Palin's transparency proposal already exists in D.C.
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/09/18/art.palin.9.18.jpg caption="Sarah Palin says she will bring the same kind of transparency she brought to Alaska to Washington, D.C.."]
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (CNN) - Sarah Palin likes to tell voters around the country about how she “put the government checkbook online” in Alaska. On Thursday, Palin suggested she would take that same proposal to Washington.
“We’re going to do a few new things also,” she said at a rally in Cedar Rapids. “For instance, as Alaska’s governor, I put the government’s checkbook online so that people can see where their money’s going. We’ll bring that kind of transparency, that responsibility, and accountability back. We’re going to bring that back to D.C.”
There’s just one problem with proposing to put the federal checkbook online – somebody’s already done it. His name is Barack Obama.
Watch: Palin says 'Obama hasn't lifted a finger'
In 2006 and 2007, Obama teamed up with Republican Sen. Tom Coburn to pass the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, also known as “Google for Government.” The act created a free, searchable web site – USASpending.gov - that discloses to the public all federal grants, contracts, loans and insurance payments.
In June of this year, Obama and Coburn introduced new Senate legislation to expand the information available online to include details on earmarks, competitive bidding, criminal activities, audit disputes and other government information.
Palin might also have noted that her running mate, John McCain, was an original co-sponsor of the 2006 transparency bill that became law.
UPDATE: A campaign spokesperson insisted that Palin was referring not to that specific proposal, but rather to "that kind of transparency in general."
goodness, more of the mccain/palin change spin! why are we still surprised at this woman's ignorance and at this campaign's bag of tricks, and mccain's web of lies?
DOESN'T PALIN KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT GOES ON IN WASHINGTON? SOMEBODY NEEDS TO TELL HER WASHINGTON IS NOT ALASKA AND GOD HELP US IF MCCAIN IS THE ONE THAT NEEDS TO TELL HER BECAUSE MCCAIN IS LOST HIMSELF.
But she has never stepped foot in the House or Senate, and McCain is not able to goggle this type of information from the Web–
It probably doesn't matter to McCain. Since it's online he doesn't know how to get there and look for himself.
Doh!
Lies and Jokes and exageration.
I am getting tired of this woman
This "transparency proposal" already exists.....she's beyond laughable. Pathetic.
Hum! I guess she was feeling gutsy and drifted briefly from the script she was given to read! I bet big daddy Mc Cain puts her over his knee and gives her a good spanking. AAAHHHHH!! there you have the real reason he wanted Palin as VP! His long affection of beauty queens! Sad to see him go down this way! I voted for him in 2000 now he is just an old pasty shell of a man. He can thank the Radical right wing that has taken over the GOP for that
Buffoonery. Just plain buffoonery.
This is unbelievable. Are people so blind and ignorant to actually consider voting for this Republican ticket? I listened to Gov Palin's comments during this rally (since CNN showed in full), although quite painful. She is a joke, literally, being played on very uninformed and unsuspecting citizens. She is simply trying to parrot (actually steal, but I'm being nice) Senator Obama's ideas, plans and comments. These people stand for NOTHING (except maybe greed and power), have ZERO integrity and have the audacity to try and claim sole ownership to patriotism - how pathetic. Senator McCain, you cannot have honor without honesty (Senator Claire McCaskill).
When will Americans wake up! The Palin-Mccain ticket has been stealing Obama's ideas and language throughout this campaign and pretending like the made the stuff. Original mavericks – what a joke!
Devry University : )
Wow! She really is clueless! Way to go Obama!
Obama/Biden
I think McCain and Palin is tranparent to each other neither knows what is going on. Palin if you were from here you would have known that but you are an outsiders and didn't care to research your homework before you spoke. Keep talking and the world will see how much you left Alaska in DEBT.
This is too easy . . . but in order to run the government, one would think, that you have to know SOMETHING about our government.
Please people do not take ANYTHING this woman says serious. It either turns out to be a LIE or just completely WRONG!
She did'nt get the memo?
Hey Palin you can not put something out there when it already exist. What is this everything Obama has done, is doing you guys want to do the same thing.
Please read a book.
There they go again, trying to steal Obama's plans, and make them their own. They see that their "ideas" weren't going to fly this year with the voter's, so now they're stealing Barack's ideas, and hoping personality, she's like me, characteristics can win over voters, all things being "equal".
Where this fails though is like a student cheating on a test. They can spout the right answers now, but can't adapt to new problems that may be a little different, because they don't know how to think on their own.
heh...
Goodness, first it was McCain trying to steal the "Change" mantle from Obama, then it was using "Enough is Enough" in their campaign ads, and now Sarah is proposing something that Barack accomplished two years ago.
Next thing you know, McCain and Pain will show up on the campaign trail and introduce their daughters Malia and Sasha.
This has gone from being ridiculous to absolutely insane...
thanks for the laugh today, i needed it !!
I'm sure the sheeple in the audience thought this was a great idea that Sarah came up with all by herself. LOL
Obama campaign use this as a commercial!
Also Obama campaign you guys owe it to cnn to do some more interview exclusive's, I recommend campbell brown she is the best and she's gorgeous!!
Oh yah Sara, that’s what Obama, was doing while he was community organizer. So I guess he did more then write a book. If you know that, you would not be taking credit for some of his and others work.
Hey, Sarah, Great idea!!
I liked it even more when Senator Obama created it a few years ago. Perhaps you and your running mate need a few more lessons in navigating the internet.