Spring Break
Citizens are responsible for holding government accountable
Editorial Board
Issue date: 1/23/09 Section: Ed-Op
Botched oath aside, Barack Obama became 44th president of the United States Jan. 20 at noon, and many are asking, "What's changed?"
The stock market is still in shambles, wars rage on across the globe and corruption and hypocrisy run rampant on the political scene. With such mammoth hurdles before us, it can be difficult at times to have any faith in government to improve the condition of our nation.
President Obama does not deny that times are tough.
"The challenges we face are real," he said in his inaugural address. "They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America: They will be met."
Obama has already set a new tone in the White House, not only with his words, but his actions as well. Unlike the previous administration, one of his core tenets is encouraging citizens to hold their government accountable for its policies and actions.
"Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency," Obama said when issuing three memoranda Jan. 21, his first full day in office.
One memo regarding the Freedom of Information Act charges government departments and agencies to "use modern technology to inform citizens about what is known and done by their government."
Paving the way for this shift towards accessible information, the moment Obama became president WhiteHouse.gov transformed into a sleek, user-friendly design similar to the web sites of his campaign and transition efforts. He and his staff have long recognized and embraced the power of the Internet to disseminate information to the public, and that attitude is continuing into his presidency.
But they can only provide the tools - it is our responsibility as citizens to keep watch on our elected officials. We put them in office, and we must make sure they serve our interests to the best of their abilities.
Pay attention to the news; monitor WhiteHouse.gov and other government sites; check out watchdog sites like Politifact.com, OpenSecrets.org and FactCheck.org. When you see something you don't like, take action. Contact your congressmen, sign petitions, stage protests, blog or write commentary. No citizen is without a voice in this new era.
The stock market is still in shambles, wars rage on across the globe and corruption and hypocrisy run rampant on the political scene. With such mammoth hurdles before us, it can be difficult at times to have any faith in government to improve the condition of our nation.
President Obama does not deny that times are tough.
"The challenges we face are real," he said in his inaugural address. "They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America: They will be met."
Obama has already set a new tone in the White House, not only with his words, but his actions as well. Unlike the previous administration, one of his core tenets is encouraging citizens to hold their government accountable for its policies and actions.
"Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency," Obama said when issuing three memoranda Jan. 21, his first full day in office.
One memo regarding the Freedom of Information Act charges government departments and agencies to "use modern technology to inform citizens about what is known and done by their government."
Paving the way for this shift towards accessible information, the moment Obama became president WhiteHouse.gov transformed into a sleek, user-friendly design similar to the web sites of his campaign and transition efforts. He and his staff have long recognized and embraced the power of the Internet to disseminate information to the public, and that attitude is continuing into his presidency.
But they can only provide the tools - it is our responsibility as citizens to keep watch on our elected officials. We put them in office, and we must make sure they serve our interests to the best of their abilities.
Pay attention to the news; monitor WhiteHouse.gov and other government sites; check out watchdog sites like Politifact.com, OpenSecrets.org and FactCheck.org. When you see something you don't like, take action. Contact your congressmen, sign petitions, stage protests, blog or write commentary. No citizen is without a voice in this new era.
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