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So much for transparency

posted at 11:43 am on February 18, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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Remember Barack Obama’s pledge to make this the Most Transparent Administration Evah?  Josh Gerstein at Politico notices a few items that seem to have slipped by the national media, thanks to a lack of openness on the part of Obama’s communications team.  Obama issued three executive orders and a handful of regulations without ever announcing them:

In his first weeks in office, President Barack Obama shut down his predecessor’s system for reviewing regulations, realigned and expanded two key White House policymaking bodies and extended economic sanctions against parties to the conflict in the African nation of Cote D’Ivoire.

Despite the intense scrutiny a president gets just after the inauguration, Obama managed to take all these actions with nary a mention from the White House press corps.

The moves escaped notice because they were never announced by the White House Press Office and were never placed on the White House web site.

They came to light only because the official paperwork was transmitted to the Federal Register, a dense daily compendium of regulatory actions and other formal notices prepared by the National Archives. They were published there several days after the fact.

What got missed?  One executive order expanded the National Economic Council to 25 members, and the additions are certainly intriguing.  Obama appointed the open HHS Secretary to the NEC, as well as Education Secretary Arne Duncan.  Two other appointments should have provoked some controversy: “climate czar” Carol Browner and adviser Valerie Jarrett, last mentioned in the Blagojevich scandal.  Adding a “climate czar” to an economic council sends the signal that Obama takes the global-warming issue a lot more seriously than he does the economy — which is probably why the White House buried that EO.

Another EO halted review of regulations in federal agencies, pending the installation of a new review process.  That seems less controversial, as most administrations have their own regulatory procedures.  However, since the EO stopped review altogether, transparency would have called for disclosure of that fact and of the EO itself.

Most Transparent Administration Evah?  More like the same old, same old.


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Comment pages: 1 2

Hope and Change we can believe in? How about Fear and Corruption….

DL13 on February 18, 2009 at 11:45 AM

Most Transparent Administration Evah?

Without any doubt, whatsoever. The idiot messiah is the most transparent liar I have ever seen, in my life. Ever.

progressoverpeace on February 18, 2009 at 11:46 AM

More like the same old, same old.

Naa Ed, this is worse.

upinak on February 18, 2009 at 11:46 AM

About as transparent as tin-foiled windows.

OmahaConservative on February 18, 2009 at 11:47 AM

Most transparently corrupt

BobH on February 18, 2009 at 11:47 AM

Obama appointed the open HHS Secretary to the NEC, as well as Education Secretary Arne Duncan. Two other appointments should have provoked some controversy: “climate czar” Carol Browner and adviser Valerie Jarrett, last mentioned in the Blagojevich scandal.

HEH!!

Saluda Commrade

Kini on February 18, 2009 at 11:47 AM

Any doubts now that Barry is an eco freak who will sneak to wreck our economy to advance his radical agenda?

marklmail on February 18, 2009 at 11:48 AM

Is anyone keeping track of the sheer numbers of things he’s lied about with the whole “transparency” thing?

4shoes on February 18, 2009 at 11:49 AM

Is anyone keeping track of the sheer numbers of things he’s lied about with the whole “transparency” thing?

4shoes on February 18, 2009 at 11:49 AM

It’s somewhere in the neighborhood of a google, at this point.

progressoverpeace on February 18, 2009 at 11:50 AM

And I thought the thermostat in the white house post was petty. Lordy.

lorien1973 on February 18, 2009 at 11:50 AM

Is anyone keeping track of the sheer numbers of things he’s lied about with the whole “transparency” thing?

4shoes on February 18, 2009 at 11:49 AM

Noone seems to be able to keep up…

loudmouth883 on February 18, 2009 at 11:51 AM

Transparency is just another word for having the press in your hip pocket.

Shivas Irons on February 18, 2009 at 11:51 AM

I disagree, this administration is quite transparent, for example:
- It is obvious they want to double\triple down on Bush’s gross and unconstitutional domestic spending.
- It is obvious they do not trust you and I with our money.
- It is obvious they do not trust us to understand their decision making, so why tell us.
- It is obvious they want force the majority of us who are responsible to take care of those that suffer from frequent poor decision making syndrom.

No, they are quite transparent.

