http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/transparency/ en-us Mon, 10 Jun 2013 02:56:54 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3029338/posts This is what it’s come to for Barack Obama: Reality has sunk in for many Americans, who at last understand that the guy we elected on the naive expectation that he would undo the excesses of the Bush-Cheney national security state has instead made them much worse. It will be difficult, if not impossible, for Obama to escape this legacy now. He is the drone president, the assassination president, the domestic-surveillance president, whose entire administration has a professionalized passion for secrecy that makes the low-rent paranoids of the Nixon White House look like Keystone Kops. I did not suspect that... Salon http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3029338/posts#comment Mon, 10 Jun 2013 02:56:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3027460/posts Sun, sun, sun, here it comes. Welcome to the Summer of Belated Epiphanies. Media lapdogs are finally, finally arriving at the conclusion that maybe this isn't the most transparent administration in world history, after all. On Tuesday, the Associated Press reported on the Obama administration's use of secret email accounts, stonewalling on Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and attempted shakedown of reporters seeking public information on just how widespread the disclosure evasion might be. Take note: It wasn't the AP that originally uncovered Team Obama's penchant for email sock-puppetry. Chris Horner, Competitive Enterprise Institute fellow and author of "The... Townhall.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3027460/posts#comment Wed, 5 Jun 2013 09:57:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3027275/posts WASHINGTON — Michael Froman, a longtime White House economic aide nominated to be President Obama’s trade representative, holds close to $500,000 in the Cayman Islands and received millions of dollars to divest himself from Wall Street accounts that rely on a tax loophole the administration has sought to close. Financial documents provided to the Senate Finance Committee by Mr. Froman are likely to draw scrutiny as his nomination comes before the committee, which is typically unsparing in its examinations of nominee tax returns and financial assets. Republicans on the committee say they plan to accuse Mr. Obama of hypocrisy for... The New York Times (amazingly) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3027275/posts#comment Tue, 4 Jun 2013 20:49:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3026732/posts Richard Windsor may be the most famous Environmental Protection Agency employee. Oddly, he does not exist. “Windsor” is the e-mail alias that Lisa Jackson, former head of the EPA and now an environmental adviser to Apple, used to correspond with environmental activists and senior Obama-administration officials, among others. Windsor, we have learned, was also an employee of significant achievement. Documents released by the agency in response to a Freedom of Information Act request reveal that, for three years, the EPA certified Windsor as a “scholar of ethical behavior.” The agency also documented the nonexistent Windsor’s completion of training courses in... National Review http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3026732/posts#comment Mon, 3 Jun 2013 15:33:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3026144/posts May 31, 2013 White House defense: Visitor logs too unreliable to reveal whether Shulman actually visited 157 times Vince Coglianese The White House on Friday pushed back against news that former IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman visited the White House at least 157 times from 2009 to 2012.Shulman is a central figure in the IRS’s targeting of conservative groups, having led the agency while those groups were singled out for harassment.When challenged last week by congressional investigators about just 118 of the 157 apparent White House visits, Shulman did not dispute the number, only identifying several reasons why he visited so... The Daily Caller http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3026144/posts#comment Sat, 1 Jun 2013 15:45:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3024699/posts This essay is a call to citizens to put real work, ingenuity, and community above false promises and disgraced authority. Empowerment, in this essay, is not about pumping up self-esteem but rather equipping citizens to take control of the global economy. When political and economic leaders fail to act effectively, we will have to be the ones to succeed. Capitalism stands and falls upon care, not the superficial “I-feel-your-pain” type, but the deep, committed “I-give-a-damn” type. What does it mean to give a damn? “I give a damn” means: I get broadly and deeply involved, I refuse to ignore what... Of Two Minds.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3024699/posts#comment Tue, 28 May 2013 19:58:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3022787/posts The chief judge of the District’s federal court issued an unusual order Wednesday, apologizing to the public and the media for not making certain court documents widely available online. The gesture of transparency by U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth comes at a time when the Obama administration is under scrutiny for an unprecedented number of leak investigations, including one showing that the Justice Department had secretly probed the news-gathering activities of Fox News reporter James Rosen. The investigation of Rosen was first reported Monday, after The Washington Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3022787/posts#comment Thu, 23 May 2013 01:49:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3022213/posts Tuesday afternoon a bombshell was dropped into the already explosive IRS scandal when it was reported that Lois Lerner, a top IRS official in the non-profit division that paralyzed Tea Party groups with ongoing harassment, would invoke the Fifth Amendment and refuse to answer questions during Congressional testimony schedule before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday. The LA Times reports that Lerner will refuse to answer any questions about what she knows about the targeting of conservative groups. She will also refuse to explain why she is refusing to answer questions. Lerner has retained defense attorney William W. Taylor 3rd,... Breitbart.