His Commitment To A New Era of Gubernatorial Double Speak?

Get the bad stuff out of the way early in the term, right Bill? Claiming a "commitment to transparency and openness" while reversing Governor Bredesen's executive order creating "transparency and openness" by holding the executive branch of Tennessee State government to a higher standard is a pretty crappy thing to do. Look...If you think how much money you make on the side on cigarettes, beer, lottery tickets and gasoline is none of the people of Tennessee's business, even though you are heading up the government that is supposed to regulate those things in the people of Tennessee's best interests, well then at least have the balls to come out and say so like an honest man or woman. This looks like you spit in our pie and are trying to tell us you did it to make it taste better. Your commitment to transparency reads instead like a commitment to not being straight with the people of Tennessee.

Here's the actual press release:

For Immediate Release: Contact: David Smith
Sunday, January 16, 2011 (615) 254-4799
GOVERNOR BILL HASLAM SETS STANDARDS FOR
TRANSPARENCY, OPENNESS IN EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Haslam Issues Three Executive Orders Non-Discrimination, Transparency and Openness


NASHVILLE – Governor Bill Haslam today signed three executive orders setting out his commitment to transparency and openness in state government. He also established a comprehensive ethics policy for the Executive Branch and detailed his position on diversity in state employment practices.

“Government works better when people have input into the process, you are open to alternatives and examiner them, and then you explain why the decision was made,” Gov. Haslam said. “The rule should be the more you can be in the open, the better.”

Executive Order No. 2011-01 requires every employee of the Executive Branch to annually disclose the same information as the legislative branch. The Counsel to the Governor will serve as the chief ethics officer and will administer the policies and maintain all records related to the ethics policy.

Executive Order No. 2011-02 sets out the unwavering policy of the Executive Branch to facilitate the right of Tennesseans to know and have access to information with which to hold state government accountable. Extensive training is required for all members and employees of the Cabinet and Departments of the Executive Branch relating to open meetings, open records, ethics and disclosure requirements. The order also maintains the state’s open government website.

Executive Order No. 2011-03 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, gender, color, national origin, religion, age, and political affiliation or against otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities. The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development also is directed to inform and instruct all companies considering Tennessee as a business location that the prevailing policy of non-discrimination must be reflected in their employment practices and workforces in Tennessee.

Copies of the Executive Orders can be found here, here and here.