From our guest poster Bruce Kesler -
President Obama’s told congressional Republicans, suggesting changes to the Porkapalooza recovery bill, “I won.” So much for the promised cooperation across the aisle. Today, discussing the bill with an avid Obama supporter, I suggested a compromise: Let the Democrats’ bill pass but with one amendment, that all provisions and spending sunset (expire) December 31, 2009. He agreed. If there’s anything of merit buried in the dungpile, it will flower. Congress can then renew it. Otherwise, most of the waste will die, having been demonstrated worthless. Another major promise by the new administration, for greater transparency, is quickly showing itself subject to crossed fingers behind the back.
The open-government advocate Sunlight Foundation reveals that the very first bill signed by Obama broke his promise to wait at least 5-days before signing any non-emergency legislation, to receive public comments to be considered by the President. Sunlight notes: “It is too bad they let this transparency promise slip on the very first piece of legislation that hit the President’s desk.” The Columbia Journalism Review finds its ill and unprofessional treatment by the White house Press Office fails to meet Obama’s promise, possibly to “indicate that President Obama’s messages about open government have not reached press secretary Robert Gibbs and his staff.” The CJR reporter comments:
Talking to working reporters is not the only way to communicate with the people. The Obama administration seems to be embracing direct delivery of its messages via the whitehouse.gov website and YouTube. They seem to be saying “We don’t need the press to communicate our messages to the people. We can talk to the people ourselves.” The media honeymoon with Obama is fading, after so much support from the media to his campaign. Another now dispensable Obama supporter under the bus.
So, it seems that the Obama messages will be delivered directly to his supporters, but the feedback from any disagreeing or questioning is less welcomed. The definition of a dysfunctional system is one lacking feedback, for adaptivity. It’s going to be a long, and dangerous, four years.