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3022213/posts#comment Tue, 21 May 2013 20:56:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3021550/posts The late columnist William Safire once said that a good clue that someone in Washington was engaged in “an artful dodge,” i.e., a cover-up, was that they used the phrase “mistakes were made.” Safire defined it as a “passive-evasive way of acknowledging error while distancing the speaker from responsibility for it.” The phrase became infamous when both Richard Nixon and Ron Ziegler, his press secretary, deployed it to explain away Watergate without explaining who did what and when or whether any ill motive was involved. AdvertisementAstonishingly, the Internal Revenue Service resurrected the Nixonian expression within hours of its clumsy revelation... national review http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3021550/posts#comment Mon, 20 May 2013 11:51:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3019928/posts 100 pages of e-mails and documents Fox News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3019928/posts#comment Wed, 15 May 2013 21:17:50 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3018986/posts President Obama on Thursday hailed his administration for its transparency. “This is the most transparent administration in history,” Obama said during a Google Plus “Fireside” Hangout. “I can document that this is the case,” he continued. “Every visitor that comes into the White House is now part of the public record. Every law we pass and every rule we implement we put online for everyone to see.” The president said this holds true even on the issue of the attack on a U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, a controversy which he said was “driven by campaign” politics and one that... THE HILL http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3018986/posts#comment Mon, 13 May 2013 23:25:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3017936/posts The White House held an off-the-record briefing with reporters on Friday afternoon to discuss recent revelations about the Benghazi investigation, sources familiar with the meeting tell POLITICO. Politico http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3017936/posts#comment Fri, 10 May 2013 18:45:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3017958/posts LOS ANGELES — A California law that created an agency to oversee national health care reforms granted it broad authority to conceal spending on the contractors that will perform most of its functions, potentially shielding the public from seeing how hundreds of millions of dollars are spent. The degree of secrecy afforded Covered California appears unique among states attempting to establish their own health insurance exchanges under President Barack Obama's signature health law. An Associated Press review of the 16 other states that have opted for state-run marketplaces shows the California agency was given powers that are the most restrictive... UT Sand Diego http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3017958/posts#comment Fri, 10 May 2013 19:58:28 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3014165/posts NOTE: Full title of article is, "In rare public Q-and-A with reporters, Obama denies knowing Benghazi terror-attack survivors have been forbidden from talking to Congress" ---------------------------------------------------- At least four career officials have hired lawyers as they prepare to share sensitive information with CongressWould-be State Department whistle-blowers claim harassment, intimidationObama: I'm not familiar with this notion that anybody's been blocked from testifying' President Barack Obama said during a rare public session answering reporters' questions that he was unaware of any efforts to prevent survivors of the 2012 Benghazi, Libya terror attack from testifying before Congress about what they experienced. 'I'm not... Dailly Mail UK http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3014165/posts#comment Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:34:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3010953/posts Harry Reid and Wal-Mart hope nobody will notice their online revenue raid. Every time Congress has taken a serious look at proposals to boost Internet sales taxes, it has rejected them. That's probably why pro-tax Senators are trying to rush through an online tax hike with as little consideration as possible. As early as Monday, the Senate will vote on a bill that was introduced only last Tuesday. The text of this legislation, which would fundamentally change interstate commerce, only became available on the Library of Congress website over the weekend. And you thought ObamaCare was jammed through Nancy Pelosi's... WSJ http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3010953/posts#comment Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:48:15 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3009149/posts Steve Emerson just broke the shocking news that the Saudi National, Abdul al-Harbi, first questioned in the Boston bombing, is going to be deported on "national security grounds." He is from a very powerful Saudi family with many terrorist ties. Abdul al-Harbi is a devout Muslim from Medina. I said it takes longer than 15 hours to investigate all of Abdul al-Harbi's relatives, friends, acquaintances, and business and school friends. Perhaps a quick look at the Arabic sources should raise the eyebrows of every American relative to the extent of the problem at hand. Many from Al-Harbi’s clan are steeped... Atlas Shrugs http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3009149/posts#comment Thu, 18 Apr 2013 02:40:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3009055/posts Last reports indicated video of a suspect planting a device was obtained, but there is no ID on the suspect. If they have no ID on the suspect, would not showing the video to the public possibly reveal who the suspect is? Would friends, family, acquaintances, co-workers or possibly his neighbors be able to ID the suspect? It's already been announced world wide the video was obtained at one of the bomb sites in front of a retail shop. So it would not seem likely the investigation would be compromised, since the suspect himself would already know they had video... