Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Change We Can...Oh Never Mind

In his inaugural address, Barack Obama promised a new era of responsibility, and soon after passed ethics reform laws to guide his administration and to demonstrate a new beginning in Washington. No lobbyists in this White House! There will be complete transparency of government actions. Mmmm, hmmmm. It's been two weeks, so let's see how well the "Change We Can Believe In" mantra passes the eye-roll test.

Six of Obama's nominees for inner circle positions (cabinet posts, AG, Czars) have been dogged by ethics issues, serious conflicts of interest with their post, or outright tax fraud. These include Hillary Clinton, Bill Richardson, Tim Geithner, Eric Holder, Nancy Killifer, and Tom Daschle. Some, as in the case of Treasury Secretary, Tim Geithner and HHS Secretary, Tom Daschle, have issues with taxes AND conflicts of interest. Some stepped down, but others have been confirmed. And these are the Masters of the Universe who will determine our fates in the coming years.

The "No Lobbyists" rule went out the window when William Lynn III, a former lobbyist for Raytheon came on board as deputy defense secretary, and Tim Geithner hired a former lobbyist for Goldman Sachs as his new chief of staff.

Obama himself campaigned on a strong environmental platform, chiding Americans that we cannot continue to drive our SUV's and keep our thermostats on 72 degrees. Meanwhile, he strolls about the Oval Office in shirt sleeves, with the temperature cranked up to 78 degrees. His Chief of Staff jokes that "It's hot enough to grow orchids in there". But hey, he's from Hawaii, so let's give him a break. Umm, didn't he leave Hawaii about 20 years ago?

And what about transparency? Shouldn't he inform the public that the Porculus Bill, written under the guise of a Stimulus Package, is the opening salvo into universal health care and a huge payback package for democrat loyalists and entitlement programs near and dear to his heart? Or did he just hope that that would slip by us unnoticed?

Thus far, I'll have to give BO's promise of reform a great big teenage daughter sized eye-roll.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mad Mom,
I can just imagine the size and intensity of that eye-roll.
Too bad that BO and the embarrassingly idiotic legislators that voted for this non-stimulus bill in the House won't receive it first hand.
Can I have hope that the majority of the American people get it and have enough energy to stand up and fight....fight for America's economic and social future.

Mad Mom said...

I think they are starting to hear our voices, John, but we can't let up, not for one minute. Because they really are idiots, and never think to actually cut crap out of the bill and not ADD something else in. They seem to think that they have to spend 1 trillion dollars. Says who?

Anonymous said...

These people aren't really idiots you know. At least not Obama's crew. They are crafty and Alinsky followers who want to change our government from within. I have been e-mailing senators and reps. for 2 days, any name I read in the news that may be compromising, attempting to mediate, whatever. I wish all retired people would do so, but I'm out of AARP; all they want is payoff also!

Mad Mom said...

You are so right Anon; Obama and Co. are not idiots at all. They are sinister and manipulative to the core. It's the idiots in Congress to whom we refer.