OpenGov - Open Government Brainstorm

You'll damn them if they do and damn them if they don't.

I don't blame them for ignoring you.

The only reason for the Whitehouse NOT to show those Air Force Manhattan flyover pictures is because they know the country will realize that we taxpayers paid $350,000 for photos that can easily be done with Photoshop.

I'm a Level 1 Photoshop user. I could have created those same photos for the Whitehouse for $500 and got the same look.

But those photos are public knowledge. There's nothing that needs to be confidential about it.

Most likely the Whitehouse is going to spend another $350,000 in attorney fees trying to keep the news organizations from obtaining them.

We know ABC won't be trying to get those photos because ABC already probably asked the Whitehouse for them and the Whitehouse told ABC no and ABC said, "Sure, Comrad Obama. We're sorry we even asked."

So if they don't release them, you'll moan about how much they cost.

If they do release them, you'll moan about how much they cost.

Yeah...it's no surprise that you're being ignored. What you're doing is in no way productive.

It's not a matter of being ignored. There's a Public Information Act that the Whitehouse MUST adhere to. When the taxpayers pay for something, it's public information...unless it would disclose confidential information or classified infomation. So it doesn't matter whether I, we, anyone, moans if they do it or don't do; they have a legal obligation to produce.

Now they're spending more NOT TO PRODUCE -- the same as with the birth certificate. There's NOTHING at all transparent about President Obama's presidency like he promised it would be. But then we're watching ALL of his promises dwindle away every day.

First, your statement about public information is flatly incorrect. I'm sure you're in favor of not releasing flag-draped coffins.

Please explain (and cite) how they're spending more to hide the photos. I was not aware that ignoring you had costs.

Also, could you recognize that withholding the photos is politically prudent on behalf of the administration? Is that what frustrates you? It's not like you actually want the picture for anything other than political potshots.

They've produced ONE photo that could have been created with photoshop. Since it cost an exorbitant amount of TAX PAYER money to take A1 for a joy ride over Manhattan,while the United States is financially (and morally I might add) bankrupt. Those tax payers have a right to see what their money was spent on.