Remember how President Obama promised to make his Administration transparent?
He promised to publish all “non-emergency” legislation on the White House web-site for five days to allow the public time “to review and comment before the President signs it.” Wonder if he did that that with executive orders which dramatically reduce the number of contractors eligible to bid for federal contracts.
As Senators burn the midnight oil find ways to spend money we don’t have, shouldn’t the president request that they follow through on his promise of transparency?
Instead of rushing to get pass legislation of this magnitude, more expensive than the Iraq War (and Congress voted numerous times to fund the war), giving the public time to review and comment before their legislators vote on it.
At absolute minimum, wait until after the next congressional recess, giving Members of Congress and Senators have had a chance to return to their jurisdictions to solicit the input of their constituents before putting together a final package.
To promote such openness, Bruce and I have signed on to this letter, asking Senator Reid and President Obama to:
. . . publish the full legislative text of the compromise immediately, and furthermore, to delay any vote on the bill for at least five days following publication. The American public deserves time to read and understand the substance of this critical legislation, and to express their views to their Senators.
UPDATE: Claire Shipman nicely sums up the pro-“stimulus” argument:Â “given that nobody knows the outcome, it seems as though the most important thing is speed here.“Â Oh, and Shipman’s an ABC News correspondent, not a Democratic hack or Administration flack.
I signed. Thanks for pointing it out.
Dan wrote: …wait until after the next congressional recess, [until] Members of Congress and Senators have had a chance to return to their jurisdictions to solicit the input of their constituents before putting together a final package.
I think the reason for haste is right there. They want to get this abortion over and done with right now in the hopes that when they do have to return home, the voters will have forgotten who voted for it.
I think I’ll start a business selling ready-to-use tar and feathers.
“Oh, and Shipman’s an ABC News correspondent, not a Democratic hack or Administration flack.”
Oh, please – what is the fricking difference??? They are all part of the DNCMSN. They are all partisan hacks.
Regards,
Peter H.
4: “I think I’ll start a business selling ready-to-use tar and feathers.”
That’s an excellent idea, SoCalRobert. Put me down down for a 3-pack: Collins; Snow; and Specter.
According to the CBO, the stimulus bill will actually hurt the economy in the long run. However, there is the possibility it will stimulate illegal immigration. In addition to providing up to 300 thousand construction jobs for illegal aliens, the bill will bail out irresponsible states like California. This will allow them to avoid dealing with one of the primary reasons they have a budget deficit. That reason is the extensive and expensive social net they have extended to illegal immigrants. Obama’s stimulus will stimulate illegal immigration
Raw power and blitzkrieg are far from opaque. Their motives and way of doing business seem to be transparent.