A brazen disregard of transparency

By Tom Quiner

Former DOE loan officer, Jonathan Silver

Former DOE loan officer, Jonathan Silver

It was inauguration day, 2009.

Barack Obama was about to be sworn in as president, promising a new era of ‘hope and change’.

The Obama White House posted a pronouncement on their website that this would be “the most open and transparent in history.”

As this blog has recounted in earlier posts today, it was all a sham. It is worth sharing one more example of the brazen disregard this administration has for openness and transparency.

You remember Solyndra and other associated green energy companies that took taxpayer (your) money only to go bankrupt? After these government “investments” went south, Energy Department official, Jonathan Silver, feared impending subpoenas of department e-mails. His instructions to his staff?

“Don’t ever send an email on DOE email with personal email addresses.”

The lack of transparency in this administration has taken a toll.

Just last Fall, a Fox News poll revealed that of registered voters, 61% believe our president lies some of the time. Only 15% said never.

The poll reflects the effect of years of, shall we say, truth-challenged statements from our president. Here are a few:

√ “You can keep your existing plan if you want to.” [Sorry, you couldn’t.]

√ Obamacare will “lower health insurance premiums by $2500.” [Sorry, premiums skyrocketed.]

√ The Benghazi attack was a spontaneous riot precipitated by an anti-Muslim video made by an American. [Sorry, it must have been some sort of Lybyan workplace violence.]

√ “When I am president, they [lobbyists] won’t find a job in my White House.” [They did.]

√ “If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election.” [Seven months later, he changed his mind.]

In light of the lack of openness and transparency demonstrated each year of this presidency, in light of the president’s repeated untruthful utterances, you’ve got to wonder what planet that 15% is living on.

 

2 Comments

  1. Paul Sharp on March 5, 2015 at 9:26 am

    Tom, this post and your previous one are so important. If only the MSM would cover this “rhetoric/reality disconnect” more accurately. Surely there are newspaper editors and reporters who are aware of this situation, but ??

    Our “Philosopher King” President views the U.S. Constitution as an impediment and we need to watch out for the next 2 years.



    • quinersdiner on March 5, 2015 at 9:49 am

      Thanks, Paul. We’ve got to hang on for two more years. It will be interesting to watch if Dems actually nominate Hillary, who almost makes Obama look honest.