Liberal Groups Are Flexing New Muscle in Lobby Wars

[ClarkUSA]

With the ascendance of Barack Obama to the presidency, there comes the rise of liberal lobbying groups who are determined, ready, and willing to support his ambitiously progressive policy agenda.

Liberals who had grown up pressing their case with marches and old-fashioned door-knocking campaigns, Mr. Neas said, were no match for conservatives with big business allies and a commanding understanding of the new talk-radio, cable-news battlefield, where former President Bill Clinton’s signature health care plan lay bleeding.

Recent days have found Mr. Neas in a new perch, preparing to join the coming fight over President Obama’s sweeping health care proposals, with plans to coordinate a campaign of television advertisements, “blogger outreach” and community meetings. This time, he is supported by his own phalanx of big business backers, including the Exelon power company and Giant food stores.

“We get another chance to do it again, and win this time,” he said in an interview in his new office at the National Coalition on Health Care, which recently named him its chief executive.

The battle to grow the government, just getting under way now, promises to be no less intense than the battle to shrink it was... with liberal interest groups rising up to run vigorous — and expensive — campaigns in support of Mr. Obama’s agenda... This time, too, the ground has shifted in the debate, with new support for a sweeping overhaul of the health care system from some quarters of the business community, where the crushing effect of benefits costs and the impetus to contain them through new governmental policies are a regular topic of discussion... For the moment, Mr. Obama has set out principles for creating a near-universal health care system, setting aside $630 billion in his new budget toward that purpose.The mechanics are still under discussion, and the administration has been careful to try to bring Congress and the many competing interests into the process. When the Clinton administration tried to create universal health care, it presented Congress with an elaborate scheme that was quickly set upon by critics... But even Republicans say the Democrats seem better prepared for the fight this time.

“For a while there was a lack of cohesion on the Democratic side that was preventing them from putting together the same level of grass-roots organizations as the Republicans,” said Brian Jones, a former Republican National Committee communications director. “Now they have the intensity, they have the mechanics.”

::woohoo: :woohoo: It's a great time to be a Democrat in America. :woohoo: :woohoo:

[Cha]

1. If you persevere

long enough and hang tough through it all..the light does have a way of streaming in.

It's a wonderful time to be in Washington DC if you're interested in reality and really helping our Country.

[ClarkUSA]

2. Washington, D.C. is the only real estate market in the nation that is growing in value.

It's a wonderful time to be in Washington DC if you're interested in reality and really helping our Country.

And just yesterday, the White House announced an internship program... wonder how many kids will be signing up? ;)

[Cha]

3. Great! Maybe they'll finally get their Representation

Those lucky kids will really learn something:patriot::patriot:

[ClarkUSA]

4. I hope so.

I love how Team O is making sure that kids will find politics "cool" again. But then again, with Barack at the helm,
how could it be anything but? :D

[Cha]

5. Oh I don't know...

:)

[ClarkUSA]

6. Great photo!

Barack is too cool. He should be held up as a role model for all kids.

[genna]

7. This explains why the job of lobbyist isn't good or bad, it is how the office is used.