Obama: From transparency advocate to plumber-in-chief

[FarCenter]

On his first day in office President Obama vowed to create the most open government in history. But after five years his administration has brought more espionage cases against leakers than all other presidents combined.


After the Bush years, widely regarded as a dark period run by a vindictive administration in terms of government transparency and accountability, the incoming president proclaimed a new era of openness and accountability.

Never shy to make bold promises, Barack Obama on his first full day in the White House signed a memo for all departments and agencies declaring that his administration was "committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in government" and that "we will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration."

Fast forward five years and the same administration is being pillared for having a "secrecy fixation" and labeled an "abject failure on transparency" in the media. And yet President Obama himself earlier this year in a Google Hangout appearance reiterated his conviction that his administration was the most transparent in history. So who is right?

http://www.dw.de/obama-from-transparency-advocate-to-plumber-in-chief/a-16829547

[pscot]

1. As proof of the administration's quest for secrecy,

(from the link)
experts cite the harsh tactics applied against those who divulge what the administration considers sensitive information. Since taking office the Obama administration has brought six cases under the Espionage Act against government employees accused of leaking information - twice the number than all other administrations combined. This fact becomes all the more noteworthy since the laws has been in the books since 1917, a period that includes World War II, the Vietnam War and the Cold War.

The Espionage Act was intended to prosecute individuals for aiding the enemy. Curiously, in all six Espionage Act cases brought by the Obama administration defendants were accused of leaking information not to a foreign government, but to journalists

[BrotherIvan]

5. The BOGers were quick to get here

But I doubt any will respond to the subject of your post. Because his hands are tied, or Congress, or haters.

[pscot]

7. What they did to that nun who trespassed at Oakridge

is especially troubling, though she was not a whistle blower but a peace activist.. Where is the sense of proportion?

[BrotherIvan]

8. I was naive

I thought "Enemy of the State" implied a wish to hurt the people of a country, but I have learned it means anyone who might possibly undermine the power of the ruling class. Those who defend these actions have a fatal case of Stockholm Syndrome.

[Skittles]

13. the Groupies are a joke

they are like flies who keep landing on us - you watch, in 2014 they'll flee from DU because their passion will be gone

[cherokeeprogressive]

9. Thanks for pointing that out. n/t

[MannyGoldstein]

10. Terrorism is a journalist worried about going to prison

for doing her job.

[randome]

2. So a President should tell leakers that their jobs don't mean shit?

The President who set up better whistleblower protections?

[hr]
[font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font]
[hr]

[Cali_Democrat]

3. Leaking classified information is illegal

The Justice Department has an obligation to enforce the law.

[BrotherIvan]

6. But is far too busy to jail bankers or war criminals

[burnodo]

15. leaking classified information about illegal, immoral government programs

is not

[RILib]

16. leaking classified information about illegal, immoral government programs

is a fundamental responsibility.

[Cha]

4. Ah, yes the fucking "media" and their fucking Scamdals.

Fast forward five years and the same administration is being pillared for having a "secrecy fixation" and labeled an "abject failure on transparency" in the media

And, "pillared" by whom? Those with an agenda who have ODS.

[treestar]

11. those things are not in the least bit inconsistent

It is narrow minded to assume every leaker is in the right; that we can have no security that spies from abroad can never harm us and so we should do nothing about them. That is not a lack of transparency. A totally different issue.

[tavalon]

12. Yeah, I hate to use the straight forward word - liar

But Dissembler in Chief seems well earned.