family member is also a public official described above, but are subject to disclosure on quarterly reports"

Institute of Governmental Advocates ethics code.

There are limits on gifts, but members have used campaign funds for personal purposes:

Inter-Governemental Lobbying

2008-04-16T08:55:00.000-07:00

A number of mayors have gotten together to lobby congress on, "closing the gun show loop hole." Here is their new ad on tv:

Interest Groups, States and Localities

2008-04-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

A curtain-raiser:

States and localities lobby Washington. Here is a tenant list in the Hall of the States building.

Sources on federalism and state government.

Except in California and Texas, state legislators represent many fewer people than their counterparts in Congress.

Where do they spend our money?

States tend to have plurality in the executive. Consider Texas.

Fifteen states have term limits on legislators.

Want to know about lobbyists in California? Look here.

A Break from your Paper

2008-04-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

If you need a quick break while working on your paper watch this:

Obama Watches 60 Minutes

2008-04-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

Senator Obama has a new ad up that focuses on the Congressman turned lobbyist Billy Tauzin:

Chinese Embassy Highlights Positive Media Coverage

2008-04-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

Washington Post: Chasing the Chinese Dream(10/22/07)

A Growing Number of the World's Emigrants Are Heading East,

Rather Than West, in Search of Safety, Tolerance and Opportunity

By Ariana Eunjung Cha

Washington Post Foreign Service
Sunday, October 21, 2007; Page A16

YIWU, China -- For more than three years, Khaled Rasheed and his family spent the nights huddled in fear as bombs exploded near their home in Baghdad. Like generations of would-be emigrants before him, he dreamed of a better life elsewhere. But where?

Finding a place that was safe was Rasheed's top priority, but openness to Islam and bright business prospects were also important.

Moatasem Anwar, 29, moved to Yiwu, a trading city about four hours south of Shanghai, after he and his family built up a thriving business in his native Iraq importing Chinese goods. (Photos By Ariana Eunjung Cha -- The Washington Post)

It wasn't long before he settled on a place that had everything he was looking for: China.

For a growing number of the world's emigrants, China -- not the United States -- is the land where opportunities are endless, individual enterprise is rewarded and tolerance is universal.

"In China, life is good for us. For the first time in a long time, my whole family is very happy," said Rasheed, 50, who in February moved with his wife and five children to Yiwu, a trading city about four hours south of Shanghai.

Foreign Lobbying/War and Peace

2008-04-09T11:37:00.000-07:00

Some last-minute tips for the next paper here or in other classes:

Colombia update: Bill Clinton has extensive ties. See his other speeches.

Review from 1/30 blog post: Wilson typology of policy arenas. An illustration: In the Dubai ports deal two years ago, Dubai was not able to prevail when the issue went public.

More here on diaspora politics and dual citizenship.

Ike warned about the military-industrial complex:

The complex still exists, but has shrunk since the end of the Cold War.

Groups against administration policy in Iraq:

An example of AAEI tactics:

See Moveon.org's "General Betray-us" ad.

Code Pink at work:

The major groups favoring administration policy in Iraq is Move American Forward.

Opinion on Iraq

"Hard" v. "Soft" Earmarks

2008-04-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

The New York Times had an article on Monday about earmarks in which they used a term I had not heard before, hard earmarks and soft earmarks. Hear are some interesting sections from the article:

With great fanfare, Congress adopted strict ethics rules last year requiring members to disclose when they steered federal money to pet projects. But it turns out lawmakers can still secretly direct billions of dollars to favored organizations by making vague requests rather than issuing explicit instructions to government agencies in committee reports and spending bills. That seeming courtesy is the difference between “soft earmarks” and the more insistent “hard earmarks.”

How to spot a soft earmark? Easy. The language is that of a respectful suggestion: A committee “endorses” or notes it “is aware” of deserving programs and “urges” or “recommends” that agencies finance them.

After hard earmarks figured into several Congressional scandals and prompted criticism of wasteful spending from government agencies and watchdog groups, Congress cut back on their number last year and required disclosure of most of them. (There were more than 10,000, costing nearly $20 billion last year, according to the Congressional Research Service.)
But soft earmarks, while not a new phenomenon, have drawn virtually no attention and were not included in the ethics changes — and current ones under consideration — because Congress does not view them as true earmarks.
Their total cost is not known. But the research service found that they amounted to more than $3 billion in one spending bill alone in 2006, out of 13 annual appropriations bills. And the committee that handles the bill, which involves foreign operations, has increasingly converted hard earmarks to soft ones.
Soft earmarks are included in a number of spending measures, but they tend to occur more frequently in spending bills that give money to the State Department, the United States Agency for International Development and other foreign aid programs.
Federal agencies are not required to finance soft earmarks. However, officials have traditionally felt obliged to comply with such requests.
“Soft earmarks, while not legally binding, frequently come with an implicit threat: If you don’t take our suggestions, we will give you a hard earmark next,” said Andrew Natsios, former administrator of A.I.D. in the Bush administration.

Foreign Lobbying

2008-04-07T06:47:00.001-07:00

With perfect timing, the campaign gives us a vivid example of foreign lobbying:

More detail from The New York Times:

Mr. Penn met with the Colombians in his role as chief executive of Burson-Marsteller, a global public relations firm. He has refused to sever his ties to the company, which also represented Countrywide Financial, the nation’s largest mortgage lender, and through a subsidiary represented Blackwater Worldwide, the military contractor blamed for numerous civilian deaths in Iraq.

The Japan Foundation is one avenue of foreign influence.

Look here for data on US affiliates of foreign companies.

FEC information on campaign contributions and foreign nationals.

There are restrictions on PAC activity by US subsidiaries of foreign corporations (see link above). But there are plenty of foreign-connected PACs.

An example of direct government lobbying: the Canadian embassy.

APCO issued a response to the Silverstein story.

Procurment Lobbying

2008-04-02T14:25:00.000-07:00

Here is a current story about a big fight over a defense contract:

Northrop, which teamed up with Airbus parent EADS to clinch the first stage of the $35 billion program, is facing an official protest from losing bidder Boeing Co and threats from some lawmakers to block funding of the deal.
"We're making our way through them," said Paul Meyer, vice president of Northrop's air mobility systems unit, referring to individual members of Congress. "We are going to be very prevalent and stay focused in front of the press to make sure the facts are always on the table."

Boeing, which was widely expected to win the tanker contract, has faulted the Air Force's decision-making process.

Meanwhile, its congressional supporters -- chiefly from the states of Washington and Kansas, where Boeing has its main plane-making plants -- have accused the Air Force of exporting jobs and endangering national security by awarding the job to the Northrop/EADS team.
The surprise announcement in February sparked a war of words between Boeing and Northrop and their respective supporters, through speeches in Congress, on television and in prominent newspaper ads.
Boeing has protested the award to the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO), which is expected to rule on the case by mid-June. Northrop cannot perform any work on the tanker until the GAO rules on the matter.

But even if Boeing's protest fails, Congress has the power to block funding for the deal, which would effectively overturn the contract. That sets up a battle between two politically savvy companies to win hearts and minds in Washington.

Google and the CIA

2008-04-02T14:17:00.000-07:00

Google's federal government sales team has recently struck a deal with the intelligence agencies. Google will supply its search technology in hope of making intelligence gathering and analysis more efficient. The search engine is meant to be especially helpful for Intellipedia, an open-source encyclopedia that requires security clearances to see its material.
Google probably competed with many other companies, especially Yahoo, for this opportunity, and one can imagine that lobbyists had a great deal of influence.

