Open Our Government

Yesterday I wrote about the Department of Justice and Alberto Gonzales. That afternoon the OMB watch sent a message that included the following synopsis:

DOJ Update:
Kyl Unveiled as FOIA Foiler
Shortly after supporters of the Openness Promotes Effectiveness in Our National (OPEN) Government Act began aggressive online and telephone campaigns to discover the senator who had placed an anonymous hold on the bill, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) acknowledged that he was blocking the legislation. Kyl explained that the move was at the behest of the Department of Justice, which he explained had "uncharacteristically strong objections to the bill."

I thought this was worthy of inclusion in today’s blog because it is a story I had mentioned last week, too. My point then was the irony of an anonymous hold on a bill aimed at governmental openness. Now to that irony we can add the blatant involvement of the Department of Justice in support of an indefensible Bush administration position that government should be less open.

This administration, in addition to the commonly cited multitude of sins it carries, is also the most secretive government in history. If the day-to-day activities of a government in a democratic republic cannot be carried on openly, they are not activities the people should support.

So why is openness in government so important?




Be the change you wish to see in the world. -- M. K. Gandhi

Individually we have little voice. Collectively we cannot be ignored.
But in silence we surrender our power. Yours in Peace -- BR