Witholding information from the public

[Brutha]

In Obama first term in office he classified 22.6% more information than was classified in the year before.
The classification now costs 10 billion per year.

At the same time money for open government get's cut.
There are plans to end the Statistical Abstract.
Part of the money for data.gov get's also cut.

According to the Sunlight foundation:
The Electronic Government Fund, which supports the flagship transparency programs we’ve been fighting for, was cut from $34 million to $8 million.

If you have to spend 10 billion on withholding information it's clear that you have to cut somewhere. Cutting 26 million from open government initiatives won't completely pay for the increased secrecy cost but it goes with spirit.

In total Obama isn't doing well on general government openness even when you ignore his war on whistleblowers.

[Le Roi]

Yeah, I agree it's a dissapointment.

[KaleidoskopicVision]

Originally Posted by Le Roi

Yeah, I agree it's a dissapointment.

It's more than a disappointment, Obama has proven to the American public that his actions are contrary to his words most of the time. He's untrustworthy and deceitful. Though I don't want anyone to elaborate on this as it would derail the thread, not showing proof of Osama's death is much in the spirit of how he's been running the administration.

What I want to know is who his handlers are.

[JSB]

It's easy to run on a campaign of open government, until you win and discover exactly what you have been proposing to share with the public and what the effects of sharing this information will be.

[Le Roi]

Originally Posted by KaleidoskopicVision

It's more than a disappointment, Obama has proven to the American public that his actions are contrary to his words most of the time. He's untrustworthy and deceitful. Though I don't want anyone to elaborate on this as it would derail the thread, not showing proof of Osama's death is much in the spirit of how he's been running the administration.

What I want to know is who his handlers are.

I don't feel it's a conspiracy. When you're on the outside looking in, it's in your interest to want the government to open up. Then when you're in the inside looking out, it's in your interest to want the government to stay close and not be open. It's a pain to be inside the government and open up, especially when you have all sorts of enemies, both real and political, gunning for you.

Doesn't make it right that he is doing this, and it's disappointing he couldn't rise above the pressure.

[Brutha]

When you're on the outside looking in, it's in your interest to want the government to open up. Then when you're in the inside looking out, it's in your interest to want the government to stay close and not be open.

He promised during his campaign to increase government transparency.
He deceived a lot of people about his intentions. That's what conspiring is all about isn't it?

It's a pain to be inside the government and open up, especially when you have all sorts of enemies, both real and political, gunning for you.

I don't think that the Statistical Abstract reveals that kind of information.
If the information that are released in the Statistical Abstract bring political problem for an administration that administration is doing a lot wrong.

[KaleidoskopicVision]

Originally Posted by Le Roi

I don't feel it's a conspiracy. When you're on the outside looking in, it's in your interest to want the government to open up. Then when you're in the inside looking out, it's in your interest to want the government to stay close and not be open. It's a pain to be inside the government and open up, especially when you have all sorts of enemies, both real and political, gunning for you.

Doesn't make it right that he is doing this, and it's disappointing he couldn't rise above the pressure.

The word conspiracy has a lot of negative connotations these days. A conspiracy does not have to be this amazingly complex, far reaching and well hidden plan. Two people agreeing to cover something up, even if it's something as simple as blaming that cookie jar you and your brother broke when you were kids on the family dog qualifies as conspiring. The magnitude implied by the word relative to the current cultural atmosphere is sometimes disproportionate and overly suggestive of nonexistent connections.

[cylon]

Originally Posted by Brutha

He promised during his campaign to increase government transparency.

That was the first warning sign.

Also, look out for people who go out of their way to tell you how honest they are.
Likewise, watch out for the people who feel the need to tell you how open-minded they are.
Not to mention the people who feel it is their duty to let you know how truly loving and compassionate they are.

etc. etc.

[Justin Mazza]

We should all focus on what he does (actions) and not on what he says.

Unless you are a blind follower who is not willing to look at the situation openly and honestly.

[Andrew Brunelle]

In a perfect world, everything would be out in the open. But Obama cannot just let everything out, because first of all, it would cause a revolution here in America. Secondly, other countries would know all our secrets and we would be exposed to whatever "dirt" they had on us. I know that every country classifies lots of information, but America is probably towards the top of the list.

Hardly anyone knows what the two wars we are in right now are like for the soldiers and what the motives are. Why are we still there? I doubt anyone can give an answer that isn't BS or something their ideology taught them. The NWO is coming to fruition, and the most important thing for the people running the world is that the general public never finds out about it. Or that when they do, it is too late to do anything.

Obama, like Bush before him, like every president before him, has to conform to what the owners of this country and the world want. If they don't, they just might end up like JFK or RFK. It has to do with the control structure and keeping us in ignorance about what is really going on. It sickens me, but what can we do about it besides try to get the word out and possibly be labeled a "terrorist" for expressing "anti-American ideas?"

[Brutha]

In a perfect world, everything would be out in the open. But Obama cannot just let everything out, because first of all, it would cause a revolution here in America.

Don't get caught up in absolutes.
It makes you miss the event that the amount that gets classified changed under Obama.

[cylon]

Obama also has kept the press (who helped to elect him) at bay to an alarming degree. It's actually comical to read accounts from the same journalists who pushed this guy on us complain about how never in their careers have they had such limited (if any) access to the POTUS.

[Donatas Kaulinis]

I'm still not educated in these fields enough, but if these statements are true:
1) Most of the worlds governments are corrupt
2) Being in power messes with your psyche
3) Economics is not about being economic, but raping the earth for the profit of the few

What can an 18 year old like me do about it? Or any other person? I know there must be something. Joining activist movements, using your best skills to bring awareness about these things?

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by KaleidoskopicVision

It's more than a disappointment, Obama has proven to the American public that his actions are contrary to his words most of the time. He's untrustworthy and deceitful. Though I don't want anyone to elaborate on this as it would derail the thread, not showing proof of Osama's death is much in the spirit of how he's been running the administration.

What I want to know is who his handlers are.

I guess it just goes to show that in dark times, even the most cynical will choose to place their hope in someone despite the history of lemmings prior to him.

I know how hope is a survival tactic for masses of people during hard times, and even I felt hope and like he was gonna be different...but I guess I was wrong.

He's a politician. At the end of the day, politicians all lie...it's just what they do and how the game is played. What's surprising is the way people act surprised that it's happened again. They tell us what we want to hear to get in office and then proceed to fist us all with a chuckle.

I know I'm not from the states, but it effects everyone in some way.

[Agota]

Originally Posted by Donatas Kaulinis

2) Being in power messes with your psyche

Your psyche is already messed up before getting power. Power only brings your real qualities to the surface. The same with money. (My take on that: External circumstances can't change you)

I have no knowledge in politics whatsoever (I don't know how the president of my own country looks like, but hey, I know Obama ), but can it be possible that reasons for secrecy might be very valid, e.g. information would cause mass panic if it would be shared publicly, etc?