Government”reform” now means shutting people up. I told you months ago that you’d see restrictions on your speech. Did you believe me?

I am writing with an update on the President’s March 20, 2009 Memorandum on Ensuring Responsible Spending of Recovery Act Funds. Section 3 of the Memorandum . . . barred registered lobbyists from having oral communications with government officials about specific Recovery Act projects or applications and instead required those communications to be in writing[.]

Following OMB’s review, the Administration has decided to make a number of changes to the rules that we think make them even tougher on special interests and more focused on merits-based decision making.

First, we will expand the restriction on oral communications to cover all persons, not just federally registered lobbyists.  For the first time, we will reach contacts not only by registered lobbyists but also by unregistered ones, as well as anyone else exerting influence on the process.  We concluded this was necessary under the unique circumstances of the stimulus program.

(Emphasis mine, of course.)

I know, I know, the White House will say you’re still free to put your gripes in writing. But as Ace points out, does this mean no more phone calls to your congressman to complain about the stimulus?

The irony is that the White House blog post trumpeting this policy comes from “special counsel to the president for ethics and government reform.”