I hear the word transparency used by most everyone for almost any reason. The phrase “talking out of both sides of your mouth” frequently comes to mind. The definition I use is “free from pretense or deceit.” What’s yours?

One of the more effective quotes I’ve found that best characterizes today’s political transparency is a quote from Theodore Roosevelt: “Behind the ostensible [open to view] government sits enthroned [assigned a supreme value] and invisible [non-transparent] government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people.” I know it’s frightening but, please, read it again.

Has transparency become one of those words without substance? Is it a word that’s been bastardized to the degree it no longer conveys any true meaning?

I fear the general public has accepted and is using a mutated version of transparency for their own. The segregation of Society into warring factions has helped to make the word meaningless. I heard a psychologist say humans are basically like sheep, easily manipulated

I don’t baaaaalieve it. Do you?

In today’s atmosphere we get a barrage of communication that’s intentionally full of pretense and deceit. Where’s the transparency when questions arise concerning the meaning of what someone said and the forthcoming explanation is “the words weren’t intended to mean what they mean.” Are we that dim-witted to accept such explanations? Sir Walter Scott: “Oh, what tangled webs we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”

Do you believe this quote and hold it as one of your standards?

I can’t find any moral basis that will allow transparency in today’s political atmosphere. It is just too lucrative to be non-transparent. Isn’t the continual promise of transparency greatly cheating honest American voters?