You may have heard about Barack Obama’s desire for greater transparency in government. Policy will now favor ready revelation, he has said. No more unnecessary dark secrets about governmental doings.
As a U.S. senator, Obama made a few plausible gestures in support of greater openness about the legislative process. So I have been guardedly optimistic about his commitment to transparency as our new president.
President Obama has promised to post legislation online for public viewing before he signs it. However, the very first bill he signed, which expands the right to sue over alleged pay discrimination, was not posted online.
An administration spokesman alluded to mysterious difficulties preventing this. Apparently, one is not allowed to be transparent about the obstacles to transparency. Okay, so maybe it just slipped through the cracks.
But what more urgent test can there be of the president’s commitment to transparency than the trillion-dollar “stimulus” spending package Obama is touting? Why not make it easy for all Americans to scan the dirty details before it’s too late to scream at congressmen to try to stop it?
The question answers itself, but let’s visit the recovery.gov Web page.
There we are told: “Check back after the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to see how and where your tax dollars are spent.”
You know, after it’s too late.
The only thing transparent here is this maneuver.
This Is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
7 replies on “Transparent Obama”
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO HAVE 5% OF YOUR PAYROLL DEDUCTION FOR INCOME TAXES REMOVED AND PAY A 5% NATIONAL SALES TAX AT THE CASH REGISTERS?
Think about it. You won’t be paying the 5% sales tax on savings, credit card payments, loans, house payments, car payments.
Every person in America would be paying the National Sales Tax and Seniors and Veterans could be given tax exempt since most don’t pay income tax on their social security.
We could increase this percentage by a vote of the people, to 8%.
Go to Congress? What country do you live in?
Last I heard the vast majority of Americans did not want any bailout given to anyone. Did Congress listen? No. They simply said, (in so many words) this issue is to complex for you average people to understand — which is “code” for; we are going to do it anyway.
People working is the only thing that will fix this nation. Closing down industry and shipping jobs to other countries is not good for our country. Neither is out of control gas prices at the pumps. Both are killing us.
As for transparent politics — we will always be trying to look through a dark glass — never clearly shown what is on the other side.
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
In the end, what the people have been sold is the line that ONLY Republicans (read: nasty conservatives & especially if they are Christians), are guilty of a lack of transparency.
Democrats by the very mention of their party name, are transparent, truthful, honest, not corrupt, & plan to give every American everything they want.
Allowing us to see how money is spent “AFTER” legislation is passed, is as disingenuous as it gets. Well, maybe not.
Imagine if you will an America where suddenly the numbers of members of Congress move dramatically to states that voted for Democrats, Imagine suddenly we are told population increases only took place in Democrat voting states. Imagine suddenly there are many states whose populations have increased ten-fold of even more, which means significantly more federal tax dollars go to those states.
Now, why is it the office of the President has taken over control of the census? We are being set up. We will see illegal aliens counted & if ACORN is involved, we may even have dead illegal aliens counted. I soon expect ACORN to use some of that $650 million to bus Mexicans into America for elections. They may all register at the same street address & having 25,000 people living at one address seems impractical, if you even ask about this, you are a despicable racist bigot who hates people of color & Latinos & you should be prosecuted for your discriminatory questions. Only if you shut up & just do what you are told will you escape what our socialist buddies will call prison, but the Chinese refer to as “re-education” camps.
We are being had, big time & Democrats have no plans at all to listen to or do anything about our complaints!
I’ve always heard people say we get what we ask for. But, I didn’t ask for Obama or everything he and the other Democrats stand for, but I still am getting it. I’m quite sure some offices will change in 2010, but Obama can do one hell of a lot of damage to us and the coutry in two years. It’s only been a couple of weeks and look at the ride he and Queen Bee Nancy and the Court Jester Harry have taken us for already. It’s great that they listen so well to the people. Bad times are one thing, but scary things are something else. One thing for sure – these people all fit the image everyone has of politicians. And to make it worse, we have three traitors among the GOP members. Wonder what they have been promised or what they’ve been smoking.
Obama? Where have you been the last 8 years? On Mars?
Gov’t policy for the last twenty years has set us up for all the corruption and garbage that has happened recently. Bush was icing on the cake. To think anything else is… well, crazy.
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
McCain was a lousy alternative at best but far better that any democrap on the planet!
This is what the college kids swallowed hook, line and sinker.
So now let them inherit the worst that can happen.
Free pot for all, courtesy of B O.
WE WERE PROMISED “CHANGE” AND THAT IS WHAT I NOW HAVE IN MY POCKET INSTEAD OF $20 BILLS.….
THE “STIMULUS PACKAGE” WILL TURN THAT “CHANGE” TO PENNIES ONLY!