WashJeff on February 18, 2009 at 11:51 AM

Most transparently corrupt

BobH on February 18, 2009 at 11:47 AM

Bing!

Jaibones on February 18, 2009 at 11:52 AM

All the internet rumors about the Skittle pooper are going to be found true.

jukin on February 18, 2009 at 11:52 AM

Is anyone keeping track of the sheer numbers of things he’s lied about with the whole “transparency” thing?

4shoes on February 18, 2009 at 11:49 AM

No need to. He has a perfect score.

BobMbx on February 18, 2009 at 11:52 AM

Next, Rahm Emanuel will be crowned KING of America while Barack Obama is lifted to the rank of Messiah of All the World.

afotia on February 18, 2009 at 11:52 AM

Here’s something else Bambi is trying to hide:

AP – The Obama administration said late Saturday it would participate in planning for a U.N. conference on racism despite concerns the meeting will be used by Arab nations and others to criticize Israel.

The U.S. will decide later whether to participate in the conference.

During the Bush years the U.S. and Israel walked out on he first one in Durban, South Africa because the Mooslim dominated UN tried to pass a resolution comparing Zionism — the movement to establish and maintain a Jewish state — to racism. Damn Joo’s!!!

Chairman Obama’s camp is trying to assure the world that they are merely attending the planning phase and it should not be understood as a commitment to attend the April conference.

Lying liar.

Here’s a story about it.

JiangxiDad on February 18, 2009 at 11:53 AM

I’m shocked, shocked to find gambling going on in this establishment!
Move along, nothing to see here – keep it movin…..

JeffinOrlando on February 18, 2009 at 11:53 AM

Two other appointments should have provoked some controversy: “climate czar” Carol Browner and adviser Valerie Jarrett, last mentioned in the Blagojevich scandal. Adding a “climate czar” to an economic council sends the signal that Obama takes the global-warming issue a lot more seriously than he does the economy

Carol Browner the socialist appointed to the National Economic Council? The signal sent is about more than global warming.

obladioblada on February 18, 2009 at 11:53 AM

It doesn’t matter because he “won”…he will continue to do what he wants as long as his minions don’t holler, so why should he do anything but what he wants, over 50% of the people think he is doing great.

right2bright on February 18, 2009 at 11:55 AM

Way to keep swerving from one ditch to the other, Barry.

Christien on February 18, 2009 at 11:57 AM

well, seeing as same old same old was just fine for most people here (with regards to transparency anyway)…why is this an issue for you Ed? Sure, pointing out hypocrisy is an easy point and one that more often then not should be taken…but the hypocrisy here involves a state of affairs you were perfectly ok with, namely secrecy in executive matters.

ernesto on February 18, 2009 at 11:57 AM

You really and truely believed him? He who has been running for the highest office of the land since he hit the pavement after the dinner with Ayers? Ahhhhh Grasshopper..

rich801 on February 18, 2009 at 11:59 AM

What goes around, comes around…

Wyznowski on February 18, 2009 at 11:59 AM

Ed,

HOW COULD YOU call this the same old same old?

You implied President Bush (and who else?) did the same sly and slimey things all the time.

For examples????

Sir Napsalot on February 18, 2009 at 11:59 AM

The sheep don’t need to know what the shepherd is planning.

stonemeister on February 18, 2009 at 12:00 PM

Forget the Same Old Same Old, he’s getting away with stuff that Bush never could dream of getting away with. Karl Rove would probably scream with joy if he could get policies through with this little press attention.

The media has completely refused to do anything resembling its job

Defector01 on February 18, 2009 at 12:02 PM

ernesto on February 18, 2009 at 11:57 AM

Why is every progressive rebutal is based on alledged hypocrisy? For once I would like to see a progressive’s reponse in a thread that deals with the issue that spawns the thread.

