Is there ever a responsibility to maintain truthfulness and transparency in government? Especially when that is the campaign mantra that appealed so much to galvanize the masses to catapult a virtual unknown into the American presidency? Not to mention the directive afterwards from the President who then professed, “I Won,” Barack Obama himself, via John Podesta, the co-chairman of the Obama-Biden Transition Team?
MEMORANDUM
From: John Podesta
To: All Obama Transition Project Staff
Date: December 5, 2008
Re: “Seat at the Table” Transparency Policy – EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELYOverview:
As an extension of the unprecedented ethics guidelines already in place for the Obama-Biden Transition Project, we take another significant step towards transparency of our efforts for the American people. Every day, we meet with organizations who present ideas for the Transition and the Administration, both orally and in writing. We want to ensure that we give the American people a “seat at the table” and that we receive the benefit of their feedback.
Accordingly, any documents from official meetings with outside organizations will be posted on our website for people to review and comment on. In addition to presenting ideas as individuals at www.change.gov, the American people deserve a “seat at the table” as we receive input from organizations and make decisions. In the interest of protecting the personal privacy of individuals, this policy does not apply to personnel matters and hiring recommendations.
Read the rest of the memo here.
Small Group Now Leads Closed Negotiations on Health-Care Bill. WP. That was back in October 2009.
Three months before he was elected president, Barack Obama vowed not only to reform health care but also to pass the legislation in an unprecedented way.
“I’m going to have all the negotiations around a big table,” he said at an appearance in Chester, Va., repeating an assertion he made many times. He said the discussions would be “televised on C-SPAN, so that people can see who is making arguments on behalf of their constituents and who are making arguments on behalf of the drug companies or the insurance companies.”
So what happened when Brian Lamb from C-SPAN asks Dems to televise negotiations for health reform bill? His entire letter making the request was denied. Too much at stake after all. And SO shaky that even the most remote questioning could make the entire process crumble like walking on eggshells.
Never mind old adage, ”you are either part of the problem, or part of the solution.”
White House: We will NOT discuss broken C-Span promise. Beltway Confidential. The calculated perseveration by Robert Gibbs refusing to give a reason was ever so dizzying, even on the second day of questioning by the White House press corps. Bottom line.
If the public wants to know why President Obama didn’t keep his pledge to hold televised health-care negotiations, they’ll have to look for answers elsewhere. The White House isn’t talking.
Politifact. St. Petersburg Times.
We rate this Promise Broken.
As to be expected, many were saying to Let C-SPAN in – President should keep campaign promise, encourage televised health care proceedings. Houston Chronicle.
…it is the right thing to do.
In haste now to expedite passage of what 52 per cent of U.S. voters disapprove , as a special Senate election in Massachusetts looms in a few days, where the once favored Democrat, could lose to the upstart Republican thereby imperiling the Democrat’s current 60 vote support for health care reform, the talks remain behind closed doors with Democrats. Before there was the open hands off approach. Any repercussions belonged to those politicians maneuvering the legislation, flaws and all. No longer. In Health Talks, President Is Hands-Off No More. NYT. His indelible DNA will be attached to the debacle forevermore, serving as direct evidence of overt complicity. After it comes out from under the veil of secrecy that is, unlike what was promised so very long ago.
And intentions of ramming past any obstacle despite the pending public backlash is of no concern. Dems Weigh Other Options for Passing Health Care if GOP Wins Kennedy’s Seat. Fox. Reconciliation, whereby the Senate passes the bill by a simple 51 to 49 majority, will be used as a standby measure to thwart the will of the people.
“Behind surgical curtains. ‘Open and transparent government. Keep out! We won’t be needing this anymore. A brain.’”
Image courtesy of http://townhall.com/cartoons/cartoonist/LisaBenson/2010/01/5.
See:
- http://townhall.com/cartoons/cartoonist/LisaBenson/2010/01/5
- http://change.gov/page/-/open%20government/yourseatatthetable/SeatAtTheTable_memo.pdf
- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/17/AR2009101701810.html
- http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/74297-c-span-asks-dems-to-televise-health-negotiation
- http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/White-House-We-will-NOT-discuss-broken-C-Span-promise-80829987.html
- http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/517/health-care-reform-public-sessions-C-SPAN/
- http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/6818471.html
- http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/january_2010/42_support_health_care_plan_52_oppose
- http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/16/health/policy/16health.html
- http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/01/16/dems-weigh-options-passing-health-care-gop-wins-kennedys-seat/