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3009055/posts#comment Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:54:43 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3007578/posts According to an ABC News report, senators from the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” pushing immigration reform are expected to drop their bill, estimated at around 1,500 pages, on Tuesday, mere hours before the only scheduled Senate hearing on the topic. “A bipartisan group of senators plans to introduce its long-awaited immigration bill on Tuesday, Senate sources confirmed to ABC News,” Jim Avila and Jordan Fabian wrote on Friday. “Four Democrats and four Republicans, known as the 'Gang of Eight,' wrapped up months of hard-fought negotiations this week and will put forth a bill that includes a pathway to citizenship for... Breitbart - Big Government http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3007578/posts#comment Sat, 13 Apr 2013 22:00:16 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3003458/posts The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has responded to a letter dated November 13, 2012 from Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) regarding the agency's ammunition purchases. Sen. Coburn published the response on the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs website yesterday, April 1, 2013. The response, dated February 4, 2013, says that DHS buys ammunition in bulk to "significantly lower costs." cnsnews.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3003458/posts#comment Tue, 2 Apr 2013 23:03:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3002951/posts Top Environmental Protection Agency officials used computer instant messages to try to circumvent open-records laws, according to a new lawsuit filed late last week by a researcher who has been demanding the agency comply with the law. Christopher C. Horner, the researcher who earlier uncovered that EPA officials were using private email addresses to conduct official business, said that in going over some of those earlier records he discovered the agency was using instant messages, too. He now is suing to get a look at those records, which he said EPA has refused to release. “It seems we have uncovered... The Washington Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3002951/posts#comment Mon, 1 Apr 2013 15:42:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3001989/posts The Federal Bureau of Investigation has broken its silence on the most popular file in its digital vault. The one-page memo, dated March 22, 1950, was addressed to FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover from Guy Hottel, then head of the FBI's Washington, D.C., field office. It relayed some information from an informant. The subject: FLYING SAUCERS INFORMATION CONCERNING "An investigator for the Air Force stated that three so-called flying saucers had been recovered in New Mexico," Hottel writes. "They were described as being circular in shape with raised centers, approximately 50 feet in diameter. Each one was occupied by three... yahoo.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3001989/posts#comment Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:22:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3002365/posts Over the next 10 years health reform will impose upon us about $1 trillion in new taxes and it will take another $716 billion out of Medicare, imperiling access to care for the elderly and the disabled according to Medicare's Office of the Actuaries. It will impose a mandate to buy health insurance on most people and fine us if we don't comply. It will compel all but the smallest employers to provide insurance to their employees and fine them if they don't. Since economic theory teaches that workers pay for health benefits with lower wages and fewer non-health... Townhall.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3002365/posts#comment Sat, 30 Mar 2013 14:19:15 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2998546/posts Congressman Leonard Lance (R-NJ) has come out and demanded that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano explain why the Department of Homeland Security has been engaging in huge amounts of purchases of ammunition over the past year. Rep. Lance has called on Congress to get involved in ascertaining DHS’ stockpiling of ammunition which is enough to wage a 20 year plus war, which has most certainly caused a shortage in the public market. “I think Congress should ask the Department about both of those issues and I would like a full explanation as to why that has been done and I... Freedom Outpost http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2998546/posts#comment Tue, 19 Mar 2013 20:43:50 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2993716/posts The Obama administration denied an appeal for flexibility in lessening the sequester’s effects, with an email this week appearing to show officials in Washington that because they already had promised the cuts would be devastating, they now have to follow through on that. In the email sent Monday by Charles Brown, an official with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service office in Raleigh, N.C., Mr. Brown asked “if there was any latitude” in how to spread the sequester cuts across the region to lessen the impacts on fish inspections. He said he was discouraged by officials in Washington, who... Washington Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2993716/posts#comment Tue, 5 Mar 2013 19:18:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2239462/posts Obama's Chilling Crew   By Andrew WaldenFrontPageMagazine.com | Tuesday, April 28, 2009 Why is there so little media investigation of the financing behind Barack Obama’s early political sponsor—and now convicted felon—Tony Rezko?      The dual US-Syrian citizen Rezko--who assisted Obama in the purchase of his Chicago mansion--was heavily funded by loans from Iraqi-British ex-Baathist billionaire Nadhmi Auchi.  According to testimony at Rezko’s trial, Obama met Auchi at an April 3, 2004 event at Rezko’s home during Obama’s 2004 US Senate campaign.  The Times of London reports discovering, “state documents in Illinois recording that Fintrade Services, a Panamanian company, lent... Frontpagemagazine http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2239462/posts#comment Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:42:30 GMT