WashJeff on February 18, 2009 at 12:03 PM

Transparency? I saw right through him the first time I laid eyes on him.
Expect more and more sneaky and underhanded things from this fool.

milwife88 on February 18, 2009 at 12:03 PM

Look at the bright side, we will have a lot of fodder to work with come ‘10 and ‘12…

Ltlgeneral64 on February 18, 2009 at 12:03 PM

JiangxiDad on February 18, 2009 at 11:53 AM

Sorry. I took the quote from this site:

http://dequalss.com/2009/02/16/obama-agrees-to-help-plan-united-nations-conference-on-racism/

JiangxiDad on February 18, 2009 at 12:03 PM

same old same old, but with a non-caring cultish following of believers

gatorboy on February 18, 2009 at 12:04 PM

Repeat the mantra over and over…

“The BIGGER they are, the HARDER they fall”…

Ltlgeneral64 on February 18, 2009 at 12:05 PM

I started off in January thinking, well, we lost, but seriously, how bad could this guy be? Maybe it’ll be like the Clinton Presidency, where I disagreed with almost all of his policy decisions, but, in the final analysis, he was pretty much just the flip side of the political coin from my preference.

But Obama is truly a spectacularly bad, worthless, dishonest, socialist piece of crap, seemingly intent on destroying the American way of life as quickly as possible. We’re not even 30 days into this, and I already don’t believe a syllable that comes out of his lying mouth.

Blacksheep on February 18, 2009 at 12:06 PM

Hey I see lots of hope and change

I hope Obama does not screw up everything

and there is a change away from transparency

LincolntheHun on February 18, 2009 at 12:07 PM

WashJeff on February 18, 2009 at 12:03 PM

Ok here:

Obama has betrayed our trust by going back on his promises of transparency. This is activity that needs to be discouraged vehemently by citizens. This does not, however, mean that McCain would have made a better president or that the unregulated free market is the only way to run a country well.

ernesto on February 18, 2009 at 12:07 PM

The media DIED in 2008, these are just the ghosts of real Journalists.

Mark Garnett on February 18, 2009 at 12:07 PM

I’ve noticed this too. The White House website sucks out loud. They aren’t putting anything on it.

I’m especially interested in who is being nominated to the sub-cabinet positions and boards and commissions. Previous administrations announced these appointments and posted the announcements on the website. Either these guys aren’t even trying to fill any of these jobs or they are not telling us who they are appointing.

I’ve seen articles suggesting that Lanny Breuer is going to be nominated to be head of the criminal division at Justice. Today the Philadelphia Inquirer reported an appointment of an interim U.S. attorney for Philadelphia. Nothing on the White House website about either of them.

But they clearly spend lots of time on slick web presentations whenever the Dear Leader makes a speech.

rockmom on February 18, 2009 at 12:08 PM

The White House press corps?

If its anything like what I saw when he was trying to get people to buy into that piece of crap he calls a stimulus plan, more like the Barack Obama press corps.

Ryan Gandy on February 18, 2009 at 12:08 PM

namely secrecy in executive matters.

ernesto on February 18, 2009 at 11:57 AM

National security vs. appointments and regulatory matters?

Apples and oranges.

But you knew that, didn’t you?

Fail.

hillbillyjim on February 18, 2009 at 12:08 PM

Why is every progressive rebutal is based on alledged hypocrisy? For once I would like to see a progressive’s reponse in a thread that deals with the issue that spawns the thread.

WashJeff on February 18, 2009 at 12:03 PM

When backed into a corner without a defense, the only thing to do is change the subject. No surprise from our progressive friends.

BuckeyeSam on February 18, 2009 at 12:09 PM

What? Barry don’t want more publicity for his crony appointment of Candidate Number 1?

/

Christien on February 18, 2009 at 12:09 PM

President Pinnochio also announced upon signing the spend us into bankruptcy , porkulus bill that there was no prok in it.

This lying, buffoon must think the whole nation is as pathetically stupid as his voters and enablers are.

The mainstream presstitutes should be drug out of their cushy offices and hung from the nearest light pole for their incessant fawning over this corrupt, socialist hack.

“from time to time the tree of liberty must be nourished with the blood of tyrannts”

Can I go to re-edumacation camp or get and IRS audit for that?

dhunter on February 18, 2009 at 12:09 PM

Barry: sucka!!!!

grapeknutz on February 18, 2009 at 12:10 PM

This revelation is very disturbing.

Time to warm up the engines on Air Force One and have a town hall meeting with his spit-swappers.

fogw on February 18, 2009 at 12:10 PM

OOPs should be: there was no pork in it.

dhunter on February 18, 2009 at 12:10 PM

He was proven a liar for 2 years of campaigning and no one who voted for him cared.

He doesn’t need to be honest because he was never taken to task for his previous lies.

