Should Senators be able to write/sell books while they are in office?

[NeoV]

Just read that the resident religious whack-job in the Senate, Senator Inhofe from Oklahoma, has written a new book, and is doing interviews to promote it.

The title of the book is "The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming Conspiracy Threatens Your Future"

His big revelation? "...the Genesis 8:22 that I use in there is that “as long as the earth remains there will be springtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night.” My point is, God’s still up there. The arrogance of people to think that we, human beings, would be able to change what He is doing in the climate is to me outrageous."

So to conclude - because the Bible says there will be different seasons - Global Warming is a hoax.

The idiocy of that claim aside - my intent isn't to turn this into another one of our lovely, and highly mis-informed GW threads.

My question is - should a Senator be allowed to do this? Regardless of the topic of the book - isn't this a rather glaring conflict of interests? He has been given a ton of money from big energy companies, the Koch brothers, etc - isn't this basically an advertisement for donations?

To me - Senators and House members should be concentrating on doing their job - not writing books, running for President, or trying to sell books.

 

[monovillage]

Of course they shouldn't be able to write books. Who the hell do they think they are? Americans or something? Everyone knows that free speech should only belong to dip wad trolls on the internet.

 

[PokerGuy]

Do people lose their freedom of speech when they become senators? If not, what possible grounds could you have for trying to prevent them from writing a book? Just because you don't like what he writes?

 

[EagleKeeper]

O'Neil got into hot water over book writing.

Where does one draw the line between research for a book, writing a book or researching a position on a bill?

 

[MovingTarget]

I don't see any problem with a Senator writing (or more likely having somebody ghost-write) a book. The only issue would be if classified information somehow made its way into the book.

 

[cybrsage]

No problem with it, and no problem with them running for political offices while in Congress. The less actual work they do, the less mess they create.

 

[nonlnear]

Is this an anti-Obama troll thread?

 

[xBiffx]

Sure they should be allowed but there should be some sort of review prior to publishing to make sure they aren't sharing (accidentally or otherwise) any sensitive information regarding national security.

If this review already exists then I see no problem.

 

[cybrsage]

Is this an anti-Obama troll thread?

Nope, it is a Senator Inhofe from Oklahoma troll thread.

 

[NeoV]

thanks for your input mono

If you are a Senator - you have access to 'inside' information. Yet for some reason we allow members of Congress to continue to buy/sell stock with no application of insider trading laws.

I'm saying the same problem exists with people writing books while serving. They hold a position that can and often does shape public policy on things. If they want to write books before or after they are members of congress - go right ahead. I have a real problem with them treating their elected service as a venture opportunity.

 

[dphantom]

thanks for your input mono

If you are a Senator - you have access to 'inside' information. Yet for some reason we allow members of Congress to continue to buy/sell stock with no application of insider trading laws.

I'm saying the same problem exists with people writing books while serving. They hold a position that can and often does shape public policy on things. If they want to write books before or after they are members of congress - go right ahead. I have a real problem with them treating their elected service as a venture opportunity.

It seems from your opening post you are more concerned with the religious aspect than potential monetary gain therefore making it appear you would like to restrict the speech of those you disagree with.

 

[NeoV]

look - Inhofe issues aside - and yes it's hard to resist picking on him - my issue is more of a big-picture thing with members of Congress. They are elected to a do a job - to represent the interests of the people that elected them. I'm appalled that insider-trading laws don't apply to them, and that they take advantage of their elected position in many ways, including writing books on things that they may potentially be involved in setting policy on.

Take Inhofe out of this - make it a democratic senator writing a book about how great unions are - I still have a problem with it.

 

[Genx87]

look - Inhofe issues aside - and yes it's hard to resist picking on him - my issue is more of a big-picture thing with members of Congress. They are elected to a do a job - to represent the interests of the people that elected them. I'm appalled that insider-trading laws don't apply to them, and that they take advantage of their elected position in many ways, including writing books on things that they may potentially be involved in setting policy on.

Take Inhofe out of this - make it a democratic senator writing a book about how great unions are - I still have a problem with it.

I dont see writing a book and insider trading on the same level. One is illegal, the other an excercise of free speech.

 

[monovillage]

thanks for your input mono

If you are a Senator - you have access to 'inside' information. Yet for some reason we allow members of Congress to continue to buy/sell stock with no application of insider trading laws.

I'm saying the same problem exists with people writing books while serving. They hold a position that can and often does shape public policy on things. If they want to write books before or after they are members of congress - go right ahead. I have a real problem with them treating their elected service as a venture opportunity.

