Any examples of ones that were more transparent?

Many, I believe, even as quite the Obama-fan. Secret courts & laws is a pretty recent development, so is the reliance on controlled social media vs. uncontrollable media.

I just met George Packer (writer @Atlantic) who said the greatest failure of Obama may end up not dramatically downscaling the scope of the Oval office while he still had the chance. The office has grown so powerful it's a dangerous tool in the hands of anyone less benevolent than the current officeholder.

Any of them from the past few decades. Obama's administration has made secret courts and laws more common than ever before while prosecuting a record number of whistleblowers.