Madame Speaker "I APPOLOGIZE"

Now this article from CBC News sure as hell hasn't been given much press so let's take a look at what the soon to be Speaker of the House intends as her first legislative effort. No House member may accept any gift of any value from lobbyists, or any firm or association that hires lobbyists. No free travel, which means an end to the corporate jet line every Friday at Reagan National Airport. No free tickets to Redskins games; or no meals of any value, even at a McDonalds; no front-row seats at entertainment venues. No, no and no. Now this restores my faith in Nancy Pelosi, and also puts any doubts to rest that I had about her support for Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) as the House Leader and number two rank in importance of the Congress, as I posted here and here. Madame Speaker I APPOLOGIZE. This will also silence the Republican talking point that I feared labelling Pelosi and Murtha as being just as crooked as the own failed leadership. Here is possibly the very best part of what has been labelled Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2006 House members will no longer be able to slip in special-interest projects on unrelated legislation. Such measures will no longer be allowed on a bill once negotiations between the Senate and House are complete. Further, all bills will be made available to the public a full 24 hours before a final vote; presumably this gives watchdog groups a chance to flag any skullduggery. Now THAT my friends is what she meant when she pledged to clean up the "culture of corruption" so pervasive in Washington for so long. I am sure that the bill as written will be watered down a bit, but I doubt very much that the American people will stand for much change given the loud message given on November 7th. The final point that will drive this legislation home is that the rules will be given oversight by a new Office of Public Integrity, which will report only to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Read on.... Now I would like to know why the MSM has failed to report all this with the importance it deserves. Like I need to ask - obviously this will not benefit their corporate view of the way the U.S. should be governed.