Feeding the coffers of Republican corruption is forcing the American people to pay a high price. Vital needs are neglected while the rich get richer. Most official actions are infected by the Republican Culture of Corruption and greed which permeates throughout Washington. From the “The K Street Project”, to legislation written by special interests, to the failure to investigate unethical abuses of power, the Culture of Corruption has taken over the federal government. The Republicans’ fiscally irresponsible budget is a perfect example of the assault on health and welfare of American working families. At a time when hard-working Americans are seeing their wages stagnate, college tuition costs rise with skyrocketing healthcare and energy costs, Congressional Republicans are enacting the largest cuts in federal student financial aid in history in order to give away huge tax beaks for the wealthy. In the past five years, the Republican-controlled federal government has turned a projected $5.6 trillion budget surplus into a projected $3.5 trillion budget deficit.

Democrats are offering real reforms to clean up Washington, protect the public trust, strengthen ethics standards, and force Congress to focus on the priorities of the American people - not special interests. The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2006, of which I am an original cosponsor, will fix the gift and travel rules, increase transparency and accountability, close the revolving door between government and K Street and allow the public to see what elected representatives are doing. Beyond this immediate response I will be introducing legislation which mandates public financing for federal elections and also mandates the provision of free time over the publicly owned airwaves for debates for contests at all levels.
 

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