By Jesse Stay of Stay N' Alive (Twitter/FriendFeed):"Today the Obama-Biden transition team started an unprecedented move in transparency and openness to the public in a move to get feedback from the public. The team launched "Your Seat at the Table" on Change.gov, giving ordinary citizens the opportunity to discuss and give feedback on documents given to the Obama-Biden transition team by lobbying and other groups, right on the Web site in true forum-style. From the Web site:
Talking face-to-face with advocates and experts is a vital part of the Transition. But in past transitions, meetings like these took place behind closed doors and lacked the public input and transparency we're working hard to provide.
Documents from meetings with these groups are available now. Check out our new Seat at the Table feature on Change.gov, dig in to materials we've provided, and let us know what you think."
On the site, you'll find documents ranging from the "Latino Leadership Report to Congress" to the "Woman Business Owner's Platform for Growth". Each document provides a place to comment about the story, or submit additional documents related to the story. Each commenter is given the opportunity to then follow each discussion in their favorite RSS reader. In essence, the Obama transition team has created a wiki surrounding these articles, giving the public full participation around the discussion table. Commenters are already getting involved on each document, and there is some very intelligent discussion organizing around each one, showing the willingness and desire of the American public to have a part in this process.
Obama is very quickly appearing to mimick the likes of FDR with his open government approach, and perhaps his youthful understanding of technology, use of a Blackberry and iPod, younger kids, and family are all contributing factors to why his future administration and current transition team seem willing to do this. We have seen similar campaigns from corporations like Pepsi, opening forums to listen to customers on FriendFeed, but never the likes of a President-elect.
In any means, the Obama administration is showing their willingness to listen and certainly adapt as they transition into the role of President. Their understanding and adaptation of technologies is unprecedented, and makes me very excited to see what's in store, and what they can legally do when Obama gives the oath into Presidency."
Soooooo.........I went there myself. And, of course, there is nothing about disclosure of classified UFO files....but there is a report called " 21st Century Right to Know" and you can all comment on, here's an excerpt of it:
Make yourself heard. Comment ( about Disclosure of UFO files and other topics) on:
http://change.gov/open_government/yourseatatthetable
Source:
http://www.louisgray.com/live/2008/12/obama-gives-you-seat-at-table-on.html
Soooooo.........I went there myself. And, of course, there is nothing about disclosure of classified UFO files....but there is a report called " 21st Century Right to Know" and you can all comment on, here's an excerpt of it:
At the beginning of 2007, the steering committee of OpenTheGovernment.org put a spotlight on the importance of developing recommendations for the next administration and Congress to strengthen government transparency. OMB Watch agreed to spearhead such a project and to work with the OpenTheGovernment.org coalition and others in fashioning recommendations.
With support from the Bauman Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, CS Fund, Ford Foundation, Open Society Institute, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the Sunlight Foundation, OMB Watch garnered the needed resources to undertake this initiative, the 21st Century Right to Know Project, in a comprehensive, inclusive manner. From the start – which was a retreat at the Pocantico Conference Center in New York – we involved a diverse cast of characters. We invited individuals representing good government groups, professional associations, the journalism community, unions, philanthropy, and academia. There were people from the left and right; activists and bloggers; and technology and policy experts.
That retreat demonstrated that although we may have differing views about the role of government or strikingly different perspectives on various public policy issues, we had one thing in common: we all strongly believed in the public’s right to know.
As a result of this common ground – and a recognition that secrecy in government has grown to intolerable levels – this initiative became more than simply a project. It was really like a coalition of conservatives, libertarians, and progressives from around the country. There have been hundreds of people involved in developing these recommendations. This project is a testament to the fact that government openness is neither a left nor a right issue. It is an American issue.
Taken in total, the recommendations in this report propose a transformational role for government. It calls for reconnecting our government with all of us, “We,
the people.” It calls on government to move its methods for serving the public’s right to know into the 21st century; for adopting Web 2.0 thinking and strategies. And it calls on government to make itself more open than any past administration in order to rebuild trust and accountability in our government." (read more)
Make yourself heard. Comment ( about Disclosure of UFO files and other topics) on:
http://change.gov/open_government/yourseatatthetable
Source:
http://www.louisgray.com/live/2008/12/obama-gives-you-seat-at-table-on.html