And what about that 5 day rest that all bills will enjoy before he signs them? Or the publishing of said bills so that the people can read them? By my count the stimulus package was made available late thursday night, voted on Friday and passed on Tuesday midday. So… Not even 4 days. The biggest piece of legislation in our history and it doesn’t even get to be read by the congress? nor the American populace?

A liar that is never held accountable has no reason to stop being a liar.

stewardoftruth on February 18, 2009 at 12:10 PM

ernesto on February 18, 2009 at 12:07 PM

There we go. I won’t go down the McCain path for that is a whole other thread.

What this illustrates is the potential danger to our liberities if we do not have have a robust and adviserial press. If the press is willing to accept or look over what our leaders do, they will be impowered to do anything knowing there are little to no consequences.

WashJeff on February 18, 2009 at 12:12 PM

Yet the sheeple who voted for him continue to bleat…”pay my mortgage, give me gas, take care of my kids…Obama is my shepherd I shall not want…”

Brat on February 18, 2009 at 12:13 PM

Magicians are able to hide what they are really doing by pretending to show you what they are doing.

Obama’s “transparency” works in much the same way.

MayBee on February 18, 2009 at 12:14 PM

Let’s give the man a break…. put yourself in his shoes… if a handful of your initial political appointees were found to be tax cheats, you would start sneaking your other cronies in through the backdoor too!

BPD on February 18, 2009 at 12:14 PM

Looks like the President should read the collapse of the USSR.

Two wars with a collapsing country will ensure the same result.

getalife on February 18, 2009 at 12:15 PM

Obama is my shepherd I shall not want…”

Brat on February 18, 2009 at 12:13 PM

Obama is my shepherd I shall not want…except for what my fellow citizens have that I do not.

WashJeff on February 18, 2009 at 12:15 PM

Hey Ed…I have an entrepreneurial idea for you. This would help to keep this site up and free. :)

Remember those one-a-day calendars all about “Bush-isms”? Each day had a different verbal gaffe by President Bush? Why don’t you (meaning “Hot Air”) make one about Obama’s reneged promises and sell them? We can have a contest to name the calendar (we have some pretty ingenious people here). Also, I am sure everyone here will contribute at least one reneged promise to submit for the calendar. And hey, it’s been almost a month and we almost have enough for the 2010 calendar!!! (You could also pitch the idea to the calendar makers…anyone know anyone?!?!)

My thought is to have a direct quote, with date and location spoken. Then have the date of reneging (and how, if appropriate).

Just a thought. I am sure people on here can expand and fine-tune this idea.

vtskydiver

vtskydiver on February 18, 2009 at 12:15 PM

He was proven a liar for 2 20 years of campaigning attending Wright’s church and no one who voted for him cared.

He doesn’t need to be honest because he was never taken to task for his previous lies.

***

A liar that is never held accountable has no reason to stop being a liar.

stewardoftruth on February 18, 2009 at 12:10 PM

This comment could be revised to reflect so many other lies, but there are other things to do such as figure out what else Obama is planning to give away to America’s freeloaders.

BuckeyeSam on February 18, 2009 at 12:16 PM

you would start sneaking your other cronies in through the backdoor too!

BPD on February 18, 2009 at 12:14 PM

That back window in the White House wasn’t working to well.

WashJeff on February 18, 2009 at 12:16 PM

Apparently in Obama-speak, transparency = mud.

Dr.Cwac.Cwac on February 18, 2009 at 12:16 PM

WashJeff on February 18, 2009 at 12:12 PM

Exactly. Some like to create distractions in these 0bama threads. But the rest of us are way beyond what might have been with McCain and need to focus on reality.

Brat on February 18, 2009 at 12:17 PM

Any doubts now that Barry is an eco freak who will sneak to wreck our economy to advance his radical agenda?

marklmail on February 18, 2009 at 11:48 AM

I doubt very much he is an eco freak. He just wants to use it as a tool for complete domination of this country.

jmarcure on February 18, 2009 at 12:18 PM

C’mon, when Obama said there’d be transparency he was only making “campaign rhetoric”–you know, lying.

Frost7 on February 18, 2009 at 12:20 PM

One executive order expanded the National Economic Council to 25 members, and the additions are certainly intriguing.