Interests Go to Court

2008-04-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

The Supreme Court, interest groups, and the presidential campaign:

Professor Lofgren joins an amicus brief in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld.

Lobby News/Executive Branch

2008-03-31T06:19:00.000-07:00

Parasite Economy Watch:

The new law changes the filing schedule from semiannual to quarterly and adds a raft of additional reporting requirements. Haley saw an opportunity to fill a growing need for lobbying disclosure assistance. Her new firm, Capitol Filings, opened its doors last week. Capitol Filings is dedicated solely to helping lobbyists fulfill the increasingly complex tasks of monitoring and reporting on their business, as mandated by the federal government.

Loophole Watch:

The new ethics and lobbying law (PL 110-81) allows lawmakers to keep their job searches secret from the public unless they see a clear conflict of interest on the horizon. The new law requires House members to file notice with the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct within three business days of beginning negotiations for a new job. In an advisory last Sept. 28, the ethics panel notified House members that the term “job negotiation” had not been defined in the new law, but “merely sending a private entity a copy of a resume is not considered negotiating for future employment.”

Executive Branch Lobbying:

Note the significance of federal advisory committees such as The National Petroleum Council.

Lobbying: Making and Breaking the Rules

2008-03-26T12:55:00.001-07:00

Moyers on Abramoff:

Bundlers for presidential candidates.

The revolving door.

An academic institute that got a lot of contributions.

Google Lobbying the FCC

2008-03-26T01:38:00.000-07:00

This article is an example of direct corporate lobbying of an executive branch on an issue that requires in-depth technological background. Google sent a letter directly to the Federal Communications Commission lobbying to use TV "white space" (unused airwaves) to provide wireless internet access. Although the FCC may have more time to analyze the specific technological aspects and impacts of the lobbying request than a typical Congress member might have, it is still an example of how a corporation can use its superior techological knowledge to affect public policy. Google's attempt to lobby the FCC will turn out to be a perfect example of the importance of information in the lobbying process, especially with a technological issue such as TV airwaves and wireless internet.

Creating favorable research

2008-03-25T22:44:00.000-07:00

I found this article while browsing the headlines. It reminded me of our discussion about representatives of interest groups giving testimony on the Hill and of Thank You For Smoking.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/26/health/research/26lung.html?ex=1364270400&en=b6832342b0a82f29&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Health / Research

Cigarette Company Paid for Lung Cancer Study

By GARDINER HARRIS

Published: March 26, 2008

The revelation that a researcher’s study was underwritten by a tobacco company has caused an appearance of bias.

Lobbying Techniques

2008-03-24T11:52:00.000-07:00

The National Kidney Foundation, the lead organization in its field, is a 501(c)(3). Despite the restrictions on 501(c)(3) groups, it does devote some resources to lobbying. This information provides context for this video:

Anonymous Philanthropist Donates 200 Human Kidneys To Hospital

Thank You for Smoking offered a lightly-disguised portrait of the now-deceased Tobacco Institute:

Some general sources for policy and compliance monitoring:
The Federal Register
The Budget

Some issue-specific sources for monitoring:

Duke Cunningham's Bribe Menu:

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/docs/cunningham-rec/?resultpage=3&

Here is a list of ideas for more ethical means of persuasion.

The Corner of Sesame and K Streets

2008-03-14T05:00:00.001-07:00

Dan earlier posted a photo of Elmo's testimony. Elmo and Rosita also met with Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama) Kermit recently got into the act, too:

2008-03-13T19:43:00.000-07:00

I was surfing online and found this interesting How-To guide to testifying :

If you are asked to testify before a congressional committee or other policymaking body or public forum, a sound knowledge of your subject, some advance preparation, and the following guidelines can maximize the positive impact of your statement. Keep in mind that you will be asked to prepare both a written statement for the record and a short (usually five-minute) oral statement.

Below are some tips to help you prepare and deliver your testimony:

Preparing Your Written Statement

Briefly Introduce Yourself
Tell who you are and give information about the program you are representing (i.e., how many people you represent, how many people you serve, successes you have had). Acknowledge your appreciation to the panel for considering the issue and inviting you as a witness. This should take no more than one or two paragraphs.
State Your Goal and Outline Your Major Points
In a few sentences, tell the committee or panel what you hope to accomplish in your statement. Again, be brief.
Talk About the Problem
Begin, for example, by discussing the problems that CTE is solving or can solve for the nation. This informs the decision-maker but also helps cast you in the role of a problem solver rather than one simply representing a vested self-interest. Discuss the national significance of the issue and try to relate it to your state and community. Even better, try to relate the problem to the states or districts of the legislators before whom you are testifying.
Talk About Current Efforts to Resolve the Problem
Describe solutions that are being tried or considered. Has anything worked in various states or communities on an experimental or demonstration basis? Explain why the efforts are insufficient or how they can be improved.
List Your Specific, Concise Recommendations
Focus on what Congress can do to help solve the problem at hand.

Delivering Your Oral Statement

When delivering your oral statement, pay attention to the following “do” and “don’t” lists.

Do:

Remember that your elected representatives are people too. Although you maybe nervous, remember that these representatives are looking to you as the experts. Relax, remain calm, and speak like the expert you are.
Personalize your testimony. While statistics are important, one way to assist elected officials (and get their attention) is to let them know how the issue affects their constituents.
Make eye contact. Look at the legislators as you talk so that the material is delivered with your eyes. To facilitate eye contact: 1) separate your pages, removing clips and staples; 2) use large type and double-space your text, triple-spacing between paragraphs; 3) leave a two-inch margin at the bottom of the page so your head won’t have to tilt down too far; and 4) don’t carry a sentence over to the next page.
Remember that there is a time limit for Congressional testimony. You do not want to find yourself in a position where your time has expired and you have not gotten to the point of your testimony. Before your scheduled time, ask who?, what the time limits are, and practice accordingly.
Your hope should be that they will be interested enough in you and your subject to ask questions after you finish. Anticipate questions your testimony may prompt and have good answers in mind.
Focus on the specific issue of the hearing. Make sure your comments are relevant.
Follow up. Write a thank you note to each legislator present for the opportunity to testify, and provide additional information supporting your cause. Also, ask for support on your issue. Thank you letters published in the local papers are a great incentive to a legislator to invite you or your group to testify again.
Do use your testimony in other arenas. If you are invited to testify before a group other than Congress, take it! Many of these guidelines can be tailored to fit testimony given to the state legislature, school board, county commissioner, chamber of commerce, or the state board of education.

Don’t:

Don’t spend more time describing your own qualifications or your programs than you do the issue at hand. You were invited to testify because you are qualified. Use the time you are given to focus on the issue.
Don’t assume that the panel or committee members are experts. Legislators vote daily on many issues – everything from water projects to space programs. While you do not want to talk down to them, (they probably know more than you think) you should not assume that they know all that you do about the issue at hand.
Don’t try to tell them everything you know. Simplify, simplify, simplify!
Don’t be shy. Remember, you’re important! You are the one who votes the legislators into office. But whether it’s to laud or lament, compliment or counsel, be tactful and polite.

Elmo Testifying

2008-03-13T19:37:00.000-07:00

I found an Press Release with a great picture on elmo testifying before congress:

PhRMA

2008-03-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

Politico article talking about PhRMA and its lobbying efforts. The article discusses some of the ideas we discussed in class about the importance of being able to work with both Republicans and Democrats. PhRMA was too close with Republicans in the past, so when Democrats took control, PhRMA did not have any influence. Billy Tauzin has "been aggressively moving it toward the center of the political spectrum," and now PhRMA is giving almost equal amounts of money to Republicans and Democrats. Tauzin and Pelosi now "have a cordial working relationship" and PhRMA seems to be gaining influence among Democrats. An interesting change of tactics by PhRMA.

