After seeking public comments on ways to improve campaign finance regulation, enforcement, and compliance, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) heard a common theme: its rules and procedures can hinder nonprofits and small organizations from effectively participating in the political process. Nonprofits, including OMB Watch, recommended improvements that the FEC can make to ensure that all groups can fully participate in our democracy. A public hearing on the rules will be held on Jan. 14.

Change is coming to the leadership position at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Two news reports during the week of Jan. 5 highlighted the outgoing and (potentially) incoming administrators of the office that reviews federal agencies' proposals for providing public health, safety, consumer, and environmental protections.

When Congress passed the legislation that created the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), it authorized the creation of the Congressional Oversight Panel (COP) to monitor the execution of the program by the Treasury Department. The panel is required to issue reports on a regular basis, and its latest report, released Jan. 9, indicates that the Treasury Department either cannot or will not answer the questions posed to it in the COP's previous report, released on Dec. 10, 2008.

This year's historic presidential campaign introduced the country to a plethora of vocational symbols. It not only featured Joe the Plumber, but also Tito the Bricklayer, Rose the Teacher, and more. There were also a few Joes and Janes who had prominent roles in the restriction — and in a few cases, the expansion — of public information that may have gone unnoticed during the year. Hopefully for the last time in the life of our Republic, the government transparency events of 2008 are presented below according to vocational nomenclature.