A perusal of "Your Seat At The Table" on President-elect Barack Obama's transition team website shows documents and meetings with hundreds of interest groups trying to influence the policies of the new administration, making good on a promise from early December to place all such documents online.

The long list of documents from interest groups includes talking points and recommendations from big business groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and union groups like Change to Win.

Former Rep. Daniel Mica, D-Fla., who is now Credit Union National Association CEO, likes the emphasis on transparency. Mica said in a column for the Hill that he thinks ultimately the information could provide more accountability for citizens.

"Some on K Street may bristle at this new emphasis on transparency. I, for one, feel it is welcome and overdue," Mica wrote. "It is about time that we have a level playing field, so that consumers and advocacy organizations can truly understand the facts -- or, sadly, the distortion of facts -- that are being presented to the administration.

Mica said he sat down with Obama's transition staff and was asked to send all the documents (in electronic form) that his group provided during the meeting so that they could be posted online.

                                                                                                                    --Bara Vaida