One of the main points to President Obama’s office goals was his vow of transparency regarding government goings on and the public. Those were high flying words that got him elected, but the facts, now coming to light are showing that his administration is a huge FAIL, and Democrats, Republicans, the press, and the public all agree.
This is shocking news but it took time to gather the facts. It’s now being said that Obama’s administration is the most secretive since that of deposed CnC, Richard M. Nixon. That’s a cold and bold statement, but the facts are so clearly laid out that it’s a wonder there hasn’t been a legislative meeting about the issue, nor an across the board outcry by the press themselves.
Obama even mentioned his transparency agenda during his inaugural address where he bellowed, “Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency.”.
Well, history is showing he was either lying or delusional.
The New York Times reported that about 20 investigations spreading across the breadth of government have been “slowed, stymied, or sometimes closed”, due to arguments between the Obama administration and those charged to watchdog. The arguments covered how much vital data to give to the inspectors to do their jobs.
The Times pointed to a Justice Department where inspectors in 2014 who looked into the area of federal drug agents accused of killing unarmed civilians during drug raids in Honduras. The government of Honduras cleared the U.S., but one American inspector was denied vital emails on the incident that took 11 months to get the records for.
The New York Times then went on to cite another case where allegations of sexual assault on Peace Corps volunteers overseas occurred. One volunteer was murdered in Benin in the year 2009 and it’s also reported that dozens of volunteers have reported that the Peace Corps didn’t handle their complaints properly. Lo and behold, the inspector general for the agency reported that the peace Corps’ lawyers refused to hand over documents regarding the complaints or when they did hand over documents, they were heavily censored. These obviously blatant tactics to cover government’s butt is indicative of wrongdoing and in no shape, form, or fashion is anything near transparency which Obama promised.
In another incident, the inspector general for the Commerce Department had to close an internal audit regarding trade agreement enforcement when the department’s lawyers willfully didn’t turn over records they claimed were proprietary.
Things have gotten to the point of such absurdity that it’s the one issue that sees Democrats and Republicans and the press joining forces to unravel. So bad has the situation gotten that the journalism organizations like the Society of Professional Journalists, having tried for months for more transparency will be one of several groups to meet with the White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest on December 15.
These restrictions and secrecy by the Obama administration are past the point of unacceptable. The people have a right to know and the administration’s blatant disregard for the public should have raised red flags long ago and that’s why no one sympathizes when hacker groups like Anonymous expose the government.
Obama should be ashamed of himself for this outright betrayal of the public trust and it’s gotten to the point where his actions warrant further investigation and legal action. It’s going to be a fight that the press is going to have to wage in accordance with lawmakers and citizens before it’s too late.
