you don't have a right to know' what's going on in government

[Sallow]

What she says is technically correct as outlined in the constitution, no branch is entirely accountable to the others and has the right to keep it's internal deliberations and actions to itself.

Bullshit.

Nigga protectin nigga.

Classy

 

[Sallow]

I agree. We don't have a right to know what's going on.

We have a fundamental responsibility to know what's going on. It's our responsibility to keep our representatives accountable. Anyone who denies us said information is trying to impede our ability to keep them accountable and is unfit for office

The Energy Task Force, officially the National Energy Policy Development Group (NEPDG), was a task force created by then-U.S. President George W. Bush in 2001 during his second week in office. Vice President Dick Cheney was named chairman. This group was intended to “develop a national energy policy designed to help the private sector, and, as necessary and appropriate, State and local governments, promote dependable, affordable, and environmentally sound production and distribution of energy for the future."[1][2]

The Bush Transition Energy Advisory Team,[3] shaped the administration’s supply-side energy policy administration and was a precursor to the Energy Task Force.[4

<snip>

In 2001, the energy task force that Cheney had commenced in secret finally went public.[14] Soon afterwards, the United States House of Representatives approved the measures and decided to legalize the new policy set forth by Cheney. Upon revision of the policy it was evident that many of the regulations and recommendations were pro-Oil company.[citation needed] The policy assigned little accountability for mistakes or harmful actions to those in authority, especially the government officials. This policy was to provide very specific guidelines to run the Energy Task Force efficiently and effectively.[15]

The NEP was intended to be a directive with clear instructions on how to proceed with the new task force.[citation needed] Despite the fact that renewable energy was the purpose behind establishing this force[citation needed], only 7 of the 105 recommendations in the final report referenced renewable energy.[15] Many of the big oil companies were benefiting from the policy.[citation needed] There is some speculation that some of the congressmen profited from the policy due to the major contributions they got from these companies.[citation needed]

Most of the activities of the Energy Task Force have not been disclosed to the public, even though Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests (since 19 April 2001) have sought to gain access to its materials. The organisations Judicial Watch and Sierra Club launched a law suit (U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia: Judicial Watch Inc. v. Department of Energy, et al., Civil Action No. 01-0981) under the FOIA to gain access to the task force's materials. After several years of legal wrangling, in May, 2005 an appeals court permitted the Energy Task Force's records to remain secret.[16][17]

Careful what you wish for..

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Liberals are Fascists.

 

[Sallow]

Really? The people that are the government don't have a right to know what their government is doing in their name? Since when did we start voting for people that won't tell us what is really happening?

How about you growing the fuck up and learning that all governments have secrets? Just because you helped pay for it doesn't mean you get the know the launch codes. I have a head full of secrets I'm forbidden to talk about, for life. You and millions of other helped pay for that and you don't get to a know a single one. That's life on this rock so grow up!!!!!

Yes of course we have to have some secrets but not in this case. This has nothing to do with the Military, FBI or CIA.
Using the office as a political campaign operation is aFor Holmes to say that no one has the right to know that, is what Tyrannical governments do. Not our American form of government.
What has happened to our liberals where they used to say the openness and transparency are a must to prevent abuses of powers?
We are not a closed tyrannical government but Holmes seems to think so.

The Bush administration payment of columnists refers to the payment of public funds to right-wing media commentators by several U.S. executive departments under Cabinet officials to promote various policies of U.S. President George W. Bush's administration. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were paid to at least three commentators to promote Bush administration policies.

