Remember, a couple months ago, when everyone was screaming "Where's the Transparency?"

[scheming daemons]

Change you can believe in...

W.H. opening guest logs
By POLITICO STAFF

The White House announced Friday that it would increase public access to electronic visitor logs, citing concerns ...

... about transparency. Here's the White House release: "As another indication of his commitment to an open and transparent government, the President announced today that for the first time in history, records of White House visitors will be released. Each month, records of visitors from the previous 90-120 days will be made available online.

'For the first time in history, records of White House visitors will be made available to the public on an ongoing basis,' said President Obama. 'We will achieve our goal of making this administration the most open and transparent administration in history not only by opening the doors of the White House to more Americans, but by shining a light on the business conducted inside. Americans have a right to know whose voices are being heard in the policymaking process.'

"Aside from a small group of appointments that cannot be disclosed because of national security imperatives or their necessarily confidential nature (such as a visit by a possible Supreme Court nominee), the record of every visitor who comes to the White House for an appointment, a tour, or to conduct business will be released.

"Previous administrations fought disclosure of White House visitor logs in court. This administration began a review of the policy during its first days in office.
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http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/0909/sunlight_on_visitors_25fad5fc-b23e-4cbd-9cdb-ef9a0e759e06.html

[Skittles]

1. I guess the health care debate really is over

[scheming daemons]

3. ?

Why?

Because more than one thing can happen at a time?

[Skittles]

7. went way over your head

[Stinky The Clown]

8. Oooops

Self-delete ... wrong place

[Curtland1015]

2. I can't believe Obama would do this to us!!!

I'm not sure HOW this makes him a bad President yet, but give me some time and I'll think of something. :sarcasm:

[Cant trust em]

4. That's good to know.

I appreciate this.

[oligarhy]

5. They can walk and chew gum at the same time

The health care debate is still on.

Of course, it would help if congress did the same thing. Find out what lobbys visit who and how often.

[redqueen]

11. +1

Welcome to DU. :hi:

[DevonRex]

6. It won't matter to them. But thank you for the information. nt

[Pirate Smile]

9. Are people acknowledging this part: "For the first time in history"?

[redqueen]

12. The haters won't ... of course.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

10. Very nice. It's just a shame it took 4 lawsuits from CREW to make it happen.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4045529

[Donnachaidh]

13. oh yeah -- THOSE things the cheerleaders failed to mention

LAWSUITS.

Guess that has to be this administration's first step toward transparency then.... :eyes:

[scheming daemons]

15. Did it work with any previous administration in our nation's history?

Nope.

If the Obama administration wanted to fight this, they would. And they'd win.

[Donnachaidh]

20. pom poms to the left of me, pom poms to the right of me...

:eyes:

LAWSUITS. *4* of them. :rofl:

[scheming daemons]

23. Again... lawsuits never stopped any previous administration from hiding this information

Do you think Bush/Cheney would've opened up the logs because of lawsuits?

...or even Clinton for that matter?



I think you know the answer... but you're just not willing to cut this President any slack. I suspect I know why.... but continue with your little game.

[Donnachaidh]

25. When you run on a promise of transparency, and THEN have to be sued for the promise?

It's called HYPOCRISY.

Look it up.

And the cheerleaders trying to coach everything in flowers and streamers are patently sad when THEY wear blinkers at the same time.

[scheming daemons]

27. Do you include CREW among the "cheerleaders"? Here's their statement:

"'Today the Obama administration has proven its pledge to usher in a new era of government transparency was more than just a campaign promise. The Obama administration will have the most open White House in history. Providing public access to visitor records is an important step in restoring transparency and accountability to our government.'"

[Donnachaidh]

28. CREW sued them to GET the records -- DOH.

work on that reading comprehension please... :eyes:

[scheming daemons]

29. ...and CREW is most-satisfied that the administration didn't fight the suit

...and is giving him extreme props for the action.


Why can't you do the same?


Like I said... I suspect I already know why.


But continue....

[Donnachaidh]

31. didn't fight? which one -- the first one or the fourth?

Jesus H. Christ on a cracker -- back away from the koolaid please. The spin is BEYOND creepy at this point....

:rofl:

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

37. They did initially fight, they are settling in order to avoid an embarrassing loss

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6227387

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8474248

The Obama administration initially took exactly the same stance as the Bushies (remember how we all howled over the secret energy meetings?) DESPITE all the vows for transparency in the campaign. That's the truth. You can google and read about meetings with industry insiders in TONS of industries (coal, health, banking, etc) that started almost from Day 1, plus the refusal to give up the info, plus the long fight by CREW to remedy the situation.

Personally, I am glad the Obama Adminstration conceded to the inevitable - they lost a lot of "change" credibility over this issue.

Touting this move as some voluntary, revolutionary ACTION (as opposed to REACTION) is just sad. The best slant I can put on this is that it falls under the "Make Me (Do the Right Thing) category.

[DevonRex]

18. As I predicted above, it won't matter to some DUers. nt

[Javaman]

32. Some people on cheer on the news, not how it was made.

It's amazing how the cheerleaders come out and display their ignorance for all to see.

The title of this should be...

Obama forced via lawsuit to keep his campaign promise.

[pampango]

35. If Obama insists on and prevails on a strong public option, many DUers won't give him credit.

There will be some groups that forced him (by lawsuit or political pressure) to do what he said long ago he was going to do.

That gives me an idea. Since Obama campaigned on immigration reform, I will file a lawsuit against him now since he has gone several months without achieving it. Given his record of doing what he says he's going to do, I will probably go after immigration reform soon and I'll get credit for it (my lawsuit left him no choice). :)

[bvar22]

36. YAY! Obama was forced to keep a propmise !

Where's the parade??!!!
:party:

[Hell Hath No Fury]

33. When you have you be dragged kicking and screaming ---

:eyes:

Glad if is finally happening, it should have been done (voluntarily) months ago.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

34. When you have you be dragged kicking and screaming ---

:eyes:

Glad it is finally happening, it should have been done (voluntarily) months ago.

[Donnachaidh]

14. see response 10 for the REAL reason this is happening

Not a damned thing to do with *change*.

[scheming daemons]

16. See response #15 for my response to you

[Donnachaidh]

21. Change is now spelled LAWSUITS -- PLURAL

yeah, that's the CHANGE we can believe in. :sarcasm:

[scheming daemons]

24. Post #6 identified you already

[Donnachaidh]

26. yeah, a reality-based THINKING human being --

it's something to aspire to. Too bad you're still tangled up in those pom poms trying to wipe the lipstick off the pig at the same time.

:rofl:

[DevonRex]

19. As I predicted above, it won't matter to some DUers. nt

[Donnachaidh]

22. good for you Karnac -- but your pom poms don't match your turban n/t

[Mystayya]

17. I am glad he decided to fulfill this campaign promise.

[Autumn]

30. I'm glad CREW kept up

with the issue.