Government transparency is essential if Americans are to believe in its institutions and the people serving in them. Sadly, the U.S. is far from convincing its citizens that our government is open or honest.
In his recent press conference, the first since taking office, President Joe Biden did nothing to indicate he has any plans to be forthright with the American people despite a feeble suggestion he was "committed" to transparency.
While discussing the humanitarian crisis raging along the southern border, Biden made clear that no journalists are allowed to inspect government facilities. He is deliberately prohibiting anyone from witnessing the atrocities harming unaccompanied minors at the detention centers.
When pressed further on the issue Biden arrogantly added he would permit access to the migrant centers, "as soon as I am in a position" to allow it. Biden has no intention of being open about his immigration policies, which are solely responsible for the largest number of illegal border crossings in the last 20 years.
Predictably, Biden will never accept that his policies have failed where Trump’s worked effectively. It makes a mockery of the open border platform he promoted for so long during his campaign and early part of his administration.
By obscuring the truth with the American people, Biden can conveniently avoid the fact that he is not solving problems, but rather creating many of them.
Transparency with conditions is not transparency at all. It is secrecy and it undermines the most fundamental principles of democracy. Using the power of government to shroud the truth abuses public trust.
Biden has abused this trust throughout his entire political career. The longer he has remained in public office, the more ways he finds to extend his power and rule with little accountability.
The 2020 presidential campaign provided a tidal wave of examples;Tara Reade’s sexual assault allegations, Hunter Biden’s laptop and money laundering scandal, and even Biden’s own involvement in using his office and influence to enrich those close to him. Had the truth of Biden’s scandals been fully exposed to the public, he likely would not be president today.
To that extent, Biden was helped substantially by the media majority which deliberately ignored his vulnerabilities and refused to report on them.
Ironically, the same mainstream media that catapulted Biden to office by subverting transparency is now enraged at being prevented from reporting about events on the southern border.
Sadly, Biden’s behavior is a common theme in our government institutions. The power afforded to those holding government office inevitably corrupts many of them in it.
The breakdown of the ideal starts with a few individuals believing they know what is best for all of us. Those individuals determine what information is needed and when.
They determine the best way to resolve problems.
When the solutions fail they attempt to cover them up.
They tell us what we need to hear and should believe. Transparency is steadily dismantled. Our democracy suffers a debilitating blow each time it happens.
This is not a partisan issue; Elected leaders, appointed officials, and government insiders from all political parties intentionally withhold information from the American public.
One such recent example, Robert Mueller’s probe, showed Americans of the danger and damage that can be inflicted when transparency is subverted.
Appointed to investigate Russian interference into the 2016 presidential election, numerous government bureaucrats targeted a duly elected president in an attempt to remove him from office.
Why?
Because many of them pre-determined that President Trump should not have been elected.
In their collective, elitist opinion he was not qualified to hold office and they took it upon themselves to remove him because they believed his election to be a mistake and a fluke.
Despite taking years of effort, many more pieces of the truth were finally uncovered and exposed for the public to see on the Russiagate scandal.
It is now known that multiple high-ranking U.S. government officials orchestrated one of the most politicized and corrupt attacks on fellow Americans in our nation’s history.
And they were able to do it and almost succeed by keeping the details secret.
Their abuse of power and ability to deliberately conceal the truth decimated our perception and belief in government.
Time and again we have witnessed the severe damage inflicted through government lies and cover-ups. Lives are destroyed. America’s reputation as the beacon of freedom is degraded. The fundamental beliefs in democracy are deeply eroded because of this.
But government, and the people serving in it, are obligated to ensure its citizens have the complete truth. Only then can the governed hold accountable its government.
Biden’s recent actions to conceal the truth along the southern border are inexcusable.
His motivations to hide the truth are dangerous and designed to avoid accountability.
Until straightforwardness and honesty becomes the unassailable standard, our government and its president can never be trusted.
Transparency from government should not be subject to conditions. It must be a necessity that we demand of it.
Rick Gates has worked on U.S. and international political campaigns over a span of 25 years. He is a frequent political commentator and opinion contributor. Rick is the author of "Wicked Game: An Insider’s Story on How Trump Won, Mueller Failed and America Lost." Read Rick Gates' Reports — More Here.
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