1.) Obama ditches transparency, opts for telling people to get lost as politely as possible — “Two years into its pledge to improve government transparency, the Obama administration handled fewer requests for federal records from citizens, journalists, companies and others last year even as significantly more people asked for information,” reports the AP. “The administration refused to release any sought-after materials in more than 1-in-3 information requests, including cases when it couldn’t find records, a person refused to pay for copies or the request was determined to be improper under the law. It refused more often to quickly consider information requests about subjects described as urgent or especially newsworthy. And nearly half the agencies that AP examined took longer–weeks more, in some cases–to give out records last year than during the previous year.” As Obama has earned a number of comparisons to Pres. George W. Bush with regards to his foreign policy about-face, it’s worth noting that federal agencies cited the “deliberative process” exemption less in 2010 than they did in 2009, but are still using it more now than they did under Bush.
2.) ‘Bitter’ ruralists support Scott Walker — “Rural Wisconsin counties are losing residents, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released yesterday, as a lack of jobs pushes young people to Madison, the state capital, and its suburbs,” reports Bloomberg News. “Resentment in those areas helps explain support for Republican Governor Scott Walker’s push to restrict the collective bargaining rights of some unions, said Katherine Cramer Walsh of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She noticed the bitterness while doing research in 27 communities, where many residents work multiple jobs without benefits while local government employees have health coverage and pensions.” If the Democrats are lucky, these “bitter” anti-government extremists will have all died out or been completely absorbed by Madison and Milwaukee by the time Obama starts campaigning for reelection.
3.) Now that labor has its hackles up, EPA suddenly reconsidering the science behind its policies — “Now that labor unions are joining the chorus” against EPA regulations, “the pressure on the agency is intensifying,” reports the Wall Street Journal. “Some Democrats, worried about potential job losses in industrial states, are already urging the EPA to slow down its push to combat climate change.” The EPA has pushed back against such criticisms, arguing that “some of the rules in question have yet to be proposed” and that “history shows the benefits of tougher environmental rules greatly outweigh the costs,” while out the other side of its mouth, the agency has said “that it needs more time to consider the science behind them or review comments from affected groups.” Which is why “EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, or her top aide on air quality, Regina McCarthy, has recently spoken with representatives of several unions that collectively have given tens of millions of dollars over the years to Democratic candidates. Among them: the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, the Utility Workers Union and the United Mine Workers.”
4.) ‘Professional left’ dings Obama for Crowley resignation — State Department Spokesman P.J. Crowley resigned suddenly from his post this weekend in the wake of comments he made about the detention of Private Bradley Manning, who stands accused of leaking classified documents to Wikileaks. The thought leaders of the American left aren’t happy with the decision. “The Obama administration forced the State Department spokesperson PJ Crowley to resign. The reason? He’d told the truth,” writes WaPo’s Ezra Klein. Manning, who has been charged, but not tried, has reportedly been subjected to “sleep deprivation, prolonged time in isolation and continuous nude spot-checks” while in detention. Crowley called Manning’s treatment “ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid” during an appearance in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “This is a moment in which both those who serve in the administration and those who support it need to ask whether the Obama administration is keeping sight of its values now that it holds power,” Klein writes. Because the real betrayal of progressivism is that Obama wants the people who work for him to publicly defend the actions–and inactions–of his administration.
5.) Energy company secures credit line for Democratic National Convention out of goodness of its heart — “Duke Energy Corp., whose CEO is leading the fundraising for the Democratic National Convention, is guaranteeing a $10 million line of credit for the event,” reports the Charlotte Observer. “Duke faces increasingly heavy costs from federal environmental rules, and will shutter some of its old coal-fired power plants rather than upgrade them. The utility also plans to build an $11 billion nuclear plant in South Carolina that has to be approved by state and federal regulators. UNC Charlotte public policy expert David Swindell has said Rogers’ involvement can only help Duke in seeking energy subsidies from the Obama administration. Others say the company could at least expect goodwill from the party that controls the White House.”
6.) Congress to prolong passing budget yet again — “Leaders in both parties are expressing confidence that a new stop-gap funding measure to fund the government and avoid a shutdown will be approved this week despite some discontent among conservatives in the House,” reports The Hill. “If the growing bipartisan consensus holds, Congress will have until April 8 to pass a budget for the remainder of fiscal 2011.”
VIDEO: Hammertime: Moore’s National Resources
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