Know where money goes

If President Barack Obama wants to make good on his promise of transparency, now is the time.

When our economic difficulties began, they started with the banks.

First under President George W. Bush and then under President Oba-ma, the federal government bailed out many banks.

The bailouts were supposed to amount to $800 billion, but — with loans made through other programs — the taxpayer bill is close to $2 trillion.

And we know almost nothing about what has happened to this money.

Bloomberg News sued the Federal Reserve for records of banks that sought funding and the collateral (troubled assets) they provided in exchange.

The good news is that Bloomberg won. However, the Federal Reserve can appeal the case.

The Federal Reserve must seek permission from the solicitor general, who ultimately reports to the president. Mr. Obama should tell his people that this case must not be appealed.

He promised to be the transparent president, and thus far that has proved to be untrue. He can show that he will try harder to fulfill his promise by not resisting the court decision.

It is unconscionable that the Amer-ican people would not have full access to information about where their money went.

People go out, work and earn their money. Then the government comes along and chops out its chunk. In one way or another, much of that chunk was used to bail out banks. If the government is going to take our money and use it, it had better make sure we know exactly what is done with it.

We do not give our money so that it may be dispensed in secret.

We don’t give our money so that we may be treated like idiotic children who should not know the truth.

We do not give our money so that an obscene amount can be given to the greedy without even a demonstration of how it was used.

It is the moral duty of President Obama to ensure that the Federal Reserve does not appeal the court decision. We are entitled to this information, and we will have it.

adapted from the Woodbridge/Manassas News & Messenger

In a joint cause

Talk about the diversity of America.

Where else would gun-toting protestors, in all seriousness, show up in support of a peace rally?

It started with the simple request in Raymond, N.H., to hold a “yoga for peace” gathering on town property for International Day of Peace.

The town’s selectmen denied the request, saying they didn’t have enough information about the plans.

Yoga instructor Molly Schlangen held her event at her studio instead.

But the denial of a peace event had some residents up in arms. They staged their own rally on town property in protest of the selectmen’s decision.

And to that rally came members of the Free State Project, bearing arms.

Members said they were supporting Ms. Schlangen’s right to free speech and their own right to carry weapons.

The juxtaposition may seem ironic — even inappropriate — but in fact it is very American. “It takes all kinds,” as the old saying goes — and at is best America brings together all kinds.

The Daily Progress