Lobbying and the Legislative Process

2008-03-12T12:32:00.000-07:00

A profound introduction to the legislative process:

Click here for a bit more detail.

A case study (albeit an not-quite-objective "cops and robbers" version)

Southern Baptists and Climate Change

2008-03-11T11:08:00.000-07:00

From AP:

In a major shift, a group of Southern Baptist leaders said their denomination has been "too timid" on environmental issues and has a biblical duty to stop global warming. The declaration, signed by the president of the Southern Baptist Convention among others and released Monday, shows a growing urgency about climate change even within groups that once dismissed claims of an overheating planet as a liberal ruse. The conservative denomination has 16.3 million members and is the largest Protestant group in the U.S.

Click here for the initiative site. (H/t to Alexei Laushkin)

The NYT's Character Assassination of John McCain Continues Unabated

2008-03-10T12:05:00.000-07:00

Well, that title might be a touch sensationalist, but you get the idea. I admit that the article is more relevant to last week's material, but it's too much fun not to post. Although John McCain said yesterday on 60 Minutes that he'd be releasing his medical records "in the next month or so," Lawrence K. Altman at the New York Times felt it was necessary to write a story pointing out that while the data we have supports that McCain is healthy and at low risk of a recurrence of melanoma, it's still more fun to speculate:

Along with his signature bright white hair, the most striking aspects of Senator John McCain’s physical appearance are his puffy left cheek and the scar that runs down the back of his neck. The marks are cosmetic reminders of the melanoma surgery he underwent in August 2000 [...]
In 1999, during Mr. McCain’s first race for president, he gave the public an extraordinary look at his medical history — 1,500 pages of medical and psychiatric records that were amassed as part of a United States Navy project to gauge the health of former prisoners of war. This reporter, who is a physician, interviewed the senator’s doctors in 1999 with his permission.
But this time around, Mr. McCain has yet to make his full medical records or his physicians available to reporters. At least three times since March 2007, campaign officials have told The New York Times that they would provide the detailed information about his current state of health, but they have not done so. The campaign now says it expects to release the information in April. [bold and italics mine]

And now some data from the article:

The melanoma removed in 2000 was Stage IIa on a standard classification that makes Stage IV the most serious. For Stage IIa melanoma, the survival rate 10 years after diagnosis is about 65 percent. But the outlook is much better for patients like Mr. McCain, who have already survived more than seven years.
For patients with a melanoma like Mr. McCain’s who remained free of the disease for the first five years after diagnosis, the probability of recurrence during the next five years was 14 percent and death 9 percent, a study published in 1992 found.

A 14% chance of recurrence and a 9% chance of death? Not bad. But why stop there?

Since the 2008 campaign began, doctors not connected with Mr. McCain’s case have expressed intense interest in the extent of the face and neck surgery that he underwent on Aug. 19, 2000, at the Mayo Clinic Scottsdale in Arizona.
Some of these doctors have noted in e-mail messages and in comments to reporters that the surgery appeared to be so extensive that they were surprised his melanoma was not more serious — perhaps Stage III, which would give him a bleaker prognosis. These doctors said they would be surprised to learn that such an operation would be performed without evidence that the melanoma had spread. [bold and italics mine]

Stage III!? Oh no! Wait--how much bleaker is that? Can we have some sort of number? While the article backs away from this implication, stating that such procedures were the industry standard 8 years ago, page 2 is worse:

Doctors advise melanoma patients to have regular checkups to detect new skin cancers and the spread of old ones because melanomas can be quirky. Mr. McCain’s staff has not said what tests his doctors have used to monitor his case.
Most recurrences of melanoma occur in the first few years after detection. Survival figures for melanomas are often measured in 10-year periods rather than the 5-year periods for many other cancers.
“With melanoma, a patient is never completely clear,” said Dr. Shapiro, the N.Y.U. expert.
If melanomas do recur, standard treatment options are limited for many to surgery and a difficult form of chemotherapy. The chances of long-term survival diminish.
Now, on the campaign trail, Mr. McCain appears to take care to shield himself from the sun, slathering on powerful sunscreen before outdoor events, finding spots of shade from which to speak and sometimes wearing baseball caps while outside. [bold and italics mine]

The staff hasn't said what tests McCain has used? The patient is "never completely clear"!? He's "slathering on powerful sunscreen"??!! I suppose it's not what Mr. Altman is saying, but rather what he is not saying that is important. One interpretation could read: "Senator McCain hasn't released his medical records, his staff isn't talking, and he's using gobs of super sunscreen. I sure hope he doesn't drop dead the next time the U.S. has an existential crisis."

And for more of what's quite literally left unsaid, here's the article's big finish:

Mr. McCain is occasionally asked on the campaign trail about his age. But he is almost never asked about his health.

Hat Tip: Snarky Bastards

Lobbying: An Introduction

2008-03-09T15:06:00.001-07:00

Here we segue from the outside game to the inside game:

OpenSecrets.org has a neat lobbying database.

Some top contract lobbyists:

Patton Boggs (a law firm)
Cassidy & Associates
Quinn Gillespie (a clear example of bipartisan lobbying)
APCO (example of an internship opporuntity!)

Lobbyists and association executives have groups of their own.

Democratic Party Sponsorship

2008-03-07T09:50:00.000-08:00

As we discussed in class campaign finance restrictions do not apply to party activities, such as the convention. Another example of a "party activity" is holding a primary or caucus. With the possibility of new primaries or caucuses for Florida and Michigan and no one willing to pay for them Ben Smith reports on an interesting scenario here:

One Florida official on Wednesday, noting that campaign finance regulations are flexible as to financing party activities such as primaries, offered, only half in jest, a novel suggestion: Corporate sponsorship. "We could have the Tropicana Primary or the Miami Dolphins Primary," the official said.

Businesses plot strategy to protect wealth funds

2008-03-05T13:11:00.000-08:00

From The Politico:

Sovereign wealth funds are teaming up with the private equity industry, business trade associations and major financial institutions to strategize a defense against the growing political scrutiny of the $3 trillion funds.

Last week, about 30 lawyers and lobbyists — organized, according to one attendee, by a representative from private equity firm The Carlyle Group — conferred at JPMorgan’s New York offices to discuss their role in the growing political issue.

Congress, the Treasury Department, the International Monetary Fund and the European Union are questioning the government-backed investment funds that have made several high-profile investments in Western financial institutions in recent months.

Two subcommittees of the House Financial Services Committee plan to hold a joint hearing Wednesday to discuss the role of foreign governments’ investments in the United States [...]
Over the past weeks, lawmakers have launched a series of inquiries into the funds. The IMF estimates that more than 20 of the funds, financed mostly by petrodollars and excess foreign exchange reserves, manage as much as $2.9 trillion — more money than either hedge funds or the private equity industry. [...]
Executives from two of the largest sovereign-wealth funds — the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and the Government of Singapore Investment Corp. — met two weeks ago with Clay Lowery, the assistant treasury secretary for international affairs. The administration is supporting IMF efforts to create a voluntary code of conduct.

For policymakers, regulating the funds is a delicate balancing act. On one hand, fund investments have propped up financial institutions, bringing in much-needed capital and creating jobs during a period of economic anxiety. Over the past 11 months, the funds infused about $69 billion into financial institutions sapped by the subprime mortgage crisis, according to some estimates.

Hmm. So what does the public think about a way to pump money in a capital-deprived economy without having to cut rates and further devalue the dollar?

