Obama Administration Promises "Thorough Review" of USTR Policies 78
After all of the uproar surrounding some of the Obama administration's recent decisions, trade officials have promised a thorough review of the USTR policies regarding transparency. In an effort to ensure that the review includes all possible angles, the USTR is urging groups to make other proposals as well. "KEI is very impressed with the USTR decision to undertake a review of USTR transparency efforts. They are taking this much further than simply reviewing policies on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), or recent controversies over the secrecy surrounding the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) negotiations. The review offers the possibility of more transformative changes, including pro-active measures to enhance transparency, covering all aspects of USTR operations, including multilateral, plurilateral, regional, bilateral and unilateral trade policies and negotiations. We are also grateful that USTR is offering to have a continuing dialogue on this issues. KEI will offer additional suggestions on transparency to USTR, and we encourage others to do so also."
Post Effective (Score:4, Insightful)
The review needs to come from the people. Time for a change is right... not time for the same old DC claptrap and underhanded back room deals.
Re:Right, change my ass (Score:3, Insightful)
I'd say that this is worthy slashdot material. USTR probably spends a lot of time on only-vaguely-peripherally-related-to-slashdot steel and potatoes stuff; but they are also, as with ACTA, one of the likely candidates to be writing the (horribly dystopian) IP-related international agreements that are going to strongly affect a lot of topics of interest to slashdot.
All the uproar? (Score:4, Insightful)
I haven't really heard much "uproar" over anything the Obama administration has done (have they actually done anything yet, really?) In fact he still seems to have a pretty high favorability rating. I admit, however, I don't listen to Rush Limbaugh, so my experiences might be somewhat biased towards reality.
Re:Right, change my ass (Score:3, Insightful)
Your name is quite ironic. Step back a sec and let's take a look at this:
Your question on Bush - well, that might be somewhat subjective, but you can easily judge that for yourself by looking around /., yeah?
I also see a really serious disconnect between the content of TFA and your doom-laden proclaimation of "typical posting ... he's the same old boss." Yes, the dept. blurb is provocative. But it's, you know, not always the most serious part of the posting.
When "the other side," whomever you perceive them to be, close ranks; do not question the boss; blindly support; and generally don't watchdog their own: isn't that some of the crap we've all been screaming about for, um, ever? Yes, it's good to keep an eye on those who you feel are opposed to you. Y'know what, it's even more important to reality-check the ones who you put your hope in. And i think FOIA requests, frex, are well within the established interest zone of this site's denizens, innit? Or are you suggesting we just sit back and Trust Everything's Gonna Be Okay..? That's the path that leads to "America - love it or leave it!" T-shirts.
I worry when anyone takes criticism of a public figure too personally. And i feel, thus far, your worry is unwarranted:
Squirrely things have been noted in contrast to promises of transparency; pressure was applied; steps are being taken; watchdogs are being invited to participate.
Isn't that how it's supposed to happen?
The ABBR tag! (Score:5, Insightful)
Use it dammit! If you are gonna insist on not spelling out TLA's for us, at least spell them out using the proper HTML!
That said, it is only polite to spell out your damn acronyms. This audience knows WTF "WTF" stands for and I dont have to spell out HTML either, but KEI? Is that like "Key Enterprise Induction", "Keynan Earned Income", or "Krusty's Entertainment Industry"? Who knows!
Easy as hell (Score:5, Insightful)
Pick something you support.
If you are a liberal, label all arguments against your cause as biased crap from a conservative media. Make sure to point out their greed and lack of being right. Make sure to point out how from this day forward you will boycott them.
If you are a conservative, label all arguments against your idea as biased crap from a liberal media. Be sure to point out their general illogic and lack of being right. Make sure to point out how from this day forward you will boycott them.
If you are a Ron Paul supporter, you also must point out the media is actually scared of you. Point out that they are a monopoly and if ${GOVERNMENT} busted them up, Ron Paul would win*. Make sure to point out how from this day forward you will boycott them. Also, make sure to flood their phones, blackberries and other electronic devices with profanity laced letters. That will teach them.
In other words, all media that is against ${YOUR CAUSE} is ${BIASED}.
* and do this with out any hint of irony, what with asking for the government to intervene with a private entity...
Re:All the uproar? (Score:1, Insightful)
If you don't listen to him, then you only know what others want you to think and feel about him... Mainly "feel".
Re:All the uproar? (Score:2, Insightful)
what the fuck is the liberal media and where can I find it?
MSNBC or CBS News is the best place to start.
Want an example, last night on the Rachael Maddow show, what were they going over... AIG, TOTUS (Teleprompter of the United States) making fun of mentally challenged kids, Tim "TurboTax" Geithner lying about "what he knew and when he knew it", Chris Dodd lying about adding the provision that let AIG give the bonuses.... NO, how deregulation from 8-10 years ago created this mess (read in "8 years of failed Bush policies")*. It is as if nothing else even happened.
*Actually happened before Bush was elected, but they weren't going to let the facts get in the way of this one.
I seem to also remember the Wasington Post coming out and saying that the media during the campiagn was far more favorable to Obama. Here is one example http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081101/COLUMNIST14/811010373/-1/COLUMNIST [toledoblade.com]
Re:Right, change my ass (Score:2, Insightful)
Do you not realize that it was the current administration's own offices that put the bonus payouts IN the bill as it was passed? You didn't catch that the writers were told by the treasury dept that it needed to go in?
Obama: It's easier to beg forgiveness and feign concern than to ask permission or right a wrong.