For all the serious disagreements I have with President Barack Obama over policy and philosophy, I have been pleased to hear him promote the idea of greater government transparency. That's something all citizens can rally behind, regardless of partisan affiliation. Only a few days into office, Obama sent out a memo to department heads about the Freedom of Information Act:A democracy requires accountability, and accountability requires transparency. As Justice Louis Brandeis wrote, "sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants."... 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. The presumption of … [Read more...]
Fraudulent ACORN’s Fallout: How Far From Barack Obama’s Campaign Tree?
Update: From Michelle Malkin, more compelling information on ACORN fraudulent activity, plus federal judge calls out Ohio secretary of state for election law violations... If you haven't been paying attention, it's time to tune in to the story of the Democratic presidential candidate (Barack Obama), widespread voting fraud (ACORN), and detestable past actions that fed the current financial crisis. Are you with me so far? I don't need to retread all the facts because so many others already have. Let's start with this editorial in Investor's Business Daily:A radical group Barack Obama used to work for is committing voter-registration fraud in several states, ahead of the election. What does Obama know about this scam? It goes … [Read more...]
Will VP Debate Moderator Gwen Ifill Disclose Her Conflict of Interest?
Question before tomorrow night's vice-presidential debate: Will moderator Gwen Ifill disclose to the viewing audience her clear conflict of interest? Just wanted to lay that out up front. … [Read more...]
Reasonable Solution Needed in Denver Post Lawsuit against Bill Ritter
So the Denver Post is suing Gov. Bill Ritter for access to his personal cell phone records? While I'm a strong proponent of transparency in government, it would seem this is slightly over the line. Over at The Colorado Index, a watcher writes "in defense of Bill Ritter." The typically conservative blogger is no big fan of either the Governor or the Post. A watcher especially has problems with the way the latter has responded to his quest for legal ethics reform. So what should be done? I agree with Rocky Mountain Right's assessment:Ritter should disclose any calls he made related to state business in accordance with the law even if they were on a private phone, but he should also not have to disclose every time he called his wife or … [Read more...]
Closing the Loop on Labor Union Disclosure of Member Dues Money
Union members in Colorado and across the nation stand to gain from newly proposed federal rules that would provide a clearer picture of how union leaders are spending their hard-earned dues money. If you're a glutton for punishment, there's the official 103-page document with the new rules. For the rest of us, compliments of the Public Service Research Foundation, there is a layman's version of the new pro-worker rules:They require that unions specify the costs of benefits being provided to officers and employees. Under the present system the cost of benefits is only reported as one big lump sum. The new regulations will allow union members to see how much they are paying in benefits for each officer and employee. This will … [Read more...]