Obama proposes government reform plan in NH

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama today announced a series of initiatives to improve government by increasing transparency of government contracts and establishing rules meant to curb the relationship between lobbyists and administration employees.

Obama announced the proposal at the New Hampshire Community Technical College in Manchester. Obama characterized his four step plan to be the “most sweeping ethics reform in history.” Aides to Hillary Clinton said the speech largely mirrors a similar plan Clinton proposed in April, but Obama staffers counter that his proposals go further.

The first of the four tenets imposes restrictions on any presidential appointees, saying they can neither oversee a company they recently worked for nor leave the administration and work for such a company. Clinton used similar language in describing the constraints she would impose on her cabinet appointees, but Obama would mandate it on thousands of presidential appointments.

Second, he would end the use of no-bid government contracts, something Clinton also called for.

Third, he would impose an absolute ban on gifts from all lobbyists to members of his administration.

Lastly, he would use the internet to allow every bill he was about to sign to be online for public review for at least five days as well as the language for all budget earmarks or tax breaks.

“It’s time to renew a people’s politics in this country – to ensure that the hopes and concerns of average Americans speak louder in Washington than the hallway whispers of high-priced lobbyists,” Obama said to about 200 people.

John Edwards spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield said that despite Obama’s speech, Edwards “is the only candidate in this race who has never once in his career taken a dime from a Washington lobbyist or PAC.”

Nonetheless Rick Katzenberg, an activist from Amherst who will host a house party tomorrow for Chris Dodd, said he was impressed by Obama.

“One of the advantages to him being a fresh face is that he can be believed to follow through on these issues where with others might be seen as just politicians,” Katzenberg said.