A survey conducted last week by Public Strategies Inc. found that 55 percent of registered voters thought sovereign-wealth fund investments would hurt national security, and 49 percent believed that investments would negatively affect the U.S. economy.

Not that there's no good reason to be suspicious:

“If you think of an investment made by a state fund, there could be multiple motives. Perhaps we want the airline to fly to our country. Perhaps we want the bank to do extensive business in the country. Suppose we want suppliers in our country to be sourced. Perhaps we want some disablement of a competitor for our country’s national champion," he [Senator Christopher Dodd] says.

And these sovereign wealth funds play it by the book:

Many of the funds have hired their own lobbyists and public relations specialists, who informally discuss the issue. They also work through existing diplomatic channels, including embassies and congressional trips abroad.

Interest Groups & Earned Media

2008-03-05T12:41:00.000-08:00

Traditional news releases

Archive of Video News Releases

Current VNRs

NFIB:

On the other side of the spectrum, the Drum Major Institute:

The Ruckus Society:

Big business ventures into the blogosphere

2008-03-05T11:36:00.000-08:00

The oh-so-unhip world of business trade associations took a small shot at edginess Monday when nearly a dozen groups launched the blog BizCentral.org, aimed at Washington’s influencers.

In an Internet landscape littered with blogs, the modest venture might seem unremarkable except for the big names on the marquee: Business Roundtable, American Trucking Associations, American Petroleum Institute, CTIA — The Wireless Association, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, National Electrical Manufacturers Association, Nuclear Energy Institute, Organization for International Investment, Personal Care Products Council, Salt Institute and the U.S. Telecom Association.

But persuading the conservative, button-down business groups to enter the shoot’em-up world of blogging is a major advancement, said Pat Cleary, who pushed the idea from the start.

“It goes to all of business’ greatest fears and paranoia. Could somebody say bad stuff about us? You bet. What control do we have once it’s out there? None. Can people use this against us? Yup,” said Cleary, senior vice president of digital public affairs at PR shop Fleishman-Hillard. “It goes against every rule we follow. It’s in the DNA. It is a little bit of a leap to get into this space.”

Cleary preaches the importance of communicating through the Web with the zeal of a convert because he believes businesses ignore the Internet at great risk. Environmentalists, labor unions and other groups that have traditionally banged heads with Big Business have effectively used the blogosphere for years, Cleary said.

But those groups have more of a built-in readership for their blogs, he noted. Who would read a pro-business blog?

“Short answer: people who care about your issues,” such as congressional aides, lawmakers, reporters, policymakers and opinion leaders, Cleary said.

And that’s what drew the chain drugstores’ trade group to the project, said the organization’s spokeswoman, Chrissy Kopple.

“It is kind of a one-stop shop. You could probably find a wide range of issues that are hot on Capitol Hill that each of those organizations have a stake in,” she said.

The blog gives Kopple the ability to respond quickly to policy debates without relying on the media to get her message out. The blog also links associations with similar agendas and helps them quickly identify others who may be potential allies.

Another BizCentral.org member, the Business Roundtable, also blogs regularly on the environmental site Treehugger.com, said Roundtable spokesman Joe Crea. The organization’s posts there touch on sustainability and green business.

“They like having the business perspective on a kind of crunchy site,” Crea said.

Writing on BizCentral.org will allow the group to expand its blogging megaphone from environmental issues to other policy areas like health care, education and trade, Crea said.

Blogging is often an exercise in no-holds-barred communication. But this being a business blog, there is one commandment — “We don’t shoot at one another” — and one rule: “You’ve got to post once a week,” Cleary said.

Cleary got the idea for BizCentral three years ago while he was still an executive at the National Association of Manufacturers. When he moved to Fleishman, the firm gave him the resources to make it happen.

The blog is free to participants and helps Fleishman build its brand as “leaders in the digital space,” Cleary said.

At NAM, Cleary built Shopfloor.org to fight taxes, promote innovation and shake manufacturing’s reputation as an industry filled with dark and dangerous jobs. Two years after its launch in 2004, the blog had a million readers.

Now, Cleary is trying to build on his success with what he calls a first-of-its-kind business association blog. He’s working to use the blogosphere to build influence and drive policy, something business has not yet done in a meaningful way, he said.

“In an association town, every ... association that reads this will be like, ‘What? Let’s check this out,’” Cleary said.

Time will tell.

Image, Public Service, Issue Ads

2008-03-03T11:46:00.000-08:00

A GE image ad:

Public Service Ads:

The classic issue ad -- "Harry and Louise"

Hillary Under Fire for Keeping Donations from Firm Under Investigation for Widespread Sexual Harassment

2008-03-02T14:30:00.001-08:00

An NBC investigative news blog reports that Hillary Clinton's campaign has come under fire for accepting donations from International Profit Associates, or IPA, an Illinois management consulting firm. The federal government's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has accused the firm of widespread sexual harassment, and "degrading anti-female language" toward their female employees. The case, brought against IPA by 103 female employees, is ongoing and IPA vehemently denies the allegations. Hillary's camp argues says that she was unaware of the allegations at the time she accepted the donations, but records show that she has yet to return any of the $170,000 IPA donation, or the personal donations from the disbarred Managing Director, John Burgess, and other senior IPA officials. The case against IPA and the criminal history of Burgess was first brought to her attention in a 2006 New York Times article. Sen. Obama has returned the $2,000 he received from IPA's corporate funds, but kept the $2,000 from the Managing Director's wife. Other Democrats, such as Sen. R. Kennedy have also returned IPA donations. Clinton's campaign says that they have yet to return IPA's funds because the investigation is ongoing and they are awaiting an EEOC ruling before deciding what action to take. Hillary could come under fire from women's groups for keeping the donations, and even some of the former female employees of IPA have denounced her decision. This situation highlights previously explored issues such as corporate donations and candidate responsibility for donors' background records.

Will Obama keep his promise on public funding?

2008-02-28T15:48:00.000-08:00

A recent New York Times article discussed an issue that we recently talked about in class, that being whether Obama will keep his word on only using public funding for the general election campaign if he gets the Democratic nomination. According to the article, Obama's recent statements on the issue do not seem too comforting. With his tremendous private fundraising capabilities, Obama is probably starting to regret his oath from early last year as he seems to be less clear as to what he will do. This will be a test of integrity for Obama, but as mentioned in class, either way it's not going to severely damage his campaign because the average American does not know about campaign finance.

Amigos de Obama

2008-02-27T13:59:00.000-08:00

We watched an interesting spanish pro-Obama ad in Spanish class today (its a song about Obama). It's from a group called Amigos de Obama and because the ad actually says "vote for obama" I wanted to know where the money came from. The website does not identify what kind of group the organization is specifically. The website does offer some clues: the site is "Supported by Nueva Vista Media, Inc" and founded by Miguel Orozco (after looking at the Nueva Vista site I discovered he is the president of Nueva Vista and his bio shows that he has previous political ties). Nueva Vista defines itself as "a creative digital media company using all mediums to connect with Latinos." Clearly Amigos de Obama, Orozco, and Nueva Vista are all related, but where does the money for Amigos de Obama (which is also holding grassroots rallies) come from? Nueva Vista? Orozco himself? While the information may be out there somewhere (I looked for over half an hour), this example shows it is not easy to figure out where a lot of the campaign money actually comes from.

Spotlight on the Christian Coalition

2008-02-27T10:50:00.000-08:00

How did the Christian Coalition go to far? This article, "Christian Coalition Shrinks as Debt Grows," highlights several of the problems the CC faced that caused them to crumble.

Ex. Controversial voter guides, pressure from liberal watchdog orgs, tax exempt status in jeopardy, investigation from the IRS and FEC for violations.

