Setting the bar high

Just looking at Recovery.gov, it might not be immediately clear what an enormous undertaking it will be to ensure that the transparency and accountability that the President expects will be upheld. It's going to require an unprecedented level of vigilance, a fundamental shift in the way the federal government spends your tax dollars, from the Oval Office down to every department and agency awarding funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

That's why Peter Orszag, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), has sent a memo to the heads of those departments and agencies, explaining what's expected of them and offering advice for how to meet those high standards.

According to the memo, agencies will be expected to provide data which demonstrates that:

Funds are awarded and distributed in a prompt, fair, and reasonable manner; The recipients and uses of all funds are transparent to the public, and the public benefits of these funds are reported clearly, accurately, and in a timely manner; Funds are used for authorized purposes and instances of fraud, waste, error, and abuse are mitigated; Projects funded under this Act avoid unnecessary delays and cost overruns; and Program goals are achieved, including specific program outcomes and improved results on broader economic indicators.

Another "high bar:" the drug czar.

I didn't see anything at WhiteHouse.gov about the new drug czar, Seattle police chief Kerlikowske. "Stand down!"

He'll be perfect for the task of watching the Mexican border! He'll fit right in.

During the so-called "Mardi Gras Riots" in 2001, however, Kerlikowske ordered his officers to stand down while drunken partygoers committed assaults. In the end, one person was killed, many were injured and the incident was seen as a black mark on Kerlikowske's record.

Wow! "drunken partygoers committed assaults." Even to this day the media employees spin and spin and spin. And they wonder why they are losing their jobs!

Not just the "rest of the story" .. here's THE story:

This wiki account comports with what I remember. The story occupied a lot of talk radio around the country for weeks, not days, as the shenanigans of the city government and media attempted to cover up what happened. The policemen who confronted Kerlikowske, et al are heroes and helped tell the real story.

Seattle police force voted a resolution of "no confidence" in Chief Kerlikowske when officers complained of being "held back too long". The City of Seattle acknowledged police strategy presented a public safety threat, and settled with Kime's family for just under $2,000,000. Seattle created a task force to investigate the cause of the Mardi Gras riots. Initially task force meetings were closed to the public, but protest forced the city to open them.

I followed that closely as did Americans all across the country. Local government and media tried to -- no other term for it -- cover up the black-on-white wanton violence. Mr. Kime rushed to the defense of one of the white girls being beaten and was beaten to death. Initially newspapers reported that Mr. Kime "slipped and hit his head."

As you can see -- Seattle police force voted a resolution of "no confidence" in Chief Kerlikowske -- our new federal employee was not exactly concerned about public safety.

The last article I read about the riots was a kind of "celebration" for the death of Mr. Kime as a Seattle "news"paper reported on the happiness his body parts brought to others.

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