Bush administration payment of columnists - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

One critic of the VNR technique, John Stauber, an observer and critic of the Public Relations business says, "These fellows are whistling past the graveyard, assuring themselves that this all is no big deal. There was no hint of shame, certainly no apologizing, just apparent disdain for having their business practices dissected on the front page of the New York Times. They are proud of their work."[3]
The New York Times reported in March 2005 that "In all, at least 20 federal agencies, including the Defense Department and the Census Bureau, have made and distributed hundreds of television news segments in the past four years, records and interviews show. Many were subsequently broadcast on local stations across the country without any acknowledgement of the government's role in their production."[4]
A VNR financed by the Department of Health and Human Services was aired on a number of local news programs around the country, as conventional journalism when in fact, it was produced to promote the new Medicare plan. The creation of the Karen Ryan video, named so because of the on-screen "reporter," was ruled in May 2004 to be in violation of federal law by the General Accounting Office (GAO), the investigative arm of the U.S. government.[5]
In September, 2005, the GAO concluded that the Department of Education had violated the law when it distributed a similar video news release using Karen Ryan as a "reporter" touting the No Child Left Behind program of the Bush administration. In May 2003 the Department had hired the Ketchum public relations firm; the contract specified, among other things, that the firm create "audio products, videos and some print materials that present clear, coherent, targeted messages regarding ED&#8217;s programs and that relate to the Department&#8217;s legislative initiatives".[6]
Video news release - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_news_release

 

[Sallow]

Liberals are Fascists.

Well no.

Issa's trying to drum up yet another scandal.

His others didn't go so well.

Darrell Issa Concedes No Wrongdoing By White House Office, Pushes Subpoena Anyway

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) conceded Friday that, despite his weeks-long effort to subpoena White House political adviser David Simas to testify before his committee, there is no evidence of any wrongdoing by Simas' office.

Issa said during a hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which he chairs, that he's not demanding that Simas testify because he thinks the White House Office of Political Affairs has inappropriately engaged in political campaign activities. Rather, Issa said, it's the potential for that office to overstep the line in the future that he wants to examine.

"We are accusing neither the president nor this four-person office of any wrongdoing," Issa said, adding, "I allege no wrongdoing."

Issa has been scuffling with the White House for weeks over his demand that Simas testify about his office's work in the context of the Hatch Act, a law that prohibits federal workers from engaging in partisan political activities. The White House ignored Issa's subpoena last week, claiming that Simas has immunity since his office hasn't done anything wrong. In the meantime, administration officials met with Issa's committee staff for more than an hour to answer their questions, and a special investigator's office concluded there is no evidence that Simas' team has broken any laws.

But Issa has signaled that isn't enough. Before adjourning Friday's hearing, he called for a vote on a resolution stating that the committee rejects the White House's claim that Simas is immune from the committee's subpoena. The resolution passed on a party-line vote, 19-14. It's unclear what happens now.

Issa said he is trying to drive home the point that the Obama administration is not "above the law" when it comes to oversight. He cited a number of top Democrats who made that same case during the Bush administration, when President George W. Bush asserted that his top aides were immune from congressional subpoenas.

"I expect Mr. Simas to face the consequences" of failing to comply with a subpoena, Issa said.

But Democrats pointed to a key difference between Issa's latest subpoena and Democrats subpoenaing top Bush officials in 2007: back then, there was actual evidence of inappropriate activity involving the U.S. Attorney scandal.

"You're trying to cut off and have a chilling effect on that communication between a presidential adviser and a president, with no allegation of wrongdoing whatsoever. That's what you're trying to do here," Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) told Issa. "That's bad for any president, not only this president."

Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) slammed Issa for leading "a fishing expedition" over the White House political office, which has an budget of about $1 million, when there are legitimate scandals the committee should be investigating that involve hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars being lost to fraud instead.

"Two and a half months ago, I sent to the chairman of this committee a letter asking him to start an investigation ... on Health Management Associates, which has already ripped off the taxpayers of this country by $600 million in Medicare and Medicare fraud," Speier said, referring to a case also being looked at by the Justice Department.

At what point do you guys start feel embarrassed by this?

 

[Avatar4321]

Seriously Sallow? Why do you seem to think I would give Bush a pass?

President Bush is just as accountable to the people. The difference is he isnt in office now and we can't do anything to hold him accountable.