IRS Investigating Obama's United Church Of Christ

2008-02-26T22:54:00.000-08:00

The IRS has recently begun investigating the United Church of Christ congregation in Chicago which Barack Obama attends, over a speech Sen. Barack Obama gave at its national meeting last year after he became a candidate for president, the denomination said Tuesday.

The article states:

The IRS has stepped up its monitoring of the political activity of nonprofit groups during the 2008 election. It is more common for individual congregations to be targeted, not entire denominations, but very large ministries have been investigated in the past.

The inquiries can take years. Punishments can range from a financial penalty to loss of tax-exempt status -- an outcome that church attorneys call the "death penalty" for nonprofits.

This investigation goes hand in hand with our recent discussions about the different types of organizations and the limits of their political actions and spending.

Campaign Finance Reform in Maine

2008-02-26T19:35:00.000-08:00

Here is a website that does a good job of summarizing what Maine passed, I have included some key provisions:

"The law was passed by Maine voters in a referendum in 1996 and came into effect in 2000. Candidates who demonstrate citizen support by collecting a set number of $5 qualifying contributions from voters within their districts (50 contributions for a State House race, 150 for the state Senate, and 2,500 for a gubernatorial race) are eligible for fixed and equal campaign funding from the Clean Election Fund. To receive their money, candidates must agree to forgo all private contributions (including self-financing), and limit their spending to the amount from the fund.
Participating Clean Money candidates are also given an additional one-for-one match if they are outspent by non-complying opponents or are the target of independent expenditures (such as ads produced by a group not associated with the opposing candidate). Candidates who reject the option of Clean Money or who fail to qualify are still free to collect private money under the existing system."

Elections, Religious Groups, and Reform

2008-02-26T17:42:00.001-08:00

The SEIU (Service Employees International Union) has swung behind Obama. Here is an independent expenditure ad by its PAC:

Same ad in Spanish:

PowerPAC is not a PAC but a 501(c)(4). It has run pro-Obama ads with a religious theme:

Some background on the religion, politics, and the IRS.

Kennedy speech to Greater Houston Ministerial Association:

Obama speech to the United Church of Christ:

In the current decade, as the reading explains, we have seen a clash of Catholic Answers Action and the Catholic Action Network for Social Justice.

See here and here (go to p. 37) for data on religion and electoral preference.

NRA Endorsement Bad Sign for GOP in Ohio

2008-02-26T12:54:00.000-08:00

Do endorsements from interest groups matter? How much? I'm not sure. But, as a card-carrying member of the NRA, I had to post this one.

From the Politico:

The National Rifle Association endorsed Rep. Zack Space (D-Ohio) for re-election today, giving the freshman congressman key credibility among gun owners as he runs for re-election in a largely rural and solidly Republican district.

"During just my first term in Congress, the NRA and I have already forged a strong working relationship as we both seek to protect the gun owners and sportsmen in the 18th Congressional District,” said Space in a statement.

“We are both committed to preserving the constitutional rights of gun owners and sportsmen everywhere as we work to end the continual whittling away of the Second Amendment by those opposed to gun ownership."

Republicans have had trouble recruiting credible candidates to challenge Space, despite the district’s Republican tilt. The four Republican candidates who have filed for the state’s March 4 primary have hardly raised any money in preparation for the campaign.

Space won election to Congress, fueled by voters’ disgust with the indictment of his predecessor, GOP Rep. Bob Ney. But Republicans had hoped that the district would return to its Republican roots, given the fact President Bush won 57 percent of the vote in 2004.

The NRA’s endorsement suggests that prospect for Republicans is increasingly unlikely, and that Space’s long-term prospects of holding the seat may be better than even he once expected.

I don't know how much the endorsement is going to help Space, but at the very least, it's a bad omen for Republicans living in Ohio's fightin' 18th: if the NRA is endorsing the Democrat in the race, it's doubleplusungood for the Grand Old Party.

Lobbying, Electoral Politics

2008-02-25T12:22:00.001-08:00

John McCain press conference on ties to a lobbyist:

Project Vote Smart collects interest group ratings.

The League of Conservation voters has a user-friendly scorecard.

It also offers a "hit list."

LCV, by the way, is a good example of an interest-group conglomerate.

LCV is a 501(c)(4). Thanks to the MCFL decision, it can do a limited amount of candidate activity. Here is an independent-expenditure ad:

See also The Club for Growth

Soft money still exists, albeit not "party" soft money.

In 2007, the Supreme Court ruled in FEC vs. Wisconsin Right to Life that the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) cannot ban corporate and union money from paying for election ads and communications 30 days before a primary and 60 days before a general election — as long as the ads do not directly advocate the election or defeat of a candidate or engage in the “functional equivalent."

McCain and Lobbyist

2008-02-21T12:33:00.000-08:00

I am not attempting to take cheap shots at McCain (the campaign response is attached), but the NY Times article details many ways we have discussed in which lobbyist can influence politicians and politicians can help out lobbyists is a must read:

"During Mr. McCain’s four years in the House, Mr. Keating, his family and his business associates contributed heavily to his political campaigns. The banker gave Mr. McCain free rides on his private jet, a violation of Congressional ethics rules (he later said it was an oversight and paid for the trips). They vacationed together in the Bahamas. And in 1986, the year Mr. McCain was elected to the Senate, his wife joined Mr. Keating in investing in an Arizona shopping mall."

"For years, Mr. McCain complied. At Mr. Keating’s request, he wrote several letters to regulators, introduced legislation and helped secure the nomination of a Keating associate to a banking regulatory board. By early 1987, though, the thrift was careering toward disaster. Mr. McCain agreed to join several senators, eventually known as the Keating Five, for two private meetings with regulators to urge them to ease up."

"In 2001, he helped found the nonprofit Reform Institute to promote his cause and, in the process, his career. It collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in unlimited donations from companies that lobbied the Senate commerce committee. Mr. McCain initially said he saw no problems with the financing, but he severed his ties to the institute in 2005, complaining of “bad publicity” after news reports of the arrangement."

"Like other presidential candidates, he has relied on lobbyists to run his campaigns. Since a cash crunch last summer, several of them — including his campaign manager, Rick Davis, who represented companies before Mr. McCain’s Senate panel — have been working without pay, a gift that could be worth tens of thousands of dollars. In recent weeks, Mr. McCain has hired another lobbyist, Mark Buse, to run his Senate office. In his case, it was a round trip through the revolving door: Mr. Buse had directed Mr. McCain’s committee staff for seven years before leaving in 2001 to lobby for telecommunications companies.""
"In late 1999, Ms. Iseman asked Mr. McCain’s staff to send a letter to the commission to help Paxson, now Ion Media Networks, on another matter. Mr. Paxson was impatient for F.C.C. approval of a television deal, and Ms. Iseman acknowledged in an e-mail message to The Times that she had sent to Mr. McCain’s staff information for drafting a letter urging a swift decision. Mr. McCain complied. He sent two letters to the commission, drawing a rare rebuke for interference from its chairman. In an embarrassing turn for the campaign, news reports invoked the Keating scandal, once again raising questions about intervening for a patron."

I wanted to include the McCain campaign response too in order to be fair:

“It is a shame that The New York Times has lowered its standards to engage in a hit-and-run smear campaign. John McCain has a 24-year record of serving our country with honor and integrity. He has never violated the public trust, never done favors for special interests or lobbyists, and he will not allow a smear campaign to distract from the issues at stake in this election.
“Americans are sick and tired of this kind of gutter politics, and there is nothing in this story to suggest that John McCain has ever violated the principles that have guided his career.”

