Print this story |
E-mail story |
This story has 18 comments Add your own |
iPod friendly | Bookmark this
What is this?
Transparency is a good thing in our government
Published 11:19 a.m., June 22, 2009
Although some like to try, no one can really keep track of all the promises presidential candidates make on the campaign trail. Still, it’s refreshing to see President Obama making an effort to keep his promises about open government.
Obama, as a candidate, promised to post online the text of all bills at least five days before he signed them into law. As a means of improving government transparency, it wasn’t much of a promise; a bill already passed by both houses of Congress can only be made law or vetoed by the president. But it is, at least, one chance for the public to comment on the bill’s full text. That is important, because Congress is expert at sneaking unrelated provisions into bills.
As a campaign promise, the five-day viewing period proved difficult to keep and many commented on the White House’s failure to live up to its words. Indeed, the new president waited only one day before signing the first bill that came across his desk. Now, in an attempt to meet the five-day viewing promises, the White House says it will cause all bills to be posted on-line as soon as they reach their final form, even if that is before Congressional approval.
This is not a major step toward more open government. But it is, at least, a step. And even better, it’s a politician attempting to keep a campaign promise.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post. To post a comment you will need to register. Or, if you're already registered but have not included your true, verifiable identity with your registration, you will need to update your account to include your identity. Effective Dec. 1, 2009, all posts appear with the commenter's true identity, which must be verified by site staff. Those who registered prior to Dec. 1, 2009, should be aware that once you update your information with your true identity, all prior posts under your user name will also indicate your true identity. If you do not wish to link yourself to prior comments, you should register again with a different user name.Posted by rodentboy (anonymous) on June 22, 2009 at 4:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
he broke his promise, i am glad that i didn't vote for him
Posted by votedem (anonymous) on June 22, 2009 at 6:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i'm just happy we don't have a religious freak in the white house anymore. thank goodness for rationality!
Posted by cascade (anonymous) on June 22, 2009 at 7:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yes votedem - seems fairly irreligious:
http://www.usnews.com/listings/ten-obama...
Posted by votedem (anonymous) on June 22, 2009 at 10:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Nobody clicks on the links you post here. Just an FYI. Was YouTube all a part of Jesus' plan? lol
Posted by eripsni (Paul Tommerdahl) on June 23, 2009 at 9 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I just clicked the link - before reading your follow-up comment...
Posted by akmscott (Mike Scott) on June 23, 2009 at 11:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh my yes!
This idiot is just wonderful,what with the fluff and glory heaped on this poor excuse of a junior senator!Truly a monumental campaign by the libs to take control and destroy this country.Hope your all still singing this demigog praises is four years!
Posted by thethinker (Todd Leucuta) on June 23, 2009 at 12:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Obama is spending us into unpayable debt. Well, unpayable with current expenditures and taxation. I hope it all works out and my children's children don't inherit a nation slipping into 2nd (or 3rd) world status due to unbearable debt loads. Perhaps he, and the two lead morons in Congress (Reid and Pelosi), will think about the current debt load before they force thru the nationalized healthcare plan. Transparency in Govt? LOL..ROFL...oh my, what a crock....
Posted by Viking1 (anonymous) on June 23, 2009 at 2:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Tell them what they want to hear and they will follow you anywhere! i.e. Liberals!! He is giving our nation away, however, his popularity is dropping like a rock so there may be some hope yet. He is good at killing poor, helpless, flies though!!
Posted by proterrorist (anonymous) on June 23, 2009 at 3:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Obama is spending us into debt- almost as much as Bush did
Posted by cascade (anonymous) on June 23, 2009 at 7:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Actually, way more than Bush did:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...
(I like links)
Unfortunately, Bush reversed the surplus, but they are now printing money in Washington as fast as they can.
Posted by dutchsays (anonymous) on June 24, 2009 at 3:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hopie-Changie! Hopie-Changie! That will pay for everything in the glorious Socialist workers paradise on earth. Right out of Karl Marx, and His Perfectness got all those Useful Idiots to vote to seal their own economic doom.
But His Perfectness will just blame it all on Bush, and of course the now- govenment- run press will say YESSSS Master, slalam before THE ONE, and repeat the Word according to BHO.
Posted by proterrorist (anonymous) on June 24, 2009 at 8:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Bush and his cronies were true 'fiscal conservatives.' If we only had them still running the economy we wouldn't be in this mess, right?
Posted by proterrorist (anonymous) on June 24, 2009 at 8:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
btw cascade- maybe should post links that actually support your argument. You linked to statistics on the budget deficit, not the national debt which I was referring to- which Bush conveniently doubled during his time in office -much as Reagan did 20 years earlier- all in the name of fiscal conservativism of course.
Dutch your starting to sound like edrule. Do us all a favor and stay away from the Holocaust Museum
Posted by cascade (anonymous) on June 24, 2009 at 12:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am not defending Bush by any means proterrorist -
I think it's shameful to spend like we do(have).
However, instead of Bush adding a mere $600 billion a year to our debt:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/co...
we will be adding on average $1 trillion a year:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en...
(I know this is Wikipedia, but they list references)
Yes Bush (no fiscal conservative) doubled the debt in his tenure, and shame on him. At current rates it should double in another four years...and then what?
R or D, they are all crooks.
Posted by mgdbottled (anonymous) on June 24, 2009 at 2:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sell California? Problem solved. China will pay cash. Or, what we really need to shrink that national debt is good ole fashion inflation and I see that a coming real soon. Bring on the cure!! Inflation, baby, inflation. Borrow money when the dollar is valuable. Pay it back when the dollar ain't worth wiping your butt with. And no more Reagans or Bushes. Now, that's long term thinking. I hear that's Obama's plan.
Now, I must go out and tend to my tobacco plants so I can smoke next year.
Posted by Mel (anonymous) on June 24, 2009 at 4:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A,HA,, mgd you took my advice and planted tobacco. Now I am impressed. ;) (I'll bet you remember that I wrote that as a comment to you a while ago). heheehhee
Posted by mgdbottled (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 8:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes, that's called tax avoidance. Versus tax evasion, which would be illegal. I'm still waiting for the tobacco nazi's to show up and confiscate my plants.
Posted by cascade (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 1:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'd be down for selling California-
I dig the tax avoidance plan as well.
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)
You may also register to comment in our forums at www.fergusfeedback.com.