By the way, is this the same committee to which Obama appointed Immelt of GE as a member? I realize that Immelt is the CEO of the parent company for Obama’s two news networks (NBC and MSNBC), but GE has been a trainwreck under his watch. I took a loss when I sold my GE about seven or eight years ago, but it’s tanked even since then.

BuckeyeSam on February 18, 2009 at 12:21 PM

WashJeff on February 18, 2009 at 12:12 PM

A press need not be adviserial to do its job, but i agree with your sentiments. The robust exchange of ideas along with the acceptance of failures are absolutely necessary for our country to be run well, and with our interests at heart.

However, scaring the press into submission with national security threats effects our liberties in the exact same way. Warrant-less wiretapping was and is wholeheartedly unamerican…yes its investigation by the press was met with resistance from the administration and its media mouthpieces. We must remain vigilant regardless of the ideology of the officeholder.

ernesto on February 18, 2009 at 12:22 PM

More like the same old, same old.

B.Hussein Obama will take America far away from the same old, same old.
One day we will wish for the good old days.
I believe many of us already are.

christene on February 18, 2009 at 12:23 PM

Remember it was only a few months ago that the astute observations of political observers like Rush Limbaugh and Mark Levin were, in a knee-jerk fashion, dismissed as fearmongering and being paranoiac in claiming that Obama harbored radical socialist leanings or was indeed a Marxist.

Let us now assert that if the evidence behind the fearmongering and feeling of paranoia are real and accurate and the source of the fear or paranoia is legitimized the contempt previously levelled against the purveyors and alarmists of fear or paranoia was baseless and that these prescient Cassandras deserve to be elevated to the status of sentinels or paladins of American freedom and the right to pursue individual happiness unimpeded from government direction or restraint.

technopeasant on February 18, 2009 at 12:23 PM

AS I love to point out to Bambi supporters…The more things CHANGE..The more they stay the same

Political Chef on February 18, 2009 at 12:23 PM

Lying liar.

Here’s a story about it.

JiangxiDad on February 18, 2009 at 11:53 AM

Sorry. What’s the problem? Your link says exactly what you quoted … what is the “lie”. Until they actually attend in April (oh, I’m sure that they will send someone) they haven’t lied … yet.

I am pleased to note at the end:

Canada has already said it will not participate, maintaining the meeting will promote racism and not combat it.

Unfortunately, this is the conservative party position and the liberals under Cretin were quite happy to party with Arafat. There is a confidence vote in March … the new liberal leader is from Haavaad so I’m sure our policy will change pdq if he has the guts to pull the trigger.

gh on February 18, 2009 at 12:26 PM

Yesterday Obama had four flags as his back-drop and I thought for a guy that would not wear a lapel pin or put his hand over his heart during the national anthem he needs more flags. At today’s daily sermon he has eight flags. The more trouble he gets into the more flags he needs now is the time to buy stock in flag companies.

fredaa on February 18, 2009 at 12:26 PM

Ok here:

Obama has betrayed our trust by going back on his promises of transparency. This is activity that needs to be discouraged vehemently by citizens. This does not, however, mean that McCain would have made a better president or that the unregulated free market is the only way to run a country well.

ernesto on February 18, 2009 at 12:07 PM

Dude, at least try to make a real argument.

Chuck Schick on February 18, 2009 at 12:27 PM

Chuck Schick on February 18, 2009 at 12:27 PM

My only point was that someone need not buy into the entire conservative bag o tricks when they criticize Obama.

ernesto on February 18, 2009 at 12:28 PM

dhunter,

there was no prok in it

I hereby nominate “prok” to join “pron,” “teh,” “pwn,” et al. Does anyone second the motion?

/Hail, Prokulus!

Christien on February 18, 2009 at 12:29 PM

However, scaring the press into submission with national security threats effects our liberties in the exact same way. Warrant-less wiretapping was and is wholeheartedly unamerican…yes its investigation by the press was met with resistance from the administration and its media mouthpieces. We must remain vigilant regardless of the ideology of the officeholder.

ernesto on February 18, 2009 at 12:22 PM

Which was signed into law by Obama when he was a Senator.

