Because Democracy is Not Free — we all have to work at it
You’ll have to excuse my brevity. I’m busy up the wazoo these days but the importance of democracy won’t stop for my needs, nor is it a luxury I want to give up. Several important notes from the past few days. Power does not cede easily. Although the administration has changed, several important reminders of [...]
The Van Hollen / Platts bi-partisan whistleblower amendment attached to the economic stimulus package has passed the House of Representatives. I’m super busy, so you can read about it here, and here. Now it needs to pass through the Senate and be signed by Obama. addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fcivilservicechange.org%2F%3Fp%3D622′; addthis_title = ‘Breaking+News%3A+Whistleblower+Amendment+Passes+House’; addthis_pub = ”;
Papa is not going to buy you a new jet with TARP funds. From ABC News: The high-flying execs at Citigroup caved under pressure from President Obama and decided today to abandon plans for a luxurious new $50 million corporate jet from France. The decision came 24 hours after the banking giant was rescued by [...]
A top site for in-depth investigative news, ProPublica, wants to remind citizens to reward good deeds. They are initiating an annual recognition program for each year’s outstanding investigative work by governmental bodies in the U.S. . The criteria for judging entrants will be similar to those used by ProPublica, the new independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in [...]
It looks like a prank from The Onion, but it’s not. This domain is registered to the George W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation. http://www.43alumni.com You’ll love the defensive front page section entitled, “Setting the Record Straight.” addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fcivilservicechange.org%2F%3Fp%3D618′; addthis_title = ‘Watch+History+in+the+Making+at+the+GWB+Library+and+Alumni+Association’; addthis_pub = ”;
On his first day of the job, President Obama got straight to work instructing military prosecutors late Tuesday to seek a 120-day suspension of legal proceedings involving detainees at the naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Obama sure does a lot of multitasking. How does he do it? Somewhere between attending an inauguration, participating in a parade, [...]
After all the pomp, our Senate got back to work confirming the following posts: In a single unanimous vote, the Senate confirmed Steven Chu as energy secretary, Tom Vilsack as agriculture secretary, Arne Duncan as education secretary, Ken Salazar as interior secretary and Janet Napolitano as secretary of homeland security. It also approved Peter Orszag [...]
This weekend, my second grade son and I worked on our homework project. Normally I don’t have to get involved with his work, but this was one of those parent projects — the homework that gets assigned specifically to the family because it is a research project that requires assistance. Due on Tuesday, most of the [...]
The Project on Government Oversight’s latest newsletter reads: In an effort to “expose the lighter side” of POGO, we have launched a new addition to pogo.org called the Watercooler. It’s a welcome break — a little dessert with our heavy entree. POGO has been one of my main reads for several years. However, sometimes my [...]
I’m so thrilled Obama named Dawn Johnsen to the important post of Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). Lawyers at the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) in the Department of Justice are the government lawyers charged with assessing the legality of proposed executive branch action, and OLC’s advice traditionally is considered [...]