Hi Billy, On Jan 6, 2010, at 11:32 AM, [email protected] wrote: > Ernie: > So far my worst fears from the Admin have not been realized. > Still holding my breath, but at least for now it has been possible > to re-focus on other matters, including some proposals made by BHO > which I think well of, like C-Span and transparency. > > This turn of events is unexpected, for all of my criticisms > this was one area where I thought the best of Obama. > Looks like I can't continue to do so. > > And not just me, of course.
Yeah, I tend to agree. He hasn't done as badly on social issues, or as well on transparency, as we thought. At least he's breaking campaign promises even-handedly. :-( -- Ernie P. > > Billy > > ====================================================== > > In a message dated 1/6/2010 11:26:43 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, > [email protected] writes: > Yeah, the Interwebs are already grieving the loss of transparency, the one > clear win we were really hoping for from Obama. :-( > > http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/jan/05/charlie-crist/gov-charlie-crist-says-obama-breaks-transparency-p/ > > http://race42008.com/2010/01/06/suddenly-transparency-is-bad/ > > To be fair, I do think we'll get some useful access to *historical* data: > > http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/08/open-government-directive_n_384018.html > > But, that's not nearly as important as getting to watch the sausage get > made... > > -- Ernie P. > > On Jan 6, 2010, at 11:15 AM, [email protected] wrote: > >> There is a 3 minute video with this article which you would be well advised >> to view. It is Obama speaking in crystal clear terms about his intention >> to televise the health care negotiations on C-Span. That is, the negotiations >> which are now directly ahead of us. There is no ambiguity, Obama made >> an absolutely clear promise to televise the negotiations on C-Span. >> He gave his reasons, and they are persuasive. >> >> This is no longer Obama's position, essentially his promise is null and void. >> >> Now what ? >> >> >> >> January 5th, 2010 >> >> >> Obama's C-Span Problem >> Posted by Tom Bevan >> Brian Lamb has put President Obama on the spot. Lamb is the CEO of C-Span, >> and today he wrote a letter to the leaders of Congress asking them to allow >> cameras in the room for the final negotiations on the health care bill. Lamb >> wrote: >> >> President Obama, Senate and House leaders, many of your rank-and-file >> members, and the nation's editorial pages have all talked about the value of >> transparent discussions on reforming the nation's health care system. Now >> that the process moves to the critical stage of reconciliation between >> Chambers, we respectfully request that you allow the public full access, >> through television, to legislation that will affect the lives of every >> single American. >> >> Indeed, this was one of Obama's signature promises on the campaign trail: >> >> [ Here is where the video clip is inserted in the article ] >> >> It's hard to get more explicit than that. >> >> But that was then. Today, when asked for the 3rd time whether President >> Obama believes that the "standard" he set during the campaign for >> transparency on health care negotiations is being met by the current process >> (which now appears to include bypassing the formal conference process), >> White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs gave a flaccid but telling response. >> >> "I do not believe the American people have lacked for information on what's >> in these bills - the political and policy arguments around different >> people's positions - I think that's been well documented," Gibbs said. >> >> With all due respect, the reporter did not ask Gibbs for his appraisal of >> what he thinks the public does and does not know about the health care >> bills. Rather, the question is very simple: will President Obama honor his >> campaign pledge and demand that the final health care negotiations are >> televised on C-Span? Judging from Gibbs' response, the answer is an obvious >> "no." >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Centroids mailing list: [email protected] >> http://radicalcentrism.com/mailman/listinfo/centroids_radicalcentrism.com >> Archives at >> http://radicalcentrism.org/pipermail/centroids_radicalcentrism.com/ > > = > > _______________________________________________ > Centroids mailing list: [email protected] > http://radicalcentrism.com/mailman/listinfo/centroids_radicalcentrism.com > Archives at > http://radicalcentrism.org/pipermail/centroids_radicalcentrism.com/ > > _______________________________________________ > Centroids mailing list: [email protected] > http://radicalcentrism.com/mailman/listinfo/centroids_radicalcentrism.com > Archives at > http://radicalcentrism.org/pipermail/centroids_radicalcentrism.com/
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