wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Comments

• [1] Anita from Brooklyn February 02, 2009 - 12:18PM

  Isn't there something wrong with allocating such funds to private universities VS. Public colleges and universities? Can you address this?

  
  
• [2] dbnyc from Brooklyn February 02, 2009 - 12:19PM

  is the schlossberg of schlossberg & cassidy any relation to Caroline Kennedy's husband?

  
  
• [3] Demetri from Brooklyn February 02, 2009 - 12:27PM

  A major problem with this is corporations should not be considered citizens. Individuals should be allowed to lobby, but fictional entities like corporations should not.

  
  
• [4] J from Manhattan February 02, 2009 - 12:27PM

  Bill Clinton's first official act as president on January 21st, 1993? Signing an executive order mandating "unprecedented" lobbying ethics rules, the "toughest ever," a policy to "'stop the revolving door' of Washington influence-peddling."

  Yet from the Washington Post on 12/10/92: "Other Clinton aides allowed that ethics standards are, in general, difficult to enforce, especially because influence is often in the eye of the beholder. Aides were unsure what agency would enforce the rules.

  "The incoming administration defended the new rules primarily for their symbolic value" (Washington Post, 12/10/92, Page A1).

  Also, the same myth that "the president will have a hard time finding qualified people" was propagated by the Mr Kaiser's own Washington Post, again on 12/10/92: "Clinton's Ethics Rules: Balance or Barrier?"

  Let us not forget one of the Man from Hope's final acts in office: an executive order revoking his 1992 executive order on lobbying ethics rules.

  
  
• [5] hjs from 11211 February 02, 2009 - 12:32PM

  didn't the tv airwaves used to be own by WE the people?

  
  
• [6] eCAHNomics February 02, 2009 - 12:35PM

  I'm amazed at how small the sums are to bribe pols. The rate of return on lobbying must be in the thousand percents. Which leads me to ask, why isn't it even worse? No business can make a rate of return higher than that on lobbying.

  
  
• [7] Felicia Adams February 02, 2009 - 12:36PM

  I find it hypocritical that the west criticizes third world countries about corruption, when Lobbying is a legalized form of corruption.

  The only difference is politicians in third world countries do not care if they get caught while as in the west politicians worry about what will happen to them if they get caught.

  
  
• [8] Gregory from The Bronx February 02, 2009 - 12:37PM

  Cassidy did hire former Abramoff associates Todd Boulanger and Jim Hirni as well.

  
  
• [9] J from Manhattan February 02, 2009 - 12:38PM

  To transpose above comment into a question for Mr. Kaiser: Bill Clinton's 1992 executive order stated explicitly that the attorney general was to prosecute anyone who violated the lobbying ethics rules. Has any attorney general in any administration ever prosecuted any people for violating these rules? What are the chances that the rules be enforced under the Obama administration?

  
  
• [10] Gregory from The Bronx February 02, 2009 - 12:41PM

  I also forgot to mention Shana Tesler as well.