Agent of Change

Sen. Obama has claimed to be the one who would change Washington, bring change to the country, bring change to the world. And yet ... what would he change and how? He refused to help even encourage change in the Illinois State legislature (http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/09/obama_sidesteps_
reform_in_illi.html); having lived there for some time, I genuinely wish he would. He has accomplished no change in the U.S. Senate since arriving there two years ago. He has not sponsored, co-sponsored or authored any legislation to enact real reform. Sen. Obama's campaign has mocked Sen. McCain for having 'current' (in fact, they're all former) lobbyists on the campaign payroll, while ignoring the many lobbyists who are volunteers on his. Sen. Biden's son just resigned his position as a paid-lobbyist, having cosily achieved favorable regulation and funding for firms he lobbied for that his father signed off on. Sen. McCain has a clear record of working hard for change in Washington. Following the S&L crisis in '88 (looking at this is a good way to put the current bank failures in perspective), he began a 20-year campaign against earmarks and lobbyist perks. He has sponsored and co-authored several pieces of legislation aimed at limiting lobbyist influence. He has religiously campaigned against earmarks, to the point of voting against legislation he would normally favor to protest the pork. So who will bring the change? It'll be the one whose actually done it already.