Obama tries to steal my thunder!?
(No Ratings Yet)Just last week Sen. Obama released his policy proposals for reforming government. In addition to “closing the revolving door”, “electronic financial disclosures” and many other well meaning measures including:
(2) 21ST CENTURY FIRESIDE CHATS: People who care deeply about issues in Washington
but live outside the beltway rarely have the opportunity to question and interact with
government agencies. Messages are filtered through the media, and many times the hard
questions are not asked. Barack Obama will bring democracy and policy directly to the
people by requiring his Cabinet officials to have periodic national broadband town hall
meetings to discuss issues before their agencies. The Internet makes it possible to take
our leaders directly to the people. If this is possible then it should also be mandatory.
Page 8 of Obama’s government reform doctrine
Now, I don’t mean to point accusatory fingers at the Obama camp, but clearly someone over there did not do their research. Despite the lack of a national policy, Fireside Chats were already taking place in the Barry Goldwater Library at the Great Divide Ranch in
While real policy oriented dialogue at the national level would be heartily welcomed; I am skeptical that a national policy will reintroduce the art of the two-way conversation to the “shining city in the swamp”. I’ve only been in D.C. since January, but I can say that meaningful political renovations are going to take a hell of a lot more than the paint and speckle (See Ellen Miller’s post on what’s missing) .
Still, the momentum for reform continues forward – orgs like Project Vote Smart, Taxpayers for Common Sense, the Sunlight Foundation, and so many others are tearing down the walls between citizenry and government. They cannot function however, without people, masses of people – demanding among other things, a national two-way conversation. Obama wants “Fireside Chats”, I say lets give them to him.
on June 27th, 2007 at 10:33 am
I believe the official name is “William Proxmire-Barry Goldwater Library” in order to maintain and showcase the non-partisan nature of Project Vote Smart. (Particular actors had rounds of meetings about it.)
on June 28th, 2007 at 12:29 am
It will always be Barry’s Library to me… Proxmire was an overrated cheese-eater (actually I have respect for the guy, but I am hoping to draw out Tulley.)
Don’t let them steal OUR thunder Andrew!!! And also remember it is OUR thunder… and don’t steal mine… muahahaha
on June 28th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
Well, Greyson, you are correct. Here in Wisconsin, we only elect our officials on how many times they can be photographed with cheese/talk about cheese and get how many promises they can make to get subsidies to support the cheese manufacturers. Because we all know subsidies are great.
Can’t say I’m old enough to remember Proxmire, seing as I was only 7 when he retired but from everything I’ve read about him, he seem like someone I would have voted for. I tend to like the non-pandering congressman.