Three Cheers for (Sensible) Lobbying Reform

This blog isn't one that's been much on good news, but here's some.

S.1, or "Senate Bill One", which I blogged about earlier, has passed close to unanimously.

Why is this good news, considering I blogged against the bill? Because it passed with an amendment attached, striking section 220, which is the section I found objectionable. So — wahoo! — Reasonable lobbying reform has passed the Senate!

Also, Senators Coburn (R-OK) & Hatch (R-UT), who voted against the bill have some 'splaining to do. And someone should let Harry "We in the Senate are going to work like everyone else in American does" Reid know that two of his fellow Senators, Brownback (R-KS) and Johnson (D-SD), couldn't even muster enough effort to vote on this bill ... the 19th vote of this Senate session. If you are paid to vote on things, and can't even make it through 19 votes in a row, there's a problem. (And, no, I'm not cutting Johnson any slack. If you suffer a medical condition that is going to keep you from doing your job for months, the honorable thing to do is resign.)