Finally, a taste of that "transparency" we've been waiting for

After months and months during which the Obama administration has been nearly as opaque in its accountability as Bush has been (refusing to prosecute torture enablers, upholding State Secrets, etc.) we're now finally getting a chance to experience what it's like to know what's going on amongst those in charge – sorta. In a groundbreaking move (and I say that without snark), President Obama has announced that he will open up White House visitor logs for any and all to see.

WASHINGTON — President Obama announced Friday that he will open up White House visitor logs on a regular basis for the first time in modern history, providing the public an unusually extensive look at who gets the opportunity to help shape American policy at the highest levels.

“Americans have a right to know whose voices are being heard in the policymaking process,” the president said in a written statement issued by the White House while he vacationed with his family at Camp David. The new policy settles four lawsuits against the government seeking such records.

By the end of the year, the White House will begin posting online every month the names of the people who visited in the last 90 to 120 days. Each person’s full name will be listed, along with the date and time they entered and left and the name of the person they visited. About 70,000 to 100,000 people visit the White House each month, and the records will include tourists as well as people conducting business.

There will be some obvious exceptions to the names that are listed, such as "purely personal guests" of the Obamas, certain visitors whose names cannot be disclosed for national security reasons, and other guests whose identities cannot be immediately divulged (such as, for example, Supreme Court nominees), but we're assured – for whatever that's worth – that these people will make up a very small number of unlisted names, some of which will be revealed later anyway once the cat's out of the bag (such as with Supreme Court nominees and such).

I see we're finally seeing some progress. It's odd; in the first few weeks of presidency, Obama moved lightening-quick to strike down bad Bush policy after bad Bush policy, such as prohibitions and limitations on abortion and stem-cell research, but ever since we've been seeing pretty much nothing else that's new as he's been fighting to pass the Stimulus Package, and now, struggling over the healthcare reform "debate".

Ah well ... As they say, a few small steps will get you further than no big steps will. (Oh, wait – I just said that.)

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