2008-02-20T13:16:00.000-08:00

From Ben Smith's Blog on the Politico this video is a 527 spot supporting Senator Clinton that does not mention any of those magic words:

Interest Groups & Electoral Politics, Part II

2008-02-20T11:10:00.001-08:00

On fundraising:

PACs stick with incumbents

Economic sectors divide contributions differently

Republicans had a hard-money advantage in the past.

But so far, not this year.

Political parties consist of:

Party in the electorate

Party organization

Party in government

Interest groups influence all three levels.

Unions do a good deal of phone banking:

Lobbyists can still finance convention activities.

As Dan's post suggests (below), Act Blue is very active.

Emily's List has had an impact on the Democratic Party:

MoveOn and ActBlue

2008-02-18T16:20:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to MoveOn.org's endorsement list. Like EMILY's List it contains links to contribute to candidates they have endorsed.

As I mentioned at the end of class I would like to learn more and discuss ActBlue. Here are some interesting links and pieces of stories about it:

www.actblue.com
From the website FAQ:

For the purposes of contribution limits, are contributions made via the ActBlue web site counted separately from other contributions?

For federal campaigns, No. Contributions made via the ActBlue website are just like contributions through other means (e.g. on a candidate’s web site, through the mail, at a fundraiser). ActBlue just helps deliver your contribution to the candidate.

For state-legislature and executive campaigns, it depends. We’re in the process of writing up pages about the rules in every state. Until then, please contact us if you have questions.

From an article in the Wall Street Journal about a state legislative candidate receiving funds:

ActBlue was created as a political action committee in June 2004 by two Democratic activists from Cambridge, Mass., shortly after the presidential campaign of Howard Dean showed the power of online fund raising. The idea was to transfer that force to Democrats more broadly. Since its inception, ActBlue has raised more than $28 million for Democratic candidates, mostly by making it easy for supporters to bundle together small-dollar donations made via credit card. Mr. Edwards, for example, has raised more than $4 million online via ActBlue.

Finally from a Politico article regarding ActBlue and the FEC:

The presidential public financing system provides up to $250 in taxpayer money for each donation from an individual. But it expressly excludes from matching funds contributions “drawn on the account of a committee.”

It’s unclear whether contributions processed by ActBlue, a pioneering force in online fundraising for Democrats, would be covered by that language. But the Edwards campaign was worried enough to ask the Federal Election Commission for a legal opinion.

Humane Society News; Electoral Politics

2008-02-18T12:28:00.000-08:00

The Humane Society is in the news.

For distinctions among 501(c) groups, 527 groups and PACs.
For hard-money contribution limits.
For current data on congressional races.
For current data on the presidential race.
For data on bundlers and bundling.
For EMILY's List
For links on campaign finance

Interest Group Pay

2008-02-18T04:54:00.001-08:00

National Journal leads an article on trade-association salaries by describing a bidding war for a former House member.

The MPAA-PhRMA clash was an example of the lengths that associations go to in their quest to hire the right leader. Trade groups and other nonprofits are putting a lot of cash on the table -- and promising a stream of future benefits -- to the person they believe will deliver for their industry or profession in the nation's capital. "These are power brokers that make a difference," says Leslie Hortum, manager of the Washington office of executive search firm Spencer Stuart, which has placed a number of individuals, including Glickman, at top-paying associations. "They are rainmakers. They get their phone calls returned. And organizations are willing to pay."

Full story is here.

PETA plays dirty

2008-02-15T15:26:00.000-08:00

While I was doing research for my paper on PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) I went to the Capital Research Center site that Professor Pitney had recommended. On the PETA page of the site I encountered a hilarious error, which I assume can be attributed to PETA hackers. If you visit the PETA page of the CRC website it looks like this, but if you click on the link to the 2003 Annual Report, you are transfered to a PETA site, which looks like this. The "Error Message" lists many reasons why you may have been unable to access the page you were looking for, including:

1. The page may be extinct, just as you soon could be, too, if you are still loading your plate with hamburgers, cheese pizzas, and other artery-clogging animal-based foods.

Apparently CRC has not noticed this problem yet, which is not surprising considering it hasn't updated its report on PETA since 2003.

Church, State, and 501(c)(3)

2008-02-13T21:29:00.000-08:00

Our class remains on the cutting edge of societal evolution. Right after our discussion of 501(c)(3) status, the issue breaks into the press:

Southern Baptist pastor Wiley Drake said Wednesday he is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service for endorsing Mike Huckabee in a letter written on church stationery, and later in a church-related radio broadcast. The IRS has not commented on Wiley's statement. But news of the probe comes six months after Americans United for Separation of Church and State lodged a formal complaint with the IRS about Wiley's church activities. In a press release dated Aug. 11, Drake, the pastor of the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park, endorsed Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee and urged other Southern Baptist church members to support him as well, the complaint said. Americans United quotes Drake in the complaint saying, "I announce that I am going to personally endorse Mike Huckabee. I ask all of my Southern Baptist brothers and sisters to consider getting behind Mike and helping him all you can." (Full Americans United document here.)

Americans United is itself a 501(c)(3). The Capital Research Center takes a dim view of it.

NRA Recruiting Mailer

2008-02-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

American Lung Association Report Card

2008-02-13T02:28:00.000-08:00

We recently read in the NRA chapter how interest groups often grade laws or Congressmen based upon how well they benefit the organization's cause. I was looking online for information about my paper, and I found a nice example of this on the American Lung Association's website. They grade states based upon how well they prevent youth smoking and second hand smoke, among other things.

How Public Interest Groups Gain Members, Money, and Public Support

2008-02-12T15:15:00.000-08:00

Who gives? Capital Research Center is a conservative watchdog and Sourcewatch is a liberal watchdog.

Big-money donors do more than donate big money. They serve as fundraisers and spokespeople for their causes. See, for instance, Laurie David:

Autism Speaks, which has rapidly become the lead organization in the field, is very active in government affairs.

Click here for a list of the biggest foundations.
Click here for top corporate foundations.

Reported trends in a problem may affect public awareness. But the numbers are not always what they seem.

Charting a Different Course

2008-02-11T13:53:00.000-08:00

This article from the Politico discusses a new type of organization promoting Ron Paul for President. Besides the unique idea (a blimp with Ron Paul's name flying around the East Coast) it also has a unique structure.
From the article:

"As for the money floating the blimp, Collette and Smith have developed a detailed business plan carefully structured to avoid Byzantine campaign finance laws. They shunned traditional mechanisms such as creating an independent non-profit group under section 527 of the IRS code — like Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and the other groups that spent millions on ads in 2004 — or a political action committee — like EMILY’s List. Instead, they went an almost unheard of route, establishing a for-profit company: Liberty Political Advertising. The name is a nod to Paul’s ideology and the website boasts the “legal arrangement offers the best of both worlds: no limits and virtually no regulations.” In other words, very libertarian. Instead of soliciting donations like a PAC or a campaign or a non-profit political group, Liberty says it’s “selling political advertisements that you can sponsor.” By Friday evening, Liberty had pulled in nearly $150,000. Each payment will fund a portion of the $350,000-a-month blimp rental fee and associated costs ($10 pays for 1-minute’s worth of advertising on the blimp, while $1 million buys 10 weeks, according to the website)."

Forms of Organization

2008-02-11T11:41:00.001-08:00

Federal tax law defines different kinds of nonprofits. Most must file a Form 990 with the IRS. These forms are public information, and you may find them at sites such as http://www.guidestar.org/.

