Obama Vows to Fight Lobbyists

In a blog post titled Keeping Promises, the White House released President Obama's weekly video address. In this video, President Obama stated that Lobbyists are gearing up to fight over the budget, but he promised that he was ready for a fight. (Image: White House) There's no two ways about it, Obama delivers some fighting words to lobbyists. His goal is to get a budget through that will represent fiscal responsibility that he has campaigned for. Video after the jump...



There is no doubt that the changes proposed in the new budget are dramatic enough to cause many on Capitol Hill to break a sweat. Whenever a bill as big as the budget goes through congress and the senate, there are many interests looking to tack something onto it. Regardless of whether they are valuable or pork, these measures need to be put on hold.

If Obama can get this bill through, without earmarks or pet projects being tacked on, he will have accomplished something significant. That's a sad state for the political system in the United States, but it is the truth. I'm unclear as to whether Canada is as bad, with the exception of the governments of cases like Brian Mulroney or Jean Chrétien, but I doubt it. Maybe we don't have enough money or the political culture is just different.

If Canada does have such problems, I would say that they are worse because we don't know of them. Hopefully someone's keeping an eye on Canadian Members of Parliament, but for now I'll feel good for Americans who are witnessing their government wage war on corruption.