Where's Transparency Obama Promised?

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Can anyone pinpoint the day our government, especially our Congress, stopped working for us, the legal citizens of this nation?

When did our Congress members decide they know better than the people who put them in office?

I just wonder if we all are so stupid to keep electing these arrogant slugs?

I do believe that if I were selling a product (read that “Obamacare”) that more disliked than loved, I would stop selling it rather than trying to cram it down my prospective forced users.

Where is the transparency Obama promised you?

Why are some people from the Senate and some from the House meeting at the White House with the president to work out a health-care bill that works for them but not for the people of this great country? Meshing similar bills passed by the Senate and the House has always been done in conference, which provides some insight into what is happening. Now, we have it done in secrecy.

Isn’t it amazing how similar that is to politics in a socialistic state, say like the former Soviet Union?

Do you know that Congress may pass laws that do not apply to the members? How’s that for hubris? The health-care bill exempts elected congressional members from the rules that the health-care measure would impose on us, the common citizens of our country.

Remember, if you want less government and one that is open, then you will have to fix that come November.

I have changed my party affiliation from Republican to Independent because I don’t believe in either party anymore.

Both sides seem to do whatever they can to fatten their own wallets at our expense. I am tired of being robbed!

Angus McLeod

West End

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None 3 years, 4 months ago

I agree whole heartily. I believe the American people could start by limiting the number of terms an elected official can serve "lobbyists". When this country rebelled against England's Monarchy because of taxation without representation, our independence was predicated on "We the People". We the people are over taxed to the tune of 50% of income, then North Carolina gets another 7% when we buy food or medicine. There is no longer "disposable" income; rather- what the government didn't get the first time around. Massachusetts election of Ron Brown sent a message heard around this country that business as usual is no longer predicated on one being elected to office in our nations capital.

Woody 3 years, 4 months ago

I don't believe there is anybody left in this country that is surprised that this is yet again another lie from the Kenyan/American. Transparency? LOL

bfalkens 3 years, 4 months ago

Obama received more than 50% of the vote while getting elected on Healthcare reform, so even though public opinion is swaying there are still people out there that believe in Healthcare reform, as proved by strong Republicans making compromises and admitting the need. Taxes are an eventual evil, but I do agree that it is best to keep them lower. Especially for the people that need the money. The top tax bracket is 39.6%.

If compared to the Bush administration, we are living in a Golden Age of transparency. Has anyone been paying attention to the murder trials of Gitmo? One further question, how can torture be successful without the fear of death? Also, has anyone paid attention to any Blackwater news? Supposedly the company was contracted out to provide hit squads, their first objective was innocent Iraqi's trying to get to work. But there is news of CIA and Blackwater hit squads being employed by the US government. Recently our hits are accomplished by drone missile strikes instead of private companies the president (at the time Bush) refuses to rebuke.

But the economy is the most important thing, and the average American can only hope we rebound.

And to those people who maintain that Obama was born in Kenya, YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THE USA. Do you really think our government background checks are so inaccurate to allow a person born outside of the USA to become president. If so, then you reject the faculties and workers employed by the US government. So, in a nutshell, those who say Obama is not American are themselves Un-American.

Woody 3 years, 4 months ago

He got elected on TRANSPARENCY and CHANGE and NO LOBBYISTS in his administration!! Golden age of transparency, HAHAHA. Why aren't you outraged at the secret behind closed door negotiations on the health care bill?? Why aren't you outraged at all of the lobbyists he has in his administration? 22 of his appointees have ethics waivers because of their prior job as a LOBBYISTS!!!!

All I know is that anyone else could provide their birth certificate in a second if need be but Obama has spent more than a million dollars trying to keep anyone from seeing his (because he doesn't have one). If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck....
Disgrace to the USA? Un-American? Give me a break.

bfalkens 3 years, 4 months ago

I do agree that there needs to be more regulation on lobbyists in Washington. And yes, President Barrack Obama has hired former lobbyists who vow to not participate in their former lobbying activities. I feel this is inadequate too.

From the Huffington Post: (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/27/obama-pushes-lobbyists-of_n_372070.html)

"In furtherance of this commitment, the President issued Executive Order 13490, which bars anyone appointed by the President who has been a federally-registered lobbyist within the past two years from working on particular matters or in the specific areas in which they lobbied or from serving in agencies they had lobbied."

I'll take Woody's number of Obama's 22 lobbyists. One these lobbyist, William V. Corr, lobbied for stricter tobacco laws for kids. One the other hand, once re-elected George W. Bush Jr. hired over 100 lobbyists, many with interests in the pharmaceutical sector. Still, I will familiarize myself with Obama's lobbyists and Bush's. I'm interested in discovering the exponential number of Bush's lobbyists versus Obama's.

What I'm saying is lobbyists should not be making policy. Pharmaceutical lobbyists should never have been put into power concerning the laws dictating pharmaceutical companies. In capitalism, why do lobbyists of an industry get to tell the government how it will be run, taxed, and aided? Do you see the conflict of interests? This is corruption.

And yes, I believe that saying the President of the United States, who was born in Hawaii, is not an American is Un-American. People who say this believe there is a conspiracy in which US government officials working for its citizens lied. Why don't these conspiracy theorists asks the government officials, of high position, the truth? Maybe because these high ranking officials have already answer the question by putting his name on the ballot?

I'm going to ask one favor of all critics (I admit I am one). If you are to burn one man for an offense, categorize and analyze his violation. To say Obama has not been transparent is true. Still, it does not mean he is not making progress and taking a stance to resolve the problem.

Amazed 3 years, 4 months ago

but Bush never promised that there would be no lobbyists. I'm so very fed up with people STILL blaming Bush...it's almost as bad as adults complaining about their lives because their parents didnt give them this or buy them that...grow up bfalkens and face the truth...Obama's just as power hugry as all of the rest of the politicians-he does not care one iota about you or I, just the power and whatever his puppetmasters, Reid and Pelosi want. The president needs to deal with the problems at hand and stop creating new problems ie; cut the spending and the purchasing of votes with our money!

tis a shame too, he probably could've gotten healthcare to go if he'd not rushed this bill through....line by line my butt!