For all the flak the White House is rightly getting for their tone deaf new snitch program and their “calculated attempt to silence” government regulators, it’s really here that they get genuinely Orwellian. Even the Associated Press is like “come on guy – you can’t brag about transparency about specific programs while you’re withholding documents specifically about those programs.”
Apparently yes they can:
The Obama administration is refusing to quickly release government records on its “cash-for-clunkers” rebate program that would substantiate — or undercut — White House claims of the program’s success, even as the president presses the Senate for a quick vote for $2 billion to boost car sales. The Transportation Department said it will provide the data as soon as possible but did not specify a time frame or promise release of the data before the Senate votes whether to spend $2 billion more on the program.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Sunday the government would release electronic records about the program, and President Barack Obama has pledged greater transparency for his administration. But the Transportation Department, which has collected details on about 157,000 rebate requests, won’t release sales data that dealers provided showing how much U.S. car manufacturers are benefiting from the $1 billion initially pumped into the program.
In fairness to the White House, releasing the data wouldn’t really affect the vote. If Congress isn’t going to read the actual legislation they’re voting on they’re hardly going to crack open audits. Reality is so boring! Let’s pass something fun instead!
References:
* White House Blog Seeking Snitches [JWF]
* ABC News: WH Making “Calculated Attempt To Silence” Government Regulators Criticizing Financial Regulation [MR]
* Obama administration withholds data on clunkers [AP]
Previously:
* Great News: Government Slowly Re-Regulating Airlines, Now Actually Mandating Airbags
* Obama Pollsters Now Bragging About Their Poll-Tested Scapegoating
* Watchers Council Results – Actual Literal Wealth Destruction Is Very Nuanced