Chuck Schick on February 18, 2009 at 12:29 PM

It doesn’t matter because he “won”…he will continue to do what he wants as long as his minions don’t holler, so why should he do anything but what he wants, over 50% of the people think he is doing great.

right2bright on February 18, 2009 at 11:55 AM

He will continue to do what he pleases as long as the republicans/conservatives remain timid sheep and the MSM continues to be blinded by his “aura”.

This country, and our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are SCREWED, until the next civil war and the dividing of the country.

belad on February 18, 2009 at 12:30 PM

Has anyone crunched the numbers on the per month cost in interest porkulus will cost, or does anyone have a link to where I can see those estimates?

Also, is there a breakdown of the percentages China, Saudi Arabia, Japan and others will take on with this monster?

joedoe on February 18, 2009 at 12:30 PM

Does anyone know of a website that is keeping track of these types of issues? I know there are many websites reporting on this but we need a site that specifically lays out the hypocrisies (in plain english so that even progressives can understand), flip flops, transparancy issues, etc. Plus, it will be easier to put together campaigns for 2010 and 2012 if we keep detailed records over the next few years.

txag92 on February 18, 2009 at 12:31 PM

***

However, scaring the press into submission with national security threats effects affects our liberties in the exact same way. Warrantless wiretapping was and is wholeheartedly un-American…yes its investigation by the press was met with resistance from the administration and its media mouthpieces. We must remain vigilant regardless of the ideology of the officeholder.

ernesto on February 18, 2009 at 12:22 PM

My impression is that Democratic leadership was privy to much, if not all, of the same intelligence as the Bush Administration.

I don’t have a problem with FISA–at all. But then I’m not calling anyone overseas to plot a terrorist attack.

What media mouthpieces? Fox News? The rest of the media are decidely liberal. What? They have no backbone?

As for your last sentence, no argument there. So what’s your problem with Ed’s post? Quit being such a shining wit (spoonerism).

BuckeyeSam on February 18, 2009 at 12:32 PM

My only point was that someone need not buy into the entire conservative bag o tricks when they criticize Obama.

ernesto on February 18, 2009 at 12:28 PM

Whoever said the markets should be completely unregulated is an idiot. People at HA want LESS regulation than more, but Ive never seen anyone argue NONE.

Were in this mess mostly because a ton of mortgages were made that shouldnt have been. I am totally for a maximum LTV somewhere around 90% or below going forward. Any attempts to rein in Fan/Fred were met by opposition by their DEMOCRAT allies in Congress, if you recall.

Chuck Schick on February 18, 2009 at 12:34 PM

OT: Yahoo headline:

Stocks fall as Obama releases details of $75 billion housing plan

And Hillary was supposed to be the wicked witch of the west /sarc

gatorboy on February 18, 2009 at 12:35 PM

ernesto on February 18, 2009 at 11:57 AM

It’s called immanent critique.

DrSteve on February 18, 2009 at 12:35 PM

Has anyone crunched the numbers on the per month cost in interest porkulus will cost, or does anyone have a link to where I can see those estimates?

As I recall, it was going to add something like $12 billion per month to service the debt… oddly, that is more than than the ‘too costly’ burn rate for the war efforts.. I’ll see if I can source that $$…

gatorboy on February 18, 2009 at 12:37 PM

Obama’s medical records are sealed for a reason folks. Can anyone say “mental health evaluation”? This guy is gonna go total full-blown cuckoo soon & saying “I told you so” is not going to help any of us. He gives me the creepy crawlies.

Ris4victory on February 18, 2009 at 12:38 PM

Somebody wanted to know if any Obama promises were being listed, here is what I have so far, please feel free to add your comments!

Administration
• Centralize Ethics and Lobbying Information for Voters: Obama and Biden will create a centralized Internet database of lobbying reports, ethics records and campaign finance filings in a searchable, sortable and downloadable format.

President* Obama has centralized this information… by hiring over 12 lobbyists to his administration! Still no word on that “searchable, sortable and downloadable format.”

• Require Independent Monitoring of Lobbying Laws and Ethics Rules: Obama and Biden will use the power of the presidency to fight for an independent watchdog agency to oversee the investigation of congressional ethics violations so that the public can be assured that ethics complaints will be investigated.

• Create a Public “Contracts and Influence” Database: As president, Obama will create a “contracts and influence” database that will disclose how much federal contractors spend on lobbying, and what contracts they are getting and how well they complete them.

