In The Face of Doubt ...
Open Government
Obama told government offices on his first full day as president. "The government should not keep information confidential merely because public officials might be embarrassed by disclosure, because errors and failures might be revealed, or because of speculative or abstract fears."
A closed conference will provide tips for FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) public liaisons on communicating and negotiating with people who make requests, and introduce the new Office of Government Information Services to them, said Melanie Ann Pustay, director of the Justice Department's Office of Information Policy, which takes the lead on government openness issues.
Pustay said she planned to say the same things at the private workshop that she would say publicly. She offered these reasons to explain why it was closed: She wanted government employees to be able to speak candidly, and the conference would be in an auditorium at the Commerce Department, where she said a government ID was required to be admitted. The AP and other news organizations routinely enter government buildings to cover the government.
In a reaction to stories like this members of CTN have begun a new project in CTN's Open Source Government section. Citizens are now writing their own legislation to put CTN on the Ballots across the Nation. Yes you can use the ballot initiatives in your local governments, (city, county, state) to mandate open government locally. This will lead to Federal Laws created by The People. One step at a time, with steady determination, we can again have government responsive to the will of the people.
H.RES.444
Protecting U.S. Manufacturing
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that in order to ensure that workers and industries in the United States meet the needs of a stronger American economy and our National Security, the Nation needs an industrial policy that corrects the widespread disinvestment in its productive capacity, that preserves core industries, that positions core industries as global leaders in manufacturing the goods necessary to support clean and renewable energy development, and that restores the possibility of middle class incomes to working people.
Quoting the Republican LaTourette "Thirty six members of Congress... including six democrats have signed a letter asking Barack Obama for 'time out' on his Auto Task Force... between 8 auto plants & 789 dealerships being closed that is a total of 203,340 jobs being lost... We are asking the President to stop."
Quoting the Democrat Kucinich (... the Auto Task Force has ) "strange marketing plans - (do) you think you are going to sell more cars with less stores. They are micro-managing - telling Chrysler to stop marketing & advertising - how are you going to sell cars without advertising... let me sum it up -$70 billion are being used to close dozens of U.S. auto plants & thousands of dealerships ... all of this being done to open up a market for China. So China can sell their cheap imports here in the U.S. ... while we destroy our auto manufacturing & sales..."
See the actual bill [click here]
2009's Most Viewed Congressmen
Ken Salazar (D-CO) has been chosen by President-elect Barack Obama as his nominee for Interior Department Secretary, reports the Denver Post. Salazar's nomination to head the Interior Department, which oversees most federally owned land and sets policy for energy extraction, would likely lead to a reversal of several controversial Interior Department rulings from the Bush Administration, including the decision to open up the Roan Plateau, in his home state, for oil drilling.
Republican Rep. Ray LaHood (IL) will be nominated for Secretary of the Department of Transportation by President-elect Barack Obama, reports the Washington Post. He is the second Republican so far that Obama will have chosen for his cabinet. As Transportation Secretary, LaHood will play a major role in implementing the transportation infrastucture-heavy stimulus package that the incoming Obama Administration is planning.
