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Obama Pledges Transparency Through Technology

Published: November 18, 2008
Last Updated: December 09, 2008

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The transition team of President-elect Obama is making all policy documents from official meetings publicly available on Change.org.

"Every day, we meet with organizations who present ideas for the transition and the Administration, both orally and in writing," wrote Transition Project Co-chair John D. Podesta in a memo to staff. "We want to ensure that we give the American people a 'seat at the table' and that we receive the benefit of their feedback.

"Accordingly, any documents from official meetings with outside organizations will be posted on our website for people to review and comment on," Podesta continued. "In addition to presenting ideas as individuals at www.change.gov, the American people deserve a 'seat at the table' as we receive input from organizations and make decisions. In the interest of protecting the personal privacy of individuals, this policy does not apply to personnel matters and hiring recommendations."

In addition to Podesta's memo, a video featuring Director of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs Michael Strautmanis explaining the program is posted on the transition Web site.

The bulk of Obama's transparency proposals are in the Ethics and Technology sections of the site, though other areas address the issues as well.

The majority of the transparency proposals appear on the Ethics page, which outlines Obama administration plans to:

Create a searchable, online database of lobbying reports, ethics records and campaign finance filings, as well as one for federal contractors' lobby activities

Push to open all legislative activities — including mark ups and conference committees — to the public

Make information about corporate tax breaks publicly available online
Give the public five days to review and comment online on any non-emergency bill before it's signed

Disclose the names of lawmakers requesting earmarks and request written justification for the request before approval by the Senate

Require Cabinet secretaries to hold broadband town hall meetings

Conduct significant federal agency business in public and

Ensure the timely release of presidential records

On the Technology page Obama puts forward suggestions to use technology to create "a new level of transparency, accountability and participation for America's citizens," and to improve information flow between the federal government and the public. To further these and other technology goals, the first Chief Technology Officer will be appointed

Under the Foreign Policy section of the site, Obama reiterates his campaign pledge to create a National Declassification Center "to make declassification secure but routine, efficient, and cost-effective." The administration also "will bring foreign policy decisions directly to the people by requiring their national security officials to have periodic national broadband town hall meetings to discuss foreign policy."

Learn more at the Transition Web site.