Government Policy on Disclosure.

Government Policy on Disclosure.  In a recent press conference, State Department spokesman John Kirby stated the following: There were no rules governing this sort of action in the past, so I find no reason to press forward with a more formal or deeper investigation.  What matters to me – and I take it seriously – is our commitment to transparency and disclosure.  This remark by Kirby was in response to the discovery that the State Department had deliberately edited out selected portions of a prior State Department news conference archive record at which State Department official Jen Psaki had essentially admitted to hiding the beginning date of Administration negotiations with Iran; all while trying to sell Congress and the public on the wisdom of the Iran Nuclear Agreement.   This Kirby admission came only after the State Department had previously blamed the archived video deletion on a glitch.  In other words, the State Department lied about lying and then tried to cover up their lies.  Oh…and Kirby said “I take this very seriously”.   Obama and his Kiddie Korps are on parade once again.

Psaki is one of the primary faces for U.S. foreign policy.  Her prior experience includes various press and communications roles in the Obama Administration.  She is also married to a deputy finance director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.  If you think about it, you can easily recall not too long ago when she and her fellow official Marie Harf were putting in a lot of face time before the press.  It just so happens that Harf actually served as the Acting State Department Spokesperson prior to Mr. Kirby being selected for that job.  Her consolation prize for losing that spot turned out to be the job of Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications to Secretary of State John Kerry.  She was the leading Administration official on the Iran Nuclear Deal communication strategy team. 

Add to this dynamic duo the esteemed Ben Rhodes, who recently revealed in a highly publicized interview that the Administration misled journalists regarding the correct timeline of U.S. negotiations regarding the recent Iran Nuclear Agreement; thus using (in his words) the young and inexperienced reporters to create an echo chamber to parrot the Administration’s line on the talks in an attempt to sway public opinion.   Rhodes is the same fellow whose previous claim to fame was serving as driver and gopher for various political campaigns while attempting to write the great American novel.  I believe Mr. Rhodes’ current title is Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications and Speechwriting for U.S. President Barack Obama.  He was also an Advisor on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iran Nuclear Deal.   He is married to one of Senator Boxer’s chief staff members.

These are the people…Rhodes, Psaki, Harf… that Obama has chosen to help administer one of the most critical strategic agreements in our lifetimes?  This is the group that will help to form a nuclear agreement with what is likely the most radical nation in the Middle East?  This is what America has gotten from the Obama Administration; a group of arrogant, idealistic, and naïve yuppies that are more than willing to drink the One’s kool-aid and carry his luggage.  They obviously share his philosophy on ethics and as Kirby said…a commitment to transparency and disclosure (cough, cough).  For all intents and purposes, these are bright and witty college grads that moved directly from the campus into the political process.  They have never evolved intellectually or emotionally beyond their collegial adolescence and fit in quite nicely with the balance of Obama’s school of imaginary reasoning.   Their entire universe revolves around themselves, those that are just like them, and those that will do anything to be one of them.  They live in a shiny WDC bubble where all value is placed on style and all spoken prophecies are self-fulfilling.  Is it any wonder that they are some of the most arrogant and conceited individuals ever employed by the U.S. government and harbor nearly zero regard for any allegiance to the constitution and government’s inherent responsibility, and accountability, to the citizenry?

In the last few days, Hillary Clinton’s right-hand gal Cheryl Mills was deposed regarding the ongoing Clinton email scandal.  Mills was Clinton’s Chief of Staff when Clinton served as Secretary of State.  Mills has been associated with the Clintons ever since Bill’s impeachment hearings back in 1999.  In Mills deposition, she was asked approximately 250 questions.  She brought seven lawyers with her.  She responded to 182 questions with “I don’t know”.  She responded to 40 questions with “I don’t recall”.  Does any sane person actually believe that a Clinton Administration would be any more committed to transparency and disclosure than the Obama Administration has been?  Does any sane person actually believe that a Trump Administration would be any more committed to transparency and disclosure than the Obama Administration has been?  Based on the way he has lived his life and conducted his business, one can only imagine the carnival atmosphere of a Trump presidency.  He won’t even disclose his tax filings or be forthcoming about his faux college enterprise. 

There is absolutely no reason for any American citizen to credit our government, ALL of our government, with any degree of integrity or honesty.  Veronique De Rugy has an excellent article on this subject at @ http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/436105/government-trust-larry-summers-washington-post-accountability.  Morality, ethics, and any grasp for the concept of accountability flew out the doors of the White House and the Capitol a long, long time ago.   Obama has fully embraced and taken to new levels the seedy corruption and greed that Republican and Democrat Presidents before him have created and nurtured.  At this point in time, we are left with the vaporous hope that either Trump or Clinton will restore some degree of integrity to our Executive Branch; that one or the other will replace Obama’s corps of college glee club appointees that litter this Administration top to bottom with some people who have experience, intelligence, and some semblance of honor.   Damn slim hope.

It is often said that a fish rots from the head.  If we compare our government to a fish, the decay has extended well past the gills and is moving rapidly towards the tail.  This nation celebrated Obama’s initial presidential election as a chance for new beginnings.  His supporters were absolutely giddy with the hope and change mantra that he so enthusiastically put forth.  Even after four years of reality that pretty well demolished his façade of genius, the American public still yearned for that change and gave him one more term.  They were mistaken; tragically so.  He has naively continued his attempt to systematically dismantle many of the very principles that created this country and have made it great.  He has forsaken responsibility and leadership for idealism and rhetoric.  And now…we apparently look to Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump to cleanse the government of Obama’s useful idiots, restore function and common sense where none has existed for decades, and lead this nation back to a global position of admiration and respect.  Are we all really that stupid?