Obamanation

OBAMA LOBBYING FOR CASH?

Is Barack Obama Back To Accepting Federal Lobbyist Money, Just Like He Did Before Running For President?

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Yesterday, Obama And The DNC Established A Joint Fundraising Agreement:


Obama And The DNC Established A Joint Fundraising Agreement That Can Accept Up To $28,500 From Individuals. "After a series of discussions, the Obama campaign and the Democratic National Committee have decided to file papers with the Federal Election Commission establishing a 'joint fundraising agreement.' Under the law, such a committee can accept up to $28,500 from individuals, most of which would go to the DNC." (Mark Halperin, "Obama-DNC Fundraising Deal," Time's "The Page" Blog, www.time.com, 4/25/08)

Obama Claims That He Does Not Accept Contributions From Federal Lobbyists:

Obama: "I just want to make sure that we understand: I don't take money from federal lobbyists. I don't take money from PACs." (Sen. Barack Obama, MSNBC Presidential Debate, Las Vegas, NV, 1/15/08)

Obama: "I believe I can bring about that kind of change - because I'm the only candidate in this race who's actually worked to take power away from lobbyists by passing historic ethics reforms in Illinois and in the U.S. Senate. And I'm the only candidate who isn't taking a dime from Washington lobbyists. They have not funded my campaign, they will not run my administration, and they will not drown out the voices of the American people when I'm President of the United States." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks To The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, Philadelphia, PA, 4/2/08)

But The DNC Has Received Millions From Lobbyists, So Will The Joint Fundraising Committee Continue To Do So?

The DNC Has Received At Least $2,377,666 From Lawyers And Lobbyists During The 2008 Cycle. (Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 4/25/08)

FLASHBACK: Obama Has Routinely Accepted Lobbyist Money Throughout His Political Career:

Obama Only Stopped Accepting Contributions From Federal Lobbyists When He Launched His Presidential Campaign. "Obama doesn't accept campaign contributions from lobbyists or political action committees, but that's a change from his past practices. He accepted their donations until he launched his presidential campaign." (Christopher Wills, "10 Things About Barack Obama," The Associated Press, 1/10/08)

Obama's Senatorial Campaign Committee Has Accepted $128,000 From Lobbyists. "Obama's US Senate campaign committee, starting with his successful run in 2004, has collected $128,000 from lobbyists and $1.3 million from PACs, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonprofit organization that tracks money in politics." (Scott Helman, "PACs And Lobbyists Aided Obama's Rise - Data Contrast With His Theme," The Boston Globe, 8/9/07)

Obama Raised At Least $24,850 For His Illinois State Senate Campaigns From State Lobbyists. (Illinois State Board Of Elections Website, www.elections.state.il.us, Accessed 2/19/08)

Obama Has Been Hypocritical On A Number Of Other Issues, Including Taxes And Funding For Our Troops:

Obama: "We could be fighting to put the American dream within reach for every American - by giving tax breaks to working families..." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks On Iraq And The Economy, Charleston, WV, 3/20/08)

But Obama Has Called For Higher Income Taxes, Social Security Taxes, Investment Taxes, And Corporate Taxes, As Well As "Massive New Domestic Spending." "Obama's transformation, if you go by his campaign so far, would mean higher income taxes, higher Social Security taxes, higher investment taxes, higher corporate taxes, massive new domestic spending, and a healthcare plan that perhaps could be the next step to a full-scale, single-payer system. Is that what most Americans want, someone who will fulfill a Democratic policy wish list?" (James Pethokoukis, "Barack Hussein Reagan? Ronald Wilson Obama?" U.S. News & World Report's "Capital Commerce" Blog, www.usnews.com, 2/12/08)

Obama Has Also Called For Tax Hikes On "Dirty Energy" Such As Coal And Natural Gas. Obama: "What we ought to tax is dirty energy, like coal and, to a lesser extent, natural gas." ("Q&A With Sen. Barack Obama," San Antonio Express-News, 2/19/08)
Obama Previously Said He Would Support The Troops By Providing Funding For Their Mission. Obama: "[W]hat you don't want to do is to play chicken with the President, and create a situation in which, potentially, you don't have body armor, you don't have reinforced Humvees, you don't have night-vision goggles." (CNN's "The Situation Room," 3/28/07)

But Obama Later Voted Against Providing Funding For The Troops And Promised To Continue Doing So.

Obama Voted Against Providing $94.4 Billion In Critical Funding For The Troops In Iraq And Afghanistan. (H.R. 2206, CQ Vote #181: Passed 80-14: R 42-3; D 37-10; I 1-1, 5/24/07, Obama Voted Nay)
Obama Voted Against $70 Billion In Emergency Iraq And Afghanistan Funding. (S. 2340, CQ Vote #410: Rejected 45-53: R 44-3; D 0-49; I 1-1, 11/16/07, Obama Voted Nay)
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