...and Love the Loophole. The start of 2007 saw Congress rally support behind a series of lobbying reforms to ban lobbyist-funded meals, travel, and other tools used to curry favor with lawmakers.

Robert Fowler writes in The American Chronicle about changes he'd like to see in American elections. Chief among them is a move to a Clean Elections model of full public financing for federal elections.

He argues that entrenched incumbency, the high cost of campaigning, and the perpetual dash-for-cash push out all candidates but those with access to large amounts of cash -- or those already in office. In return, we can a government unresponsive to our needs:

It. Never. Ends. The Hill covers the sad reality of Washington: on the heels of promises to clean up Congress, freshman congressmen and women are out on the special interest fundraising circuit -- not because they want to be, but because if you want to survive re-election you have to raise money from the moment you win your seat, even before you're sworn in.

Newsday joins the growing chorus asking Congress to fix the presidential public financing system (read: more money -- sooner) before it's gone for good. Cautioning a return to candidates "toadying" to special interests in exchange for campaign cash should public financing be abandoned, the paper tells Congress to get on it already before the fundraising situation gets any worse.

The Kansas City Star today gets after Congress to fix the presidential public financing system. Decrying the attitude of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) who wants to junk public financing for good, this editorial suggests that neglect has caused a breakdown in the system, but that public financing is still sorely needed to reduce corruption and restore accountability in elections.

Illinois' Journal Standard has "about had it with the corrupting influence of money in politics" and believes the only way to get rid of it is to embrace public financing of elections. Campaign costs rise unchecked and candidates have no choice but to chase larger and larger sums of money -- without sweeping change in the form of public financing of elections, there's no evidence the pattern will reverse itself.

Can you rub your stomach and pat your head? Can Congress cut tax breaks for oil companies while taking campaign cash from Shell and Chevron? According to the oil lobbyists (and business and pharmaceutical lobbyists) Tom Hamburger and Janet Hook of the Los Angeles Times talk to, Democratic congressional leaders are more than willing to try and do both.

The Senate stalled on the ethics and lobbying reform bil Wednesday and it looked like it was going to be left for dead. But, last night, things changed and the Senate passed a bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said in the Washington Post:

Remember our old pal Tom DeLay? Though he’s been out of Congress for quite a few months now, his influence and backroom dealings live on, according to a new report by Public Citizen released today.

Though 42% of voters last November said corruption was one of their top issues when casting their ballot, the Senate still failed to pass legislation yesterday that would have tightened regulations surrounding ethics and lobbying reform.

After a long day and some backroom maneuvering the bill went down without a vote late last night.