• Expose Special Interest Tax Breaks to Public Scrutiny: Obama and Biden will ensure that any tax breaks for corporate recipients — or tax earmarks — are also publicly available on the Internet in an easily searchable format.

• Sunlight Before Signing: Too often bills are rushed through Congress and to the president before the public has the opportunity to review them. As president, Obama will not sign any non-emergency bill without giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House Web site for five days.

Broke that promise on day 1

• Shine Light on Earmarks and Pork Barrel Spending: Obama’s Transparency and Integrity in Earmarks Act will shed light on all earmarks by disclosing the name of the legislator who asked for each earmark, along with a written justification, 72 hours before they can be approved by the full Senate.

Taxes
• Give a tax break to 95% of Americans.
• Restore Clinton-era tax rates on top income earners.
• “If you make under $250,000, you will not see your taxes increase by a single dime. Not your income taxes, not your payroll taxes, not your capital gains taxes. Nothing.”
• Dramatically simplify tax filings so that millions of Americans will be able to do their taxes in less than five minutes.
• Give American businesses a $3,000 tax credit for every job they create in the U.S.
• Eliminate capital gains taxes for small business and startup companies.
• Eliminate income taxes for seniors making under $50,000.
• Expand the child and dependent care tax credit.
• Expand the earned income tax credit.
• Create a universal mortgage credit.
• Create a small business health tax credit.
• Provide a $500 “make work pay” tax credit to small businesses.
• Provide a $1,000 emergency energy rebate to families.

Energy
• Spend $15 billion a year on renewable sources of energy.
• Eliminate oil imports from the Middle East in 10 years.
• Increase fuel economy standards by 4% a year.
• Weatherize 1 million homes annually.
• Ensure that 10% of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012.

Environment
• Create 5 million green jobs.
• Implement a cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Get 1 million plug-in hybrids on the road by 2015.

Labor
• Sign a fair pay restoration act, which would overturn the Supreme Court’s pay discrimination ruling.
• Sign into law an employee free choice act — aka card check — to make it easier for unions to organize.
• Make employers offer seven paid sick days per year.
• Increase the minimum wage to $9.50 an hour by 2009.

National security
• Remove troops from Iraq by the summer of 2010.
• Cut spending on unproven missile defense systems.
• No more homeless veterans.
• Stop spending $10 billion a month in Iraq.
• Finish the fight against Osama bin Laden and the al-Qaida terrorists.

Social Security
• Work in a “bipartisan way to preserve Social Security for future generations.”
• Impose a Social Security payroll tax on incomes above $250,000.
• Match 50% of retirement savings up to $1,000 for families earning less than $75,000.

Education
• Demand higher standards and more accountability from our teachers.

Spending
• Go through the budget, line by line, ending programs we don’t need and making the ones we do need work better and cost less.
• Slash earmarks.

Bwahahahaahahahahahah! As if.

Health care
• Lower health care costs for the typical family by $2,500 a year.
• Let the uninsured get the same kind of health insurance that members of Congress get.
• Stop insurance companies from discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.
• Spend $10 billion over five years on health care information technology.

Califemme on February 18, 2009 at 12:40 PM

Lying liar.

Here’s a story about it.

JiangxiDad on February 18, 2009 at 11:53 AM

Sorry. What’s the problem? Your link says exactly what you quoted … what is the “lie”. Until they actually attend in April (oh, I’m sure that they will send someone) they haven’t lied … yet.

I am pleased to note at the end:

Canada has already said it will not participate,

gh on February 18, 2009 at 12:26 PM

A lie is a lie when it’s uttered, not when it’s discovered. The Obama admin. is helping to plan the meeting, but not intending to attend?? And good for Canada!

JiangxiDad on February 18, 2009 at 12:43 PM

lorien1973 on February 18, 2009 at 11:50 AM
&
ernesto on February 18, 2009 at 11:57 AM

So, I am interested in your answer to a simple question.

In your world when is a lie NOT a lie, and when is a promise NOT a promise.

There must be a definition I am mising somewhere.

Yoop on February 18, 2009 at 12:46 PM

We (meaning the US — not me) voted for Chicago politics, and that’s what we’re getting.

