Will Obama Issue an Order Exposing Big Corporate Political Spenders in Citizens United Era?

[Bill USA]

http://www.alternet.org/news/153729/will_obama_issue_an_order_exposing_big_corporate_political_spenders_in_citizens_united_era


January 10, 2012 |

A executive order requiring that federal contractors disclose their electoral spending—by top officers and as corporations—is being reconsidered by the White House despite stiff opposition from the business lobby after it was first proposed last spring, according to civil rights attorneys working on the issue.

“There’s a lot of movement at the White House,” said Craig Holman, government affairs lobbyist for Public Citizen. “I just had a meeting at the White House counsel’s office, trying to encourage them to move forward with the executive order. They have the perfect window of opportunity to get the executive order done.”

“It’s simple—any company that is paid with taxpayer dollars should be required to disclose political contributions,” said Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., who has pushed for the White House to issue the order. “With public dollars come public responsibilities, and I hope President Obama will issue his executive order right away.”

The order, if issued, would likely be the only campaign finance initiative to emerge from Washington this year as nothing is expected from Congress. It would take effect after the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council adopts new disclosure rules. That could come as the 2012 election season moves beyond the primaries and it would offer a new way to see who is behind the newest independent groups spending millions on political attack ads.
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[NightTemplar]

1. not gonna happen because truckloads of dollars have been dumped off at Obama campaign HQ by

corporate dump trucks

[JackRiddler]

3. It would help reelection chances...

to expose where the avalanche is coming from.

But it would require the courage to stand up to one's own sponsors.

[Bill USA]

4. gosh, I hope your speculation is right. But if so, the whole idea of opening up selling the

Government to the corporations is going to backfire. The whole point was to make the Republicans unbeatable as they will get an avalanche of money from their puppet-masters (especially through secret contributions to super-pacs).

WOW, John Roberts would just 'shit' if you were right! ("Damn can't even set up a fascist state anymore!&quot .

[frazzled]

2. I'm surprised a president could issue an executive order requiring this

I'm not quite sure what can be done by Executive Order and what can't. But I would have guessed this has to come through a law from Congress. I know several bills have been introduced to achieve this, but of course Republicans are never going to get on board with it. (Well, maybe after this primary, they'll think differently).