For instance, the president's ideas on education, which involve accountability and charter schools and pay for performance, may please the American public and thus make their way into policy.
But the problems involving accountability and transparency don't lie only with internal affairs or other watchdog agencies, Basham said.
I hope there is a swift examination of the various allegations of abuse made by former and current detainees in Guantanamo and other US-run prisons, and if they are verified, that the next steps will involve accountability for anyone who has violated the law.
Most importantly, the code involves no accountability measures yet.
"Nobody can tell me that a small, autonomous, well-funded school, where the parents are involved, where accountability is put on that staff, is not the right way to go," he said.
It may also come as a surprise that in the aftermath of its economic crisis, facilitated by "light touch regulation", the Irish government is pursuing a course that would appear to involve less accountability and parliamentary oversight rather than more.
They should also be involved in accountability and transparency framework of development, not just for the government but also for national civil society and third sectors in the developing countries - who, in my own opinion, often operate losely and aren't monitored.
Those caveats aside, this might be one of the few questions where it's all right to sound like a lawyer mentioning, for example, a plea deal that would involve some accountability, rather than the only options being a long prison sentence or a free pass.
But a mistrial was declared by Pakistan's Supreme Court following a major scandal involving the accountability bureau and the judge who had issued the verdict.
Finally, issues of governance are fundamental to the health policy process, where political accountability involves much more than states being accountable to citizens.
