Morning Clips – 1/11/2010
- New York wants less salt in food – New York Times
- Now N. Korea wants peace treaty to keep talking - New York Times
- Blagojevich says ‘I’m blacker than Barack Obama … ‘ – Chicago Tribune
- Illinois’ unpaid bills reach $5 billion – Chicago Tribune
- Flare up of violence in Tijuana – L.A. Times
- A complaint in China could land you in a ‘black jail’ – L.A. Times
- AP Analysis: Stimulus has had no effect on employment – Associated Press (via The Plain Dealer)
- Heineken bids for FEMSA – MarketWatch
- Goldman Sachs Execs May be Forced to Give to Charity – CNBC
- China now world’s largest auto market – Bloomberg
Sen. Harry Reid
- Reid Apologizes for ‘Negro’ remarks – New York Times
- Op-Ed – Sandy Banks: It’s Not Reid Who Should Apologize – L.A. Times
- Dems launch offensive to save Reid – Politico
- GOP claim Lott-Reid Double Standard – Politico
Obama to Lobbyists: Submit Your Thoughts in Writing
If reality aligns with rhetoric, there is change occurring in Washington.
In a speech today before state legislators meeting in Washington, D.C., President Barack Obama talked about the recently enacted economic stimulus program. Specifically, he addressed how decisions should be made regarding stimulus dollars and the role of lobbyists.
From Obama’s remarks:
Decisions about how Recovery Act dollars are spent will be based on the merits. Let me repeat that: Decisions about how Recovery money will be spent will be based on the merits.
They will not be made as a way of doing favors for lobbyists. Any lobbyist who wants to talk with a member of my administration about a particular Recovery Act project will have to submit their thoughts in writing, and we will post it on the Internet for all to see. (Applause.) If any member of my administration does meet with a lobbyist about a Recovery Act project, every American will be able to go online and see what that meeting was about. These are unprecedented restrictions that will help ensure that lobbyists don’t stand in the way of our recovery.
They will not be made as a way of doing favors for lobbyists. Any lobbyist who wants to talk with a member of my administration about a particular Recovery Act project will have to submit their thoughts in writing, and we will post it on the Internet for all to see. (Applause.) If any member of my administration does meet with a lobbyist about a Recovery Act project, every American will be able to go online and see what that meeting was about. These are unprecedented restrictions that will help ensure that lobbyists don’t stand in the way of our recovery.
