Obama and Transparency: Judge for Yourself

Max Eternity - While America has its attentions once again focused on an Arabic nation, -- for the moment being Iran, -- under the auspices of President Obama the federal treasury has been plundered once again, funding the occupation of Iraq; a place that some have begun referring to as the 51st State. On the the 2 year campaign trail, before becoming president, then Senator Obama promised the Americans and the Iraqi's that he would immeadiately end the war and occupation of Iraq; this very fact being the centerpiece of his entire platform. But now, just 6 months into his White house role, Obama's reversed course on this issue, and quite frankly, he's reversed course on lots of other issues too.

Many, like myself, voted for Obama, because we were willing to give him the benefit of doubt. But with the sketchy track record that he's already established, it's starting to appear that he might just be another sweet talking politician, you never had our interest in his heart to begin with.

A partial list of hypocrisy's has been compiled by Glenn Greenwald. It reads:

Obama and Transparency: Judge for Yourself

by Glenn Greenwald

Published on Wednesday, June 17, 2009 by Salon.com
(updated below)


"My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government" -- Barack Obama, January 28, 2009

Promising "a new era of openness in our country," President Obama [said]: "Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency" -- CNN, January 21, 2009

"A democracy requires accountability, and accountability requires transparency. As Justice Louis Brandeis wrote, 'sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.' In our democracy, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which encourages accountability through transparency, is the most prominent expression of a profound national commitment to ensuring an open Government. At the heart of that commitment is the idea that accountability is in the interest of the Government and the citizenry alike. . .

All agencies should adopt a presumption in favor of disclosure, in order to renew their commitment to the principles embodied in FOIA, and to usher in a new era of open Government" -- Barack Obama, January 21, 2009

* * * * *

Has Obama fulfilled those pledges and lived up to those commitments -- even remotely? Just examine the facts and judge for yourself:

February 9, New York Times:

In a closely watched case involving rendition and torture [Mohamed v. Jeppesen Data], a lawyer for the Obama administration seemed to surprise a panel of federal appeals judges on Monday by pressing ahead with an argument for preserving state secrets originally developed by the Bush administration.

February 21, Huffington Post:

The Obama administration, siding with former President George W. Bush, is trying to kill a lawsuit that seeks to recover what could be millions of missing White House e-mails.

February 27, Associated Press:

The Obama administration has lost its argument that a potential threat to national security should stop a lawsuit challenging the government's warrantless wiretapping program. . . . The Obama administration, like the Bush administration before it, claimed national security would be compromised if a lawsuit brought by the Oregon chapter of the charity, Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation, was allowed to proceed. Read more.