Open Government
It’s been said that “knowledge is power”. When the people of a democratic country know exactly what their government is doing it keeps the power in the hands of the citizens. If the general public has no idea what their elected officials are doing, it allows corruption and scandal to occur.
During his campaign in 2008, President Barack Obama proudly proclaimed that his administration would be the most transparent ever. He made the promise because he knew that the people voting for him wanted their government to be open and honest. After he won the election, he never fulfilled his promise and he ended up denying more FOIA requests than any other President before him.
Achieving a truly open government is difficult, but the more transparency you can achieve, the better. Here are some articles that discuss open government and its importance in more detail:
Government records in the digital age
Government offices and agencies have been providing public records to anyone that requests them since 1967. That was the year that the Freedom of...
02Local vs. federal public records
When most people think of public records, they usually think of things like birth certificates, social security cards, and marriage licenses. These are...
03Public records and privacy issues
Public records are an important element that help keep democratic governments transparent. However, there are some costs that come with maintaining and...
04Public records archives and libraries
Public libraries provide a wide range of valuable services to their local communities. They lend books and materials, assist with education at all levels...
05Why are Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests denied?
Over recent years the ever-growing concern over governmental transparency has emerged from all corners in the U.S. Whatever primary catalyst(s) may lie at...