Tennman on February 18, 2009 at 12:47 PM

Califemme on February 18, 2009 at 12:40 PM

Thanks for your list. If no ones knows about such a site (listing the hypocrisies, etc.), I will see about starting my own and posting the link. All the input you guys have would be appreciated.

txag92 on February 18, 2009 at 12:51 PM

These probably won’t be all that go unnoticed. I read an article from the Canada Free Press that shows the Dear Leader as just a puppet of a stronger movement bent on destroying our way of life. Much of it is a rekindling (to get your blood burning again) of stuff we already know; but, the conclusions are frightening. This might be a heck of a movie someday.

catholicdude on February 18, 2009 at 12:54 PM

At some point, Americans will ask why they are the only ones paying the price for this depression.

Why is it business and politics as usual in Washington?

getalife on February 18, 2009 at 12:54 PM

PRAVDA will have an update for the people tonight … RIGHT?

tarpon on February 18, 2009 at 12:59 PM

seemingly intent on destroying the American way of life as quickly as possible

That is, and has always been, his plan.

Alana on February 18, 2009 at 1:01 PM

Didn’t they say Bush had lots of secrets?

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980DE5DD1E3FF930A35752C0A9659C8B63

jcheney on February 18, 2009 at 1:02 PM

catholicdude on February 18, 2009 at 12:54 PM

Bookmarked your link. Good read. Anything nowadays that resembles true expose journalism is readily welcome. Swirsky nails Barry.

RepubChica on February 18, 2009 at 1:03 PM

The sheep don’t need to know what the shepherd is wolves are planning.

stonemeister on February 18, 2009 at 12:00 PM

Fixed.

You’re welcome.

Wingo on February 18, 2009 at 1:03 PM

Obama’s medical records are sealed for a reason folks. Can anyone say “mental health evaluation”? This guy is gonna go total full-blown cuckoo soon & saying “I told you so” is not going to help any of us. He gives me the creepy crawlies.

Ris4victory on February 18, 2009 at 12:38 PM

Obama can play all the hoops he wants. JFK was always pictured playing touch football in his 40s. Obama is a smoker, and both of his parents died fairly young. I think he has a short fuse. My mother, a longtime, old-school RN always comments on his purple lips. She thinks he has some circulatory problems.

BuckeyeSam on February 18, 2009 at 1:03 PM

Maybe Obama’s got a fee-vah and the only cure is less transparency!

RMCS_USN on February 18, 2009 at 1:08 PM

Why is every progressive rebutal is based on alledged hypocrisy?

WashJeff on February 18, 2009 at 12:03 PM

That’s easy: they can’t argue on facts: either the facts don’t support their argument, or, equally likely, they are ignorant. They never advance much past school-yard-squabble rhetorical tactics, mainly because they’ve never progressed much past school-yard maturity. It’s the same reason they believe that there’s a free lunch: they’ve never come to grasp economics any more fully than the early-20th century peasants who embraced Socialism and Communism.

mr.blacksheep on February 18, 2009 at 1:23 PM

Remember Barack Obama’s pledge to make this the Most Transparent Administration Evah?

Yeah, I do. But like anyone w/ a brain I didn’t believe it.

He’s a liar. Lying is what he does. The minute his uber-pursed, condescending lips open, I simply tune him out or change the channel.

&& dammit I keep waiting to wake up and discover that this has all been a bad dream.

bluelightbrigade on February 18, 2009 at 1:24 PM

I’ve been thinking about re-reading “Animal Farm,” but it is much more interesting to simply watch it in today’s “live” version.

Star20 on February 18, 2009 at 1:25 PM

Obama is a master of the Big Lie. The bigger the better.

Look at the sorts of things his disciples believe. I saw a post by a school teacher on another site that her student are asking for the address to the White House so they can send in their parents’ bills – cell phone, electric, rent/mortgage, gasoline recipts, etc. – with the honest expectation Obama will bail them out as well.

I have long held that the opinion of leftist pols is that the American people are idiots. The American people continually prove them right by electing them.

I think BO’s followers are stupid enough that, in 4 years, when they’re all standing in line waiting for their daily ration of bread and cabbage, the conversation will still be about what a crappy president Bush 43 was.

We’re in for a very bumpy ride.

Wingo on February 18, 2009 at 1:37 PM

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