Dick Cheney's Right to Conceal (Tears for the Energy Task Force)

The New York Times ^ | May 15, 2005 | Editors

[ricks_place]

The Bush administration hardly needs encouragement to deny public access to vital government information. Regrettably, encouragement came last week in the form of a federal appellate court ruling supporting the administration's refusal to divulge details about the role of energy industry lobbyists in drafting White House energy policy.

At issue were the secretive workings of the energy task force headed by Vice President Dick Cheney early in President Bush's first term. Judicial Watch and the Sierra Club sued to compel disclosure about the panel's work, relying on the Federal Advisory Committee Act, intended to promote government integrity by requiring such panels to reveal their meetings and communications with private parties.

The new 8-to-0 ruling essentially upheld the Bush administration's argument that it has no obligation to disclose because the act exempts advisory committees composed entirely of federal employees. ...snip

[ricks_place]

Liberal Environmental Theology seeks to smear the Vice President...but lose in a shutout 8-0. NYT asks, Mr. President can't you just surrender?

[dts32041]

I demand full exposure to the inner workings of pinch's organization.

They have no expectation of privacy.

They are a pubic run entity that must stand and face scrutiny.

[Tax-chick]

They are a pubic run entity that must stand and face scrutiny.

Typso ping, y'all!

[DTogo]

Whatever was discussed behind closed doors, the President's energy plan is a good one. The one recently passed by Congress is a disgrace.

[AmericanChef]

I'm not exactly sure that's a typo.

[Tax-chick]

If it was deliberate, it's a whole raft of zingers (to mix a metaphor ...)

[Piquaboy]

I just cannot seem to bring myself to read anything put out by this slime rag.

[anniegetyourgun]

ditto

[ricks_place]

SUN TZU ON THE ART OF WAR - Know thy enemy.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

They just don't want to let go.

[ricks_place]

What's said in the Energy Task Force, stays in the Energy Task Force!!

[Ragnorak]

This has always struck me as one of the most inane issues.

This has nothing to do with information being withheld from the public. There have been tens of thousands of pages released with very specific information about the conclusions of the energy task force. The policy and proposals are quite clear and very public as are the information, statistics, and projections used in the development of that policy. What's wrong with the policy? If Cheney crafted an energy policy that unfairly benefits a particular industry, company, or individual it should be self-evident in the policy.

The one piece of information that the left, the democrats, and partisan propaganda outlets like the NYT wanted was the names of the people on the task force. Without the names they have no target. They can't pick an individual to demonize and to personally destroy. Without a target for personal attacks, the left is incapable of even discussing the merits of the actual policy.

Imagine a Country where you have to debate a proposed policy on its merits because you can't obfuscate the issue by using insinuation and innuendo to poison an individual's reputation and good name in the hearts and minds of the electorate. Oh, the humanity...

[xcamel]

The missing amendment to the Constitution:

1A: No citizen shall have the right to stick his or her nose into the private business of others.

Freedom of speech, YES. Demand to be heard, NO.

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.
Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

List of Ping lists

[whereasandsoforth]

You are oh-so right on the money. No one outside of the elite little circle that would even care about this gives a damn. But the NYT keeps pluggin' along, throwing pound after pound of their integrity and credibility off as they go, thinking it will speed them up so they can get to their goal faster. Shame is their intended goal and the inevitable outcome are not the same.

[FMBass]

Whew! 8 – 0, man, was that a squeaker.

[GSlob]

Well, if His Excellency the Vice President wanted to have any input from the greenpissers, he would have asked them for it. To claim that they have a right to push their crap upon an unwilling subject is the heights of arrogance.

[Xenalyte]

Man oh MAN, that particular typo is every proofreader's worst nightmare.

I know from bitter personal experience. ;p

[Tax-chick]

LOL!