The key words here are "Banning" and "Former"

The litmus test will be what occurs to those who violate this after they have by contract agreed to abide by it.

with warm regards,
Tony

Charlie wrote on Jan 24^th, 2009 at 6:11pm:

More like we will end up there.... 

M.R. wrote on Jan 24^th, 2009 at 5:43pm:


Of course it isn't, which would seem to only impair any point about truth and trust.

Artonio wrote on Jan 24^th, 2009 at 6:50pm:


He already violated his own rules.....what else do you need to know?

Political discussions will always always always have disagreements.

Barrack Obama is now the president.  He is now my husbands commander in chief.

He has done what every other president I've ever watched, do.  He's made promises on the campaign trail based on limited information.  Now he has access to all the information and realizes "Uh oh, wait a minute, I guess I can't quite make that happen the way I said I wanted to".  

For good or ill, he is at the helm.  Let's let him do his job and evaluate him after he's had 100 days.  Providing of course Biden doesn't have some global catastrophe occur that will allow all the talk of change go out the window.

Real change takes time, promises on campaign trails are words in the wind, reality is sitting in the oval office seeing the whole picture.  Lets see how he paints the portrait now he has all the pieces and 'paint'.

And I still think a 6 week campaign time frame would make life much less stressful (and much more boring for the media) than this whole 2 years of bitter back stabbing and talking out the wazoo.

And what every American and resident should be doing is watching like a hawk and demanding ACCOUNTABILITY.  Doesn't matter who is in what position, transparency can only come from public accountability IMO.

Cat

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Jonny's correct.  He was a lobbyist for Raytheon so should not be able to be a pick for 2nd in command of the Denfense Department until he has not been a lobbyist for 2 years according to Obamma's rules.

Some pros and cons




According to the executive order, Lynn shouldn't have accepted the appointment though, of course, the order was only signed yesterday and Lynn presumably accepted the president's offer weeks ago. So he was arguably grandfathered in.

But because Raytheon is pervasive in defense contracting, it will difficult, to say the least, for Lynn to avoid involvement for two years in Pentagon matters that touch Raytheon.

[The company is the maker of "Bunker Buster" bombs, Tomahawk and Patriot missiles.  Raytheon also makes the "bunker buster" GBU- 28, a 5,000-pound bomb and missiles like the TOW, Maverick and Javelin, used in Operation Enduring Freedom.  In addition to missiles, Raytheon also builds sensors and radars used on unmanned and manned reconnaissance airplanes used extensively in Afghanistan.]


According to the company's disclosure forms, Lynn was part of a team that lobbied on a wide range of defense issues, including acquisitions policy, force protection, space and intelligence, command and control, simulation and training, missile defense, sensors and radars, and munitions and artillery. The breadth of the work reflects the reach of Raytheon throughout the Defense Department.

If Lynn had to recuse himself from all these areas, I'm not sure what's left for him to manage. Maybe the Pentagon daycare facilities but that seems about it.

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Before his stint with Raytheon, Lynn was the Pentagon's comptroller and chief budget officer. He also previously worked as director of DOD's program analysis and evaluation.

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Already, there have been two prominent exceptions made to Obama's no-lobbyists rule. William J. Lynn III, his choice to become the No. 2 official at the Defense Department, was registered until July as a lobbyist for defense contractor Raytheon. And William Corr, tapped as deputy secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services, lobbied that same agency through most of last year as an anti-tobacco advocate, according to public records.

...

As a lobbyist, Lynn worked on Pentagon budget matters including contracting policy, the military's use of space, missile defense, munitions and artillery, sensors and radars and advanced technology programs. Raytheon is one of the military's top contractors, doing $18.3 billion in U.S. government business in 2007.

Likewise, Corr lobbied for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids on his new department's budget and a range of tobacco matters, including smoking prevention, curbing cigarette trafficking and making federal buildings smoke-free.

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I agree Marc, it's a very weak argument.  


At the end of the first link I posted is this commentary though.


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That's why I posted his credentials at the Pentagon, also.  


It's not my decision to make.  The spirit and intent of the order is clear and I'd like to see it happen.

The pros don't seem to outweigh the cons, and now there are already two exceptions, although the two may be good at their jobs.

Good Luck and God Bless

My Obama, My Messiah, My President, My Savior

How presumptious and arrogant can you people be?  Give the man a chance!  He has united us.  He has conquered the racial divide.  He has saved us all from financial ruin.  He is going to make all things right and good, and he's even promised the cure the planet of its fever!  Yes, these are all hard things for a mere human, but this is Obama, so stop acting like he's not God, and get with the program.

Oh Obama, I feel so much better now.

[are they still watching me?...]

Marc wrote on Jan 26^th, 2009 at 1:46pm:


I'd think real change, if possible to meet expectations, would involve being an example in making the tough decisions.  

I'd have to say his past seems qualifying.

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Marc wrote on Jan 26^th, 2009 at 2:35pm:


 


But in the day's end...

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Thanks for weighing in.