The Government should have no secrets.

[Cointelpro_Papers]

It seems to me that many of the problems we face, goes back to the fact that the government is lying to us, and in a Democracy, that is an inmearsuralbe evil.

The government should not have classified documents, should not lie to us, and should not hide things from us. It works for us, we do not work for it. It would be compared to an employ lying to it's employer, and the employer knowing it.

In a Democracy, we give up security to live in a place with freedoms, and tolerance, we don't value security above these two things. But the question is how free can we be if we're constantly lied to, and the truth is constantly hidden from us. Granted the lies and deception is for our protections, but we are soon to forget that security is NOT the most important value, and in many instances the origination of many evils.

I dunno, this is impractical in the society we have evolved into, but it is also only possible in the society we have evolved into.

I'm reluctant to say this, but secrets should only be there in the most extremum circumstances. When individual people's lives could be put in danger. And as soon as the danger has passed the secret should be declassified.

[Az]

1. Secrecy only in extreme circumstances

Other than life threatening issues a secretive democracy is a paradox. A government of the people, for the people, and by the people cannot be run properly while maintaining secrets from the very people governing. We The People are the source by which governence draws its authority. Imagine how foolish it would be to have kept secrets from a king and then expect him to make informed descisions. In a democracy We The People are the king. To keep information from us blinds us and renders us beholden to those who keep the secrets.

[Cointelpro_Papers]

3. Absolutely,

Only have secrets when someone's life could be put in danger, and then when the danger is over, declassify it as soon as possible.

[Fovea]

2. Better government comes from public involvemnent

in an informed citizenry.
What we have is a dumbing down of America, presided over since 1968, which is the last year we spent more in real dollars than the year before.

It has had the desired effect. We are the more ignorant of the industrial democracies, and the rest of the world knows it.


:mad:

[Walt Starr]

4. Secrets in governement are absolutely necessary

Don't get me wrong, the current administration is more secretive than any governement needs to be, including despotic fascist dictatorships, but I digress.

Secrets