Democrat Transparency... As Clear As Mud

Posted by Bobby Eberle
January 6, 2010 at 9:02 am

The behavior of Barack Obama and the far left Democrats in Congress continues to amaze. Over and over and over again Obama, Pelosi, and Reid have criticized the actions and policies of the past. In return, they have promised a more open form of government. More open to whom? Lobbyists and left-wing radicals? Yes on both accounts. Clearly they weren't talking about the American people.

Obama promised he would not hire lobbyists in his administration. That promise lasted about one day. He and Nancy Pelosi promised transparency in the way Washington operates. Instead, we now have a process where the public is shut out of major actions of Congress. Just look at what's going on with the "negotiations" on the health care bill.

First, let's take a step back in time. Following election victories in 2006, Nancy Pelosi said on national television that the Democrats "intend to lead the most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress in history."

2006 Flashback: Pelosi Says Dems Will Have Most Honest & Ethnical Congress

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN8SK6En ... r_embedded

Wow! The words keep ringing in my ears... most open and ethical in history? Is she kidding?

Here is what Barack Obama had to say about openness and transparency:

obama C span

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Api4fUzi ... r_embedded

Obama talks about wanting to stop negotiations behind closed doors... to broadcast those negotiations on C-SPAN. I don't think I've heard rhetoric ever veer so far from reality.

As noted by the Associated Press story running on GOPUSA, the Democrats now intend to completely bypass the traditional negotiation procedures on health care and move everything behind closed doors and away from the scrutiny of the American people.

Democratic aides said the final compromise talks would essentially be a three-way negotiation involving top Democrats in the House and Senate and the White House, a structure that gives unusual latitude to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California.

These officials said there are no plans to appoint a formal House-Senate conference committee, the method Congress most often uses to reconcile differing bills. Under that customary format, a committee chairman is appointed to preside, and other senior lawmakers from both parties and houses participate in typically perfunctory public meetings.

So much for public meetings and transparency.

In a letter to Congress, C-SPAN Chairman Brian Lamb requested that congressional leaders "open all important negotiations, including any conference committee meetings, to electronic media coverage."

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 the Chambers, we respectfully request that you allow the public full access, through television, to legislation that will affect the lives of every single American.

Despite the pointed letter by C-SPAN, the Democrats are saying no to being open and honest with the American people. As noted in the Washington Examiner, "Democratic leaders appear to be unfazed by a letter sent to Congress from C-SPAN CEO Brian Lamb, requesting that lawmakers open up talks on merging the House and Senate health care reform bills. House Democratic leaders Tuesday afternoon were meeting secretly in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office to discuss what kind of compromise with the Senate they would be willing to vote for."

House Republican Leader John Boehner has stepped out and addressed the C-SPAN request directly:

"As House Republican Leader, I can confidently state that all House Republicans strongly endorse your proposal and stand ready to work with you to make it a reality," Boehner wrote in response to a letter C-SPAN CEO Brian Lamb sent to congressional leaders. "Hard-working families won't stand for having the future of their health care decided behind closed doors. These secret deliberations are a breeding ground for more of the kickbacks, shady deals and special-interest provisions that have become business as usual in Washington. Too much is at stake to have a final bill built on payoffs and pork-barrel spending."

Under the Democrat plan, there will be NO health care negotiations held in public. Nothing will be broadcast on C-SPAN for the American people to review. That's quite a different approach from what Obama promised:

Obama Pledges to Put Health Care Negotiations on C-SPAN, White House Enemies List

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmNdV0PS ... r_embedded

As summed up perfectly in an editorial from the Washington Times, "Congressional Republicans, especially in the Senate, should not let them get away with it. Transparency and ethics should be Republican rallying cries, and obstruction on those grounds should be a point of pride."

By now it's almost trite to complain that President Obama repeatedly has broken his campaign pledge to "broadcast [health care] negotiations on C-SPAN so that the American people can see what the choices are." That doesn't make the complaint invalid. For legislation that could so profoundly and personally affect the daily lives of every American, Congress and the White House should be more transparent and more accessible than ever before. Instead, the process has been secretive and sordid throughout.

Congressional Republicans and the RNC have an obligation to fight these tactics. They also have an obligation to let the American people know what's going on. This is OUR government... or it's supposed to be. This is not the Soviet Union. Transparency in government should be demanded by each and every American citizen. If there is any time for Republicans to grow a backbone, it's now. This health care bill is all about bringing power to Washington and making lobbyists rich. It must be stopped, and the process must be open.

http://www.gopusa.com/theloft/?p=186