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.