501 (c)(3) organizations include charitable, religious and educational groups. They pay no taxes on income, and contributions are tax deductible. To keep this status, these groups may not support or oppose candidates for public office. Nevertheless, they may take part in a limited amount of legislative lobbying. The Berry chapter in Cigler & Loomis mentions the 501(h) test.
501 (c)(4) organizations generally pay no taxes on income but contributions are not deductible. These "social welfare organizations" may conduct unlimited lobbying and may do partisan campaign work, but only as a secondary activity.
A 527 political committee pays no tax on operating income, but does pay tax on investment income. Donations are not tax deductible. Its main purpose is to influence the selection of candidates for public office. Certain kinds of 527 groups do not have to file Form 990. See here for a list of exceptions.

The IRS sums up these categories and others in a handy table.

Also consider interest-group conglomerates that may include more than one of the above types as well as a political action committee. NOW is a good example.

Another is the National Rifle Association, a 501(c)(4). It also has:

The NRA Institute for Legislative Action, a 501(c)(4);
The NRA Political Victory Fund), a PAC;
The NRA Foundation, a 501(c)(3).

NRA is using YouTube, Facebook, and MySpace to gain members.

Though Americans still favor certain firearm restrictions, NRA is happy with recent trends in public opinion.

Campaign Finance Laws and Loopholes (But I Repeat Myself)

2008-02-11T07:01:00.000-08:00

The San Francisco Chronicle reports on a trend that we shall mention this week and develop in future weeks:

More money is flowing into California's legislative campaigns than ever, despite contribution limits that voters approved eight years ago in an attempt to quash the influence of well-heeled special interests in state elections, according to an analysis by The Chronicle. Big-ticket donations have moved from candidate-run funds, where individual contributions are capped at $3,600 per election, into independent campaigns run by powerful groups to elect or defeat candidates. Special interests also use loopholes to funnel money to legislators by donating to funds that fall outside the law's limits, including legal defense funds, ballot measure committees or
lawmakers' favorite charities. As a result, watchdog groups say, it has become nearly impossible for the public to follow the money.

Lobbying Influence Backlash?

2008-02-08T12:06:00.000-08:00

As we've discussed interest groups seek to obtain benefits for some concentrated or diffuse set of recipients. While lobbying for some benefit, the act of wielding influencing can reap a negative harvest for other parties too. This issue came up in a Feb. 8th article in The Politico which reported on the Democrats' plan to attack McCain. In addition to pointing out flip-flopping, one other potential tactic mentioned was to point out McCain's connects to interest group. One example was about his staff's relationship to the influence business:

But his opponent could note that McCain's campaign is being led by Tom Loeffler, whose lobbying firm has made millions inserting earmarks into spending bills.

The article also pointed out that McCain fought for $10 million for the University of Arizona. Public universities are an example of another kind of interest group. For McCain being so anti-lobbyist perhaps these run-ins with interest groups will be slightly more problematic than they would have been otherwise.

See article here.

JetBlue and Passenger Bill of Rights

2008-02-06T14:00:00.000-08:00

Both our readings and our discussion in class on Monday (about Wal Mart's aid for the fires) about corporations trying to get positive publicity reminded me about a situation at JetBlue awhile ago. A major snow storm hit the East Coast and Jetblue had to cancel many flights. But instead of simply canceling the flights they left the planes (loaded with passengers) on the runways and refused to let people off for hours. JetBlue received really bad publicity because of this event and tried to fix their image quickly. They introduced what they called a "passenger bill of rights" which seemed like a nice way to make it seem like JetBlue cared about their passengers. However, there were probably other motives too. After the incident there was talk about created a national passenger bill of rights in Congress and some state governments passed passenger bill of rights. JetBlue may have hoped that if they passed their own bill of rights it would not only make their image look better but might prevent the federal government (and other state governments) from passing possibly much tougher passenger bill of rights. JetBlue is another example of what the Wal Mart reading was talking about when it said that companies that get bad publicity have to fear government action and more regulation.

Union Membership

2008-02-06T13:03:00.000-08:00

From BLS:

In 2007, the number of workers belonging to a union rose by 311,000 to15.7
million, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics reported
today. Union members accounted for 12.1 percent of employed wageand salary
workers, essentially unchanged from 12.0 percent in 2006. In1983, the
first year for which comparable union data are available, theunion
membership rate was 20.1 percent.

Two major labor federations are AFL-CIO and Change to Win

Example of Unions Flexing their Muscles at the Local Level

2008-02-06T01:54:00.000-08:00

Professor Pitney mentioned at the end of the last class that the unions' influence on government policy is in decline, and I would agree that is true on the federal level. However, this past summer in my hometown of Chula Vista, CA, unions seemed to play a formidable role in preventing the construction of a much-needed convention center and hotel in Chula Vista that would have created thousands of new jobs and brought millions of dollars in revenue to the city.

To give a quick summary, Gaylord Entertainment was planning to build a $1 billion convention center and hotel at Chula Vista's scenic bayfront area. The plan had already been fully approved at the city and county level, all that was left was for the developer to reach a deal with the unions before construction began. However, unions such as the San Diego County Building and Construction Trades Council, the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 569 demanded a project labor agreement from Gaylord in which Gaylord would commit to hiring only local union workers for the project. Gaylord refused to any legal commitment, and made some concessions to "give union contractors first dibs to bid on jobs, and preference to local workers" (see article in link 2), but the unions wanted a legal commitment. Without being able to reach some kind of agreement with the unions, Gaylord refused to begin construction and even backed out of the deal because of union threats of using negative publicity and bringing costly environmental suits to their doorstep if Gaylord continued the project without union approval.

So today, the project remains in limbo and I've actually not heard anything recently about the status of it now, as far as I know Gaylord will probably not continue with the project. From the point of view of the unions, they protected the rights and potential benefits of local union workers. From the point of view of nearly everyone else, a project that would have greatly benefited the City of Chula Vista economically and socially was lost.

There are links to two articles below describing basically what happened, the first link is for when talks between the unions and the developer were falling apart, and the second link is for when talks had pretty much ended without a solution.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070630/news_1m30cvlabor.html

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070802/news_1m2cvbay.html

Wal-Mart's Green Intentions: Website

2008-02-05T11:40:00.000-08:00

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/08/07/8382593/

Wal-Mart's Green Intentions

2008-02-05T11:30:00.000-08:00

This is an article about Wal-Mart's efforts at going green. It questions Wal-Mart's credibility in this crusade and highlights the tensions between what is good for business and what is good for the planet. Is it a PR stunt? Again, Wal-Mart's high visibility comes into play.

2009 Bush Budget Proposal Highlights c/o the Politico

2008-02-04T11:09:00.000-08:00

The Politico, my favorite DC news source even though it lacks a certain ex-majority leader of the Congress Simulation, has delivered some highlights of Bush's Budget Proposal for this year.

Of course, the new and improved President Bush v2.0, who actually vetoed spending bills--see SCHIP--last year, an idea unthinkable during his first term, maintained his "tough" stance on spending by attacking Medicare, in addition to "effectively fr[eezing]" spending in the Dept. of Education:

Not having to run for re-election this year, Bush is more aggressive in proposing major savings from the two health programs most important to the elderly, poor and disabled: Medicare and Medicaid. The goal is to slow the rapid cost growth in both entitlements, but the president’s budget demands as much as $195.6 billion in five-year savings and $603 billion over ten.

All card-carrying members of the GOP under 60 should be wiping tears from their eyes as W stands against the spendthrift, nay, profligate, Democratic-controlled Congress in an effort to corral spending! Until, of course, we get to the part of the budget reserved for Republican politicians not named Ron Paul:

The core Pentagon budget - not counting emergency funds for wars overseas- would grow to $515.4 billion, a $35.9 billion increase over current funding.