It's their job and their duty to shape public opinion and perceptions. The only problem i've ever seen with public officials writing books is when Jim Wright the Speaker of the House wrote a book and unions bought it in huge numbers as a back door way to give him money.

*EDIT* and i apologize for my bad tempered snap back at you in my first post. It was early and i was waiting on my coffee machine.

 

[NeoV]

it's not illegal for members of Congress - insider trading rules don't apply to them.

Stop with the free speech garbage - I'm pretty sure as President there are some 'rights' you give up. I don't think being an elected member of Congress gives you a green light to use that position to sell things - books, movies, etc, while you are serving.

 

[NeoV]

Ok Mono - the back-door money issue - isn't that still an issue? Is it ok to write books as long as certain people don't buy them, or only in limited numbers?

 

[Ausm]

Is this an anti-Obama troll thread?

I was wondering then same but there are many Politicians on the Right who are also prolific writers.

 

[Genx87]

it's not illegal for members of Congress - insider trading rules don't apply to them.

Stop with the free speech garbage - I'm pretty sure as President there are some 'rights' you give up. I don't think being an elected member of Congress gives you a green light to use that position to sell things - books, movies, etc, while you are serving.

Sure it is legal for congress, but illegal for the rest of us and thus they shouldnt be allowed to do it. Excercising free speech by writing a book is legal for us and thus should be legal for them.

 

[monovillage]

Ok Mono - the back-door money issue - isn't that still an issue? Is it ok to write books as long as certain people don't buy them, or only in limited numbers?

I'd say it may still be a minor issue, but with self publishing costs so much lower along with electronic book sales making distribution so much easier, it would be surprising to see abuse of the system now. This is an area where technology has had a large impact.

 

[JEDIYoda]

it's not illegal for members of Congress - insider trading rules don't apply to them.

Stop with the free speech garbage - I'm pretty sure as President there are some 'rights' you give up. I don't think being an elected member of Congress gives you a green light to use that position to sell things - books, movies, etc, while you are serving.

It`s a matter of free speech.......no matter how you paint it or try to portray it....
It`s a matter of free speech.......no matter how you paint it or try to portray it....
It`s a matter of free speech.......no matter how you paint it or try to portray it....
It`s a matter of free speech.......no matter how you paint it or try to portray it....
It`s a matter of free speech.......no matter how you paint it or try to portray it....
It`s a matter of free speech.......no matter how you paint it or try to portray it....
It`s a matter of free speech.......no matter how you paint it or try to portray it....
It`s a matter of free speech.......no matter how you paint it or try to portray it....

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Of course they should be allowed to. In fact, I think they should be encouraged to. It's a great opportunity to see what their true views are on something, and it's more permanent than a comment made in an interview or press conference. As long as they aren't divulging national secrets (which nobody is allowed to do), what harm could come from it? We might learn about the inner workings of the legislature or the back room deals that get made? Isn't that a good thing for us to know?

 

[Jaskalas]

So to conclude - because the Bible says there will be different seasons - Global Warming is a hoax.

My question is - should a Senator be allowed to do this?

Would you really not want him exposing himself in his manner?

It seems to me that his book is quite useful to you. Frankly, him broaching this subject with that sort of argument... makes me look for the next iceberg so we can ship the man off to sea.

You wish to silence others when instead you should be pointing and laughing and having a merry time. What's wrong with you?

 

[WHAMPOM]

Just read that the resident religious whack-job in the Senate, Senator Inhofe from Oklahoma, has written a new book, and is doing interviews to promote it.

The title of the book is "The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming Conspiracy Threatens Your Future"

His big revelation? "...the Genesis 8:22 that I use in there is that “as long as the earth remains there will be springtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night.” My point is, God’s still up there. The arrogance of people to think that we, human beings, would be able to change what He is doing in the climate is to me outrageous."

So to conclude - because the Bible says there will be different seasons - Global Warming is a hoax.

The idiocy of that claim aside - my intent isn't to turn this into another one of our lovely, and highly mis-informed GW threads.

My question is - should a Senator be allowed to do this? Regardless of the topic of the book - isn't this a rather glaring conflict of interests? He has been given a ton of money from big energy companies, the Koch brothers, etc - isn't this basically an advertisement for donations?

To me - Senators and House members should be concentrating on doing their job - not writing books, running for President, or trying to sell books.

Naw! Let them open their mouths and prove themselves idiots beyond any doubt.

 

[piasabird]

Didnt one of the previous repub speaker of the house get in trouble for this very thing?

 

[monovillage]

Didnt one of the previous repub speaker of the house get in trouble for this very thing?

You're probably thinking of Jim Wright (D) Speaker of the House before Gingrich, I referenced earlier.