A few weeks ago, the Obama Administration officially abandoned the President’s “Sunlight before Signing” campaign pledge that the White House would post all legislation passed by Congress for at least five days before the President would sign it. In making this announcement, the Administration maintained that it would comply with the spirit, if not the letter, of the original commitment by posting legislation on the White House site once it became clear legislation would eventually pass and make it to the President’s desk. This new commitment, they suggested, would actually provide even greater sunlight, as some bills would be available for review earlier and for a longer time. Well, this promise is no longer operative either, as the Cato Institute’s Jim Harper details. Since the White House announced its new sunlight policy, nine additional pieces of legislation have been signed into law by the President and yet, as of yesterday, not one had been posted on the White House web site.

Jonathan Adler, The Volokh Conspiracy

Of all the broken promises, this one is the most difficult to understand.  I can’t imagine a reason for it.  Would public outrage really doom these bills if the public were able to examine them?  I doubt it.  Of all of Obama’s promises, this is the easiest to keep—it doesn’t cost a cent, and it isn’t controversial; indeed, it’s unassailable.  So what’s going on here?  Anyone have a guess?

Source: volokh.com

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