For those of you like me who cannot do math, I've painstakingly run the numbers and found this spending increase to be equal to just over 7%. A Republican President asks for more military funding even with military spending, at least in nominal dollars, at an all-time high? Nope--no surprises there. But this is more intriguing:

The National Science Foundation would grow to $6.85 billion, a 14 percent increase of $821 million.

I'm sure someone is behind that. And by someone, I of course mean several groups allied to "get that money." My guess is that this sum is headed straight to R&D grants in sectors like Big PHARMA, of whom I'm a huge fan. But if anyone else can offer any insight on where this money is going, please do so.

But this last bit is my personal favorite:

But the Park Service snares a $161 million increase for operations and new money is provided for programs to try to prevent wildfires in the West. Among the new initiatives is a $9 million “Birds Forever” program in Interior to try to reverse the dramatic decline in wild birds in the U.S. in the last 40 years. [bold mine]

I fear that the wild bird lobby has grown too powerful. We must move quickly if the Beltway Order is to survive.

Wal-Mart

2008-02-03T07:29:00.000-08:00

The New York Times reports about Wal-Mart:

It’s making sweeping commitments to reduce America’s energy use and improve its health care system. It’s obsessively polling voters, boasting of a higher favorability rating than Congress. It’s even touting an “economic stimulus plan for American shoppers” in the form of steep price cuts made last week. (Four 12-packs of Pepsi? $10.)That last one may be slightly tongue in cheek — even discount retailers have a sense of humor — but the bigger message is not: after years of running afoul of the United States government on labor and environmental issues, Wal-Mart now aspires to be like the government, bursting through political logjams and offering big-picture solutions to intractable problems.

The article mentions that its rapid response to disaster has been good for business. See Katrina examples at http://video.walmartstores.com/video/ For a more recent case, closer to home, see below:

Snapshots of the Business and Professional World

2008-02-02T17:06:00.000-08:00

Taxpaying Business Enterprises

...........................Proprietorships......Partnerships....Corporations

1990 . . . . . . . . . . . 14.7m..................... 1.6m..................3.7m
2004. . . . . . . . . . . 20.6m..................... 2.5m.................5.6m

Percent of Households Owning Equities

1983...19.0
1989...31.8
1992...36.7
1995...40.4
1999...47.9
2002..49.5
2005..50.3

Tops in the Fortune 500

Wal-Mart
Exxon Mobil
GM
Chevron
Conoco Phillips

Trade Associations: "The Gang of Six"

Professional Membership Organizations

Obama and MoveOn.org

2008-02-01T13:41:00.001-08:00

Obama obtained the MoveOn.org endorsement today.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0208/MoveOn_endorses_Obama.html

From the article:
"The endorsement will bring him some money and some organization, and access to an e-mail list that includes more than 1.7 million people in Super Tuesday states alone. It also further solidifies his standing as the candidate of the Democratic left."

Proposition Politics

2008-01-31T15:56:00.000-08:00

On February 5, California votes on several ballot measures dealing with Indian gaming.

The Associated Press reports:

The bulk of the contributions this year is flowing to the campaigns over four Indian gambling compacts – propositions 94 through 97. The proposals would allow four Southern California tribes – the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation – to add 17,000 slot machines at their casinos. The four tribes and their allies have raised $101 million, almost all of it coming from the tribes.

This news report confirms a point that we discussed in class: that groups with an unusually deep stake in a policy area will have an incentive to bear the cost of organizing. Check out campaign finance disclosures. You can see the same thing in ads for and against the measures:

Giuliani withdrawal and Interest Groups

2008-01-30T14:01:00.000-08:00

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0108/8200.html

It seems that Giuliani's lack of success in the nomination bid exemplifies a possible end of 9/11 politics, worrying The Partnership for a Secure America, who is afraid that the American public has forgotten about the threat of terrorism. In response, The Partnership for a Secure America has produced a television ad highlighting the dangerousness of, specifically, nuclear terrorism. However, this is a little too late for Giuliani (if it could have helped at all...).

I haven't been able to find the ad on youtube, does anyone know where it can be found?

Interest Group News

2008-01-30T12:27:00.001-08:00

See Brian's post, below. Keep an eye on interest group contributions to candidates.

A fascinating case study in interest group politics is unfolding. ABC (part of Disney) is airing a new lawyer show titled "Eli Stone." The first episode involves the relationship between autism and childhood vaccines.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has demanded that ABC pull the episode:

“A television show that perpetuates the myth that vaccines cause autism is the height of reckless irresponsibility on the part of ABC and its parent company, The Walt Disney Co.,” said Renee R. Jenkins, MD, FAAP, president of the AAP. “If parents watch this program and choose to deny their children immunizations, ABC will share in the responsibility for the suffering and deaths that occur as a result. The consequences of a decline in immunization rates could be devastating to the health of our nation’s children.”

The Immunization Action Coalition has made a similar demand.

But autism bloggers note something about the Coalition:

The Immunization Action Coalition receives funding from a variety of sources, but maintains strict editorial independence in all publications and print materials. Funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is provided for specific projects. Contributions from pharmaceutical companies are in the form of educational grants.

-----------

Click here for the Wilson typology of policy arenas.

Two prominent examples of rebranding are AARP and NARAL Pro-Choice America.

Obama and Interest Groups

2008-01-30T00:32:00.000-08:00

The New York Times recently reported that many interest groups are supporting Obama's run for the Democratic nomination. It says that Obama has asked these groups to stop supporting him and instead channel funds into the offical campaign, but they have not followed his advice. Obama, who has mentioned many times how he would run a White House untainted by special interests, needs this money and support because of the sheer scale of Super Tuesday. It will be interesting how this plays out as voters hear that "special interests" are providing Obama with money and support.

The Trucking Lobby and Anti-Terrorism

2008-01-28T12:48:00.000-08:00

Interesting article from Politico about a large amount of government money the trucking industry got to allegedly fight terrorism. It seems as though the trucking lobby may have been able to get a massive amount of money from the government to do almost nothing. It might be interesting to see one of these hour long DVDs about how to spot terrorism on America's highways (in article).

Associations

2008-01-25T21:33:00.000-08:00

Rauch (p. 42) talks about a rise in the number of national associations. Check out more recent data from the Statistical Abstract of the United States (below). How do these figures compare? How might ch. 6 of Cigler and Loomis explain the pattern that you see?

1980 14,726

1990 22,289

1995 22,663

2000 21,840

2001 22,449

2002 22,141

2003 22,464

2004 22,659

2005 22,720

2006 23,772

You might see something similar with political action committees (PACs).

Compare to trends in federal spending.

Note, however, that data on business enterprises have a different pattern.

The WGA Does Congress

2008-01-25T12:23:00.000-08:00

The Hollywood writers' strike recently came to Capitol Hill. From an article in Broadcasting & Cable:

With the help of a half-dozen or so out-of-work writers, the Writers Guild of America staged a comedy debate on Capitol Hill Wednesday on the serious subject of the ongoing strike against the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers. With the aid of a half-dozen members of Congress, the guild framed the issue as consolidated media companies that didn't want to split their $95 billion in profits with the writers who helped to create all of that high-value content. They were backed by a half-dozen legislators who took to the podium before the mock debate to express their support and even issue something of a threat. [CLICK HERE FOR FULL TEXT]

In class on Monday, we shall briefly discuss why the writers came to the Hill and why several members were so eager to host them. See video below.

"Vote Yes for California"

2008-01-23T14:39:00.000-08:00

What do you think is going on here?