Where's the Transparency?

AP – FILE - In this March 15, 2010, file photo, President Barack Obama speaks in Strongsville, Ohio. Two years …

Even though Obama had repeatedly promised that his administration would be transparent, for the purposes of promoting accountability, a review has revealed that the Obama administration has done little to improve transparency.

Two years into its pledge to improve government transparency, the Obama administration took action on fewer requests for federal records from citizens, journalists, companies and others last year even as significantly more people asked for information. The administration disclosed at least some of what people wanted at about the same rate as the previous year.


People requested information 544,360 times last year under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act from the 35 largest agencies, up nearly 41,000 more than the previous year, according to an analysis by The Associated Press of new federal data. But the government responded to nearly 12,400 fewer requests.

The administration refused to release any sought-after materials in more than 1-in-3 information requests, including cases when it couldn't find records, a person refused to pay for copies or the request was determined to be improper under the law. It refused more often to quickly consider information requests about subjects described as urgent or especially newsworthy. And nearly half the agencies that AP examined took longer — weeks more, in some cases — to give out records last year than during the previous year.

The government's responsiveness under the Freedom of Information Act is widely considered a barometer of how transparent federal offices are. The AP's analysis comes a day before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing examining the Obama administration's progress.

There's no surprise here. Obama and his government being secretive, while telling the public he's transparent is just something he would do.

Click title of post for full article.

Please comment below.