We've got one Democrat Congressman in Oklahoma and he votes GOP.

Nice picture, huh? Everyone I know that's met him talks about what a nice guy he is. I'm sure he's a really nice person and a pleasure to be around. But there's a problem, he says he's a Democrat, while he votes Republican.

Dan Boren (D?-OK) is the son of former Governor, U.S. Senator and current president of OU, David Boren, who in turn was the son of Lyle Boren, Congressman from 1937 to 1947.

In the latest bit of Congressional smoke and mirrors, H R 4975 , the so called Lobbying Accountability and Transparency Act, Dan Boren was one of only eight Democrats to vote for this thinly disguised attempt to maintain the status quo. It passed 217-213.

The Washington Post had this to say about the bill to keep government in the hands of the lobbyists:

"BOLD, RESPONSIBLE, common-sense reform of our current lobbying and ethics laws
is clearly needed," House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-Calif.) told
his colleagues on the House floor last week. "We owe it to our constituents. We
owe it to ourselves. We owe it to this institution."

Very true -- which
is why House members should reject the diluted snake oil that Mr. Dreier and the
GOP leadership are peddling as bold reform. Their bill, which is expected to
come before the House for a vote today, is an insult to voters who the GOP
apparently believes are dumb enough to be snookered by this feint. The
procedures under which it is to be debated, allowing
only meaningless
amendments to be considered, are an insult also -- to the democratic process.

At best the bill would marginally improve the existing arrangement of
minimal disclosure, laxly enforced. Reporting by lobbyists would be quarterly
instead of twice yearly and slightly more detailed (with listings of lobbyists'
campaign contributions -- already available elsewhere -- along with gifts to
lawmakers and contributions to their charities). Nothing would crimp lawmakers'
lifestyles: Still allowed would be meals, gifts (skybox seats at sporting
events, say) and cut-rate flights on corporate jets. Privately sponsored travel
would be suspended, but only until just after the election.

We had a chance to maybe bring about some change to the way business is done in D.C.. But thanks to Dan Boren and seven other Republican lackeys, things will remain as they are now.

The eight Democrats that feel the GOP's love: John Barrow Georgia, Dan Boren Oklahoma, Leonard Boswell Iowa, Henry Cuellar Texas, Jim Marshall Georgia, Jim Matheson Utah, Charles Melancon Louisiana, Gene Taylor Mississippi.

Here's the story about today's shameful piece of legislative crap.

But in the ensuing months, Senate and House leaders watered down their
legislation and have endorsed bills that would rely mostly on enhancing
disclosure requirements, rather than beefing up enforcement of lobbying rules or
proscribing lawmakers' behavior.