Comments on: White House To Open Up Visitor Logs http://donklephant.com/2009/09/04/white-house-to-open-up-visitor-logs/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:03:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: kranky kritter http://donklephant.com/2009/09/04/white-house-to-open-up-visitor-logs/comment-page-1/#comment-548199 kranky kritter Sun, 06 Sep 2009 02:10:15 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=16817#comment-548199 I don't expect transparency. It's not an important issue to me. I'm simply pointing out that if an admin grants itself the authority and discretion to leave peoples names off the visitor logs, that's all they need to do if they want to get away with secret stuff, right? That means that you can give the appearance of transparency to folks who aren't really paying attention, and then just not be transparent when you don't feel like it. It's not really that impressive a policy to say something like "most transparent ever" when you've given yourself all the opaqueness you need. It's like putting a wax paper window on the ladies dressing room, and calling it most transparent ever. The peepers of the press and blogosphere still won't get to see the forbidden naughty bits, will they? I don’t expect transparency. It’s not an important issue to me. I’m simply pointing out that if an admin grants itself the authority and discretion to leave peoples names off the visitor logs, that’s all they need to do if they want to get away with secret stuff, right?

That means that you can give the appearance of transparency to folks who aren’t really paying attention, and then just not be transparent when you don’t feel like it.

It’s not really that impressive a policy to say something like “most transparent ever” when you’ve given yourself all the opaqueness you need. It’s like putting a wax paper window on the ladies dressing room, and calling it most transparent ever. The peepers of the press and blogosphere still won’t get to see the forbidden naughty bits, will they?

]]> By: mike mcEachran http://donklephant.com/2009/09/04/white-house-to-open-up-visitor-logs/comment-page-1/#comment-548104 mike mcEachran Sun, 06 Sep 2009 01:15:59 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=16817#comment-548104 Kranky - Exactly what level of transparency would satisfy you? Shall we eliminate security clearances altogether? Would that do it? Kranky – Exactly what level of transparency would satisfy you? Shall we eliminate security clearances altogether? Would that do it?

]]> By: gerryf http://donklephant.com/2009/09/04/white-house-to-open-up-visitor-logs/comment-page-1/#comment-547029 gerryf Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:31:44 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=16817#comment-547029 OK, I will buy that. But it is not saying much. A cinderblock wall is more transparent than the Bush Administration.... OK, I will buy that. But it is not saying much. A cinderblock wall is more transparent than the Bush Administration….

]]> By: Nick Benjamin http://donklephant.com/2009/09/04/white-house-to-open-up-visitor-logs/comment-page-1/#comment-546902 Nick Benjamin Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:17:26 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=16817#comment-546902 Would you accept most transparent administration of the millenia? That one holds true if you count the last few weeks of Clinton's term. Would you accept most transparent administration of the millenia?

That one holds true if you count the last few weeks of Clinton’s term.

]]> By: kranky kritter http://donklephant.com/2009/09/04/white-house-to-open-up-visitor-logs/comment-page-1/#comment-546898 kranky kritter Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:15:17 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=16817#comment-546898 What precisely distinguishes this as transparent when exceptions can be made at the adminisration's discretion, as stated above? This sounds to me exactly like "we'll always be transparent, except when we don't want to be, for reasons we deem sufficient." What precisely distinguishes this as transparent when exceptions can be made at the adminisration’s discretion, as stated above?

This sounds to me exactly like “we’ll always be transparent, except when we don’t want to be, for reasons we deem sufficient.”

]]> By: gerryf http://donklephant.com/2009/09/04/white-house-to-open-up-visitor-logs/comment-page-1/#comment-546751 gerryf Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:14:18 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=16817#comment-546751 Whoa, most transparent administration in American History? Than blanket statement is big enough to cover Rhode Island. Care to explain how you came up with that one? Whoa, most transparent administration in American History?

Than blanket statement is big enough to cover Rhode Island. Care to explain how you came up with that one?

]]> By: Paul http://donklephant.com/2009/09/04/white-house-to-open-up-visitor-logs/comment-page-1/#comment-546734 Paul Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:48:23 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=16817#comment-546734 Remember transparency ?? Remember transparency ??

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