Liberal Watchdog Questions White House Gmail Use 283
Posted
by
timothy
from the it-cannot-be-it-must-not-be dept.
from the it-cannot-be-it-must-not-be dept.
MexiCali59 writes "Liberal watchdog CREW has joined Republican Congressman Darrell Issa in calling for an investigation into whether White House staffers regularly use private email accounts to communicate with lobbyists. The allegations, first reported last week by the New York Times, would likely constitute a violation of federal law as well as an ethics pledge created by Obama upon taking office last year."
Re:Everybody does it... (Score:1, Interesting)
Yes, but this is "the most transparent administration in history". Different. Change. Remember? Or do past sins justify present?
Re:Everybody does it... (Score:2, Interesting)
And?
Here in Canada, Prime Minister Stephen Harper campaigned back in 2006 on a platform of "transparency and accountability." Since taking office, he has proceeded to dismantle numerous democratic checks and balances, closed down programs that facilitate public scrutiny, shut down media access to important information, and is now running the most secretive government in Canadian history.
Politicians lie. They say things to get elected and then do the exact opposite. It's what they do.
Re:Actually, yeah, he has. (Score:1, Interesting)
No wharrgarbl like political wharrgarbl, amirite?
Read this.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/ [politifact.com]
Their analysis of warrantless wiretapping makes it clear that they have a skewed perspective. They rate it as stalled when their analysis states that congress wants to pass new laws limiting the executives power to spy on Americans but the White House is fighting against them.
Re:Who's taking care of ordinary folk's business? (Score:3, Interesting)
Well, if Joe is over 55 he has AARP to lobby for (certain aspects of) him. If he carries a gun, he has the NRA. Heck, if he drives a car he may have AAA. So many organizations we do business with and are fundamental to our lives have someone speaking up as lobbyists. Joe Six Pack isn't unrepresented. Maybe he would like his own personal voice, as would every citizen. Can you imagine 300,000,000 lobbyists in DC? They get their individual voice every 2+ years when they vote in various representatives.
Re:No Surprise... (Score:3, Interesting)
While I agree that there are many things the Democrats could do if they all agreed (but don't all agree), you seem to be either ignorant of the concept of a filibuster or purposefully ignoring its implications.
Re:No Surprise... (Score:3, Interesting)
If the Republicans could successfully mount a concerted filibuster, you might have a point. The moderate Republicans might as well be Democrats for the purposes of trying to filibuster something.
Again: If the Democrats could get their moderates onto the party bus, the Republicans wouldn’t stand a chance at stopping anything the Democrats wanted to roll through. Yeah, if the Republicans could get their own moderates to toe the line, they might stand a chance at opposing it... but we all know that hasn’t happened, so quit pretending it’s all the Republicans’ fault.
Re:No Surprise... (Score:3, Interesting)
uh, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is a *law*.
There's another law on the books that says that in times of war (like, say, when we have troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan) the President can suspend limits on who can serve in the military.
You're right that to permanently removed Don't Ask, Don't Tell, a new law is needed. If Obama was serious about ending it, though, all he has to do is sign an executive order [palmcenter.org], as long as we're at war.
Re:I give up (Score:1, Interesting)
Sigh.
I find it disgusting how much people try to pass the buck onto the other guys.
"THE DEMOCRATS CAN'T DO NUFFIN CAUSE THE REPUBLICANS WON'T LET THEM."
"THE REPUBLICANS CAN'T DO NUFFIN BECAUSE THE DEMOCRATS HAVE THE POWER."
Well fuck, looks like neither side can do anything but prevent the other side from doing anything.
No, shut up. I'm neither a Democrat nor a Republican. I'm an opportunistic voter who votes for whichever candidate will give me more stuff I want. Maybe my mercenary tactics are bad for the government, but I doubt it. Voting solely for the same party is what keeps the 2 party system going without change.
BOTH SIDES SUCK. IT'S UNDERSTOOD. IT'S NOT ALL THE OTHER GUY. FUCK, EVEN THIRD PARTIES SUCK.
rabid progressive here: (Score:3, Interesting)
If they did this, they should go to jail.
Bush did it too. Also should have gone to jail.
(also: White House email backup system has been non-functional since the Clinton era. Bullshit they can't afford to get that working. So fucking illegal. Their communications in doing business on MY behalf, while I'm paying them - is MY lawful property. Do the job right, or go the fuck home.)