K Street Project Confessore and Drew

K Street Project Examples of GOP Control Health Care: Clinton vs. Bush Medicare Reform Bill   Clinton Plan: Staked presidency on Health Care reform (High Level White House Task Force) Health Care reform was a popular issue Democrats had unified government …but the plan failed.

K Street Project Examples of GOP Control Bush Plan: (2003-2004)   Did not make Medicare reform central to Presidency. GOP had smaller margin in Congress Privatized plan unpopular, (though prescription drug benefit was popular). …but plan succeeded.

K Street Project Why the Varied Outcome? Clinton Plan: Plan faced concerted opposition from lobbying groups, despite working to win their backing. Bush Plan: Did not face concerted opposition from lobbying groups, even though some objected to certain provisions, because of party’s K Street strategy.

K Street Project Why the Varied Outcome? Clinton Plan: Plan faced concerted opposition from lobbying groups, despite working to win their backing. Bush Plan: Did not face concerted opposition from lobbying groups, even though some objected to certain provisions, because of party’s K Street strategy.

K Street Project GOP Strategy: Target Government Programs by Privatizing Them. It is a two-fold strategy: 1) Move Party to K Street 2) Then Move Government to K Street

K Street Project Delay School: (34) 1994 Republican Revolution: Objectives   1) Revolutionize Government 2) Take over K Street K Street Strategy: Purge Street of Democrats Data-base used to track partisanship, govt experience and contribution history of lobbyists.

K Street Project Delay School: (34) Obstacles to GOP Control of K Street GOP Push too Hard: Barbour 1996 Meeting with CEOs Clinton appeal to Business Interests (control budget deficits, for ex.) Clinton 1996 Reelections Republicans 1998 Losses, and Gingrich resignation Result: return of bi-partisan lobbying

K Street Project GOP Promotes Business Interests Examples:   FCC: Dropped Regulations on Ownership Energy Policy: 1) Cheney work with lobbyists 2) Cut out party apparatus, including Bush’s Energy Secretary, Spencer Abraham. 3) John Kelliher, a task office staffer directly consulted with energy lobbyists on legislative language.

K Street Project GOP Promotes Business Interests Energy Bill: It benefited oil and gas industry: 1) Prevented law suits against MTBE, gas additive linked to cancer. 2) Exempted “Hydraulic Fracturing” from Safe Drinking Water Act   Corporate Beneficiaries: Contribution Exxon: $ 942,717 Halliburton: $ 243,946   Average for Industry: (80% of Contributions to Reps)