Democrat leaders fight against posting bills online

  While running for president Barack Obama promised that he would run the most honest, open, and transparent government in history, part of this promise was his pledge to post all bills online for the public to read for five days before congress voted on them. This cooling off period was supposed to be implemented so that the public could have input on all legislation before it was voted on and signed by the president.

  Needless to say there has not been one bill that has been voted on and signed by the president that has been posted online by the administration for the public to read before the final vote was taken. The most notable example of this was the massive stimulus bill that not only was the public not able to read, congress didn’t bother to read it either.

  Now there is a move underway by the Sunlight Foundation to pass legislation that would require congress to post bills online for 72 hours before they can be voted on. Some house members have also taken up the transparency effort of the foundation. There is currently a petition in the house, with unanimous Republican support, that would require a 72 hour online review period.

  You would think that because Barack Obama promised a five day review period prior to his signing of any legislation that Democrats would be in favor of helping the president keep his promise but you would be mistaken, Democrat leaders oppose this attempt at transparency.

  Needless to say this effort by the Sunlight Foundation and most Republicans is an attempt to get the healthcare reform bill posted online before the vote. The Democrats know that they more people read about the healthcare reform bill they more they oppose it. Just last week senate Democrats put an end to any chance this bill had of being posted online prior to the vote, they know that public support is already waning and posting the bill would only toughen the opposition. They would rather help the president break his transparency pledge than let the American people read what is eventually going to end up in this bill.

  That fact alone should be enough to drain away all support for this bill with the exception of the far left. If this bill was so wonderful the Democrats would have no problem keeping the president’s promise to post online all bills but they know that the majority of Americans are against this bill and they are trying to keep the most insideous aspects of this bill hidden. Suddenly being transparent is not such a good idea.

  We were promised the most open, honest, and transparent government in history but the actions of this administration are at odds with the transparency campaign promise. We were promised change but all we have is more of the same.