Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Lisa Sylvester on campaign contributors to the new Super Committee debt panel, discusses their agendas with Bill Allison of Sunlight Foundation


CNN video: Reporter Lisa Sylvester examines the identity and interests of some of the largest campaign contributors to the 12 members of the new Super Committee debt panel, and discusses their agendas with The Sunlight Foundation's Bill Allison. August 16, 2011.


Sunlight Foundation video: The Debt Ceiling Deal and You, August 15, 2011

The informative videos above about the Super Committee Debt group were in my YouTube Channel inbox today, and yesterday afternoon I received this latest email from Nicole Aro of The Sunlight Foundation, and I reprint it here for your edification:

Dear Sunlighter,


Congressional leaders have appointed members to the “Super Committee” -- 12 lawmakers assigned the power and responsibility of cutting $1.5 trillion from the national deficit -- by the end of the year. As you might expect, lobbyists and powerful special interests have already started to circle.

This “Super Congress” or “Super Committee” certainly has “Super Powers” -- but if they don’t pledge to be Super Transparent, we won’t know if they’re working for us or for the powerful, wealthy lobbyists and special interests in Washington. This work could stay in the shadows until the recommendations of the committee are released in December!


The creation of this committee -- totally outside normal congressional rules and accountability -- is a pretty clear signal that something is broken in our democracy. While the committee members are certainly entitled to some private deliberation, this process needs be open and transparent. Sunlight's come up with five demands to increase transparency in this committee, but we need your help to make sure others join our campaign.


Thanks for all that you do,
Nicole, Tiina, John and the rest of the Sunlight team

P.S. -- Got a clever idea for a campaign tactic that will show Congress we’re serious about our democracy? Please let us know here -- or let us know if you think someone else has a really great idea.
------


also see Pelosi Names Clyburn, Van Hollen, Becerra to Debt Panel

No comments:

Post a Comment