As the race for the White House heats up, lobbyists have their eyes on more than just the next president.

The presidential nominating conventions that Democrats and Republicans hold every four years have become prime opportunities for lobbyists to throw lavish parties for members of Congress. 

If this scenario seems ripe for mischief, that's because it is.  In fact, you helped us ban this sneaky practice of buying influence with last year's landmark lobbying and ethics reform.

But lobbyists - and representatives who can't turn down a free meal - are fighting for their right to party.

The House ethics committee released its guidelines for lobbyists who want to wine and dine Congress.  In a perversion of the new lobbying and ethics rules that ban lobbyists from hosting parties at the national conventions that "honor a member of Congress," it said that lobbyists cannot throw parties "honoring" a single member of Congress, but that it's perfectly OK if they are "honoring" two or more members of Congress.

But the Senate ethics committee got it right.  The Senate's guidelines forbid lobbyist parties for one, two, or any number of members of Congress.

Take Action NOW: Tell your representative that the House ethics guidelines for convention parties are absurd - and hardly ethical. 

Thanks,

Daniel De Bonis
Online Organizer
Public Citizen's Congress Watch
action@citizen.org

I turned 40 today. Wow! How did that happen?? I don’t feel 40. People tell me I don’t look 40. But I am. I can’t believe how the time has flown! People tell me that the older you get the faster time seems to go. If that’s true, my life is going to be over in a flash because it is already going at break-neck speed!!

But you know what? Other than some aches and pains from my younger, wild days, I FEEL GREAT!! I don’t feel a day over 21. My energy and enthusiasm level is at an all-time high! Everyday is a gift and I try to live each one as if it is my last. After dealing with my Dad passing away last March, I decided I am going to live my life with no regrets. I don’t want to get to the end of my life and wish I had done something different. So, I try to treat everyone as I will never see them again and do everything as if I will not have a chance to do it again. Then, by chance, if something happens to them and I never see them again I won’t to have to wish that I would have appreciated them better while I had the chance. Does that make sense?

Anyway contrary to what I have been told, life begins anew everyday!! I plan to keep climbing that hill and only crest over the top when my life ends and I cross that great divide into eternity.

White House: NOT for Sale!

Lee

Hello Care2 Family!!

I want to tell you about an organization I read about in this months GOOD Magazine. It is called the Canary Project. They are a husband and wife team, Ed Morris and Susannah Sayler. They are artists, writers and photographers and the are bringing awareness of global warming to people using art depicting the results of GW with informative descriptions and/or suggestions of experts on how to deal with the problem. They have traveled around the world to build their portfolio and they give presentations and speak at colleges all around the country. Their two-person operation started in 1996 has grown to a fairly large organization of artists and environmentalists.

Check out their website Canary-Project.org