Posted on : 03-02-2009 | By : Jim Lynch | In : Featured, President Obama
7
Reality is kicking butt.
Obama x 2
The promises made on the campaign trail are proving to be a little difficult to keep now that President Obama has the keys to the White House. I hope to chronicle the differences here. I may have to turn this into a more permanent page, but for now it will remain a featured post.
| Promise |
Reality |
| Early in the campaign season Obama promised to rely on public financing for his run. |
He famously ignored that promise and instead raised historic sums, some of it quite questionable. |
| [W]e will publish all non-emergency legislation to the website for five days, and allow the public to review and comment before the President signs it. (source) |
Lilly Ledbetter law – signed by the president just two days after being passed by congress. Not posted on the website for review and comment. |
| Regarding Lobbyists — “I don’t take a dime of their money, and when I am president, they won’t find a job in my White House.” – Candidate Obama |
- William J. Lynn – former Raytheon lobbyist picked for the number 2 slot in DoD.
- William Corr – recent anti-tobacco lobbyist heading for a position as deputy secretary at HHS.
More from Politico (h/t Ed Morrissey)
- Eric Holder – attorney general – registered to lobby until 2004 on behalf of clients including Global Crossing, a bankrupt telecommunications firm.
- Tom Vilsack – secretary of agriculture nominee, was registered to lobby as recently as last year on behalf of the National Education Association.
- David Hayes – deputy interior secretary nominee, was registered to lobby until 2006 for clients, including the regional utility San Diego Gas & Electric.
- Mark Patterson – chief of staff to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, was registered to lobby as recently as last year for financial giant Goldman Sachs.
- Ron Klain – chief of staff to Vice President Joe Biden, was registered to lobby until 2005 for clients, including the Coalition for Asbestos Resolution, U.S. Airways, Airborne Express and drug-maker ImClone.
- Mona Sutphen – deputy White House chief of staff, was registered to lobby for clients, including Angliss International in 2003.
- Melody Barnes – domestic policy council director, lobbied in 2003 and 2004 for liberal advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the American Constitution Society and the Center for Reproductive Rights.
- Cecilia Munoz – White House director of intergovernmental affairs, was a lobbyist as recently as last year for the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy group.
- Patrick Gaspard – White House political affairs director, was a lobbyist for the Service Employees International Union.
- Michael Strautmanis – chief of staff to the president’s assistant for intergovernmental relations, lobbied for the American Association of Justice from 2001 until 2005.
|
President Obama and Vice President Biden have a comprehensive plan to invest in alternative and renewable energy, end our addiction to foreign oil, address the global climate crisis and create millions of new jobs. (source)
During a campaign event in Oregon in May, Obama said we have to “lead by example.” “We can’t drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times,” he said. (Fox News) |
The capital flew into a bit of a tizzy when, on his first full day in the White House, President Obama was photographed in the Oval Office without his suit jacket. There was, however, a logical explanation: Mr. Obama, who hates the cold, had cranked up the thermostat.
“He’s from Hawaii, O.K.?” said Mr. Obama’s senior adviser, David Axelrod, who occupies the small but strategically located office next door to his boss. “He likes it warm. You could grow orchids in there.”
(NYT) |
| Despite claims of unprecedented ethics in his administration, there are several nominees and staff with tax issues |
- Tom Daschle – Nominated to be head of HHS. Owed around $130,000 in taxes – Nomination Withdrawn.
- Nancy Killefer – Nominated to be Chief Performance Officer in spite of her tax performance – Nomination Withdrawn.
- Timothy Geithner – Treasury Secretary. How he was able to win confirmation and take over the IRS is unbelievable.
|
| During the campaign President Obama often promised that 95% of working Americans would receive a tax cut. |
Unrealized. |
I will be adding to this and encourage you to send links and examples that you find. Leave them in the comments to this post, or send an email to lakelandjim [at] gmail [dot] com.
Thanks to RT and Maggie Mama for their suggestions and reminders.
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