WHAT I LIKE MOST ABOUT OBAMA: SPECIFICS ON TRANSPARENCY

[thoughtcrime1984]

Barack Obama's Plan

Shine the Light on Washington Lobbying


Centralize Ethics and Lobbying Information for Voters: Obama will create a centralized Internet database of lobbying reports, ethics records, and campaign finance filings in a searchable, sortable and downloadable format.

Require Independent Monitoring of Lobbying Laws and Ethics Rules: Obama will use the power of the presidency to fight for an independent watchdog agency to oversee the investigation of congressional ethics violations so that the public can be assured that ethics complaints will be investigated.

Support Campaign Finance Reform: Obama supports public financing of campaigns combined with free television and radio time as a way to reduce the influence of moneyed special interests. Obama introduced public financing legislation in the Illinois State Senate, and is the only 2008 candidate to have sponsored Senator Russ Feingold's (D-WI) tough bill to reform the presidential public financing system.

Shine the Light on Federal Contracts, Tax Breaks and Earmarks


Create a Public “Contracts and Influence” Database: As president, Obama will create a "contracts and influence" database that will disclose how much federal contractors spend on lobbying, and what contracts they are getting and how well they complete them.

Expose Special Interest Tax Breaks to Public Scrutiny: Barack Obama will ensure that any tax breaks for corporate recipients — or tax earmarks — are also publicly available on the Internet in an easily searchable format.

End Abuse of No-Bid Contracts: Barack Obama will end abuse of no-bid contracts by requiring that nearly all contract orders over $25,000 be competitively awarded.

Sunlight Before Signing: Too often bills are rushed through Congress and to the president before the public has the opportunity to review them. As president, Obama will not sign any non-emergency bill without giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House website for five days.

Shine Light on Earmarks and Pork Barrel Spending: Obama's Transparency and Integrity in Earmarks Act will shed light on all earmarks by disclosing the name of the legislator who asked for each earmark, along with a written justification, 72 hours before they can be approved by the full Senate.
Bring Americans Back into their Government

Hold 21st Century Fireside Chats: Obama will bring democracy and policy directly to the people by requiring his Cabinet officials to have periodic national broadband townhall meetings to discuss issues before their agencies.

Make White House Communications Public: Obama will amend executive orders to ensure that communications about regulatory policymaking between persons outside government and all White House staff are disclosed to the public.

Conduct Regulatory Agency Business in Public: Obama will require his appointees who lead the executive branch departments and rulemaking agencies to conduct the significant business of the agency in public, so that any citizen can see in person or watch on the Internet these debates.

Release Presidential Records: Obama will nullify the Bush attempts to make the timely release of presidential records more difficult.


Free the Executive Branch from Special Interest Influence


Close the Revolving Door on Former and Future Employers: No political appointees in an Obama administration will be permitted to work on regulations or contracts directly and substantially related to their prior employer for two years. And no political appointee will be able to lobby the executive branch after leaving government service during the remainder of the administration.

Free Career Officials from the Influence of Politics: Obama will issue an executive order asking all new hires at the agencies to sign a form affirming that no political appointee offered them the job solely on the basis of political affiliation or contribution.

Reform the Political Appointee Process: FEMA Director Michael Brown was not qualified to head the agency, and the result was a disaster for the people of the Gulf Coast. But in an Obama administration, every official will have to rise to the standard of proven excellence in the agency's mission.
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I really appreciate that Obama wants to increase the ability of the average citizen to see the workings of our Federal Government. I particularly like the 5-day viewing of bills before the President signs them, and the increased scrutiny and justification of earmarks, to cut down on pork. Ending no-bid contracts is another important one, as well as disclosing how much Federal contractors spend on lobbying, and how well they complete contracted work. His stance on ethics in gov't is a full 180 from W's!

[mopinko]

1. wicked smart. just wicked smart.

giving the people the tools to lead, so that he can follow. wicked, wicked smart.

[thoughtcrime1984]

2. Yep, I've been telling everyone I know for months that he provides

the blueprint, we must put forth the effort to make it work. This is a plan to let WE, the People actually have some real involvement in the day-to-day operations. We must stay informed, correspond with, and keep track of our Senators and Representatives, and vote accordingly. We make elected officials accountable by paying attention and voting, using the means given to us by our own President!

[mopinko]

12. just like harold

there are a couple posts on my journal about this.

[thoughtcrime1984]

14. Harold who? nt

[thoughtcrime1984]

18. I looked into your journal, mopinko

:thumbsup: Good stuff!

[splat]

3. He's so transparent I can see his ribs

[thoughtcrime1984]

4. Thanks for reminding me that you're here. Bye.

[splat]

5. Lose your funny bone?

[Blondiegrrl]

6. That's impressive. What a breath of fresh air he will be following the most oppressive,

tyrannical presidency in my lifetime (and I was born during the Nixon years).

[thoughtcrime1984]

7. This is the CHANGE that he speaks of! The fundamental working of OUR gov't!!

Just think how differently things could be if we all did our part and held people personally responsible for their votes and their lobbyist dealings! What a way to diminish lobbyist influence in gov't, when legislators know that their earmarks are being scrutinized, and that every bill is being perused, by millions of activists and other concerned citizens!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

16. I wish he would speak more about this

[thoughtcrime1984]

17. Me too, then more folks would understand the greatness of his ideas on ethics!

It's really not that hard to wrap ones' head around, he just needs to push the issue more.

[mopinko]

20. ssshhhhh! he is trying to sneak up on them.

he does understand the internets. he has already snuck in a provision of the "ethics overhaul" that the congress passed right after the '06 election to put the federal budget online. i kinda think that nobody there was really hip enough to get what that would do.
just look at the way the campaign has gone. he gets it. his team gets it.

[Qutzupalotl]

8. And the whole restoring the Constitution thing is good too.

There's so much to like.

[thoughtcrime1984]

9. When folks ask, what is this CHANGE he speaks of, this is your answer!

Accountability is central to his campaign. No more "SO?" or chimpy-shrugs with mysterious comments. There will be supreme accountability and responsibility in an Obama administration. We shall be respectable again!

[Hope And Change]

10. K & R!

:kick:

[thoughtcrime1984]

11. Kick, this is important stuff, not quite bittergate, but it'll have to do. nt

[TheDoorbellRang]

13. BIG K&R

This is one of the main reasons I will be voting for Obama in the fall.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

15. Great! He's very brave!

[grantcart]

19. k and r

[bagimin]

21. k&R

[thoughtcrime1984]

22. .