Obama's Two American Governments

What do you make of the fact that our wizards in Washington during the current administration have passed pieces of legislation that would appear to be diametrically opposed to actual actions taken?

Standard double-speak, double-act? Let's give the credit where it is due to the folks at the Project on Government Oversight for highlighting the “bipolar” nature of our governments in Washington via the following pictorial: 

We know that “transparency is the great disinfectant.

On that note, POGO does exemplary work once again in highlighting the efforts of Sunshine Week in providing recent testimony that highlights,

There seems to be two Obama Administrations—two American governments, really. One looks like a democracy in which an open government accountable to the people is an ideal and a priority; and the other is a national security state, where claims of national security often trump democratic principles such as the people's right to know, civil liberties, freedom of speech, and whistleblower protections.

Of course, this is not an approach exclusive to this President. But the unchecked secrecy of Obama's national security state is at cross-purposes with many of his Administration's openness objectives, and it raises doubts about the President's commitments and declarations about transparency.

Truth, transparency, integrity? Or is crony capitalism alive, well, and thriving under the guise of needed secrecy and national security? All too much evidence over the years dictates that it is far better to “trust but verify” than merely embrace “willful blindness.”

It's Not as Sunny as We'd Like.

Larry Doyle

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I have no business interest with any entity referenced in this commentary. The opinions expressed are my own. I am a proponent of real transparency within our markets so that investor confidence and investor protection can be achieved.