http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/business/22lobby.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=financial%20firms%20start%20lobbying&st=cse&oref=slogin
The scope of the bailout grew over the weekend. As recently as Saturday morning, the Bush administration’s proposal called for Treasury to buy residential or commercial mortgages and related securities. By that evening, the proposal was broadened to give Treasury discretion to buy “any other financial instrument.” The lobbying became particularly intense because Congress plans to approve a package within just two weeks, without the traditional hearings and committee process. “Of course there will be fierce lobbying,” said Bert Ely, a financial services industry consultant in Alexandria, Va. “The real question is, Who wouldn’t want to be included in the package?” Mr. Ely said the open-ended nature of the Treasury’s plan could be interpreted to mean that the government was open to acquiring “any asset, anywhere in the world.” “The question that I am raising — is there any limit?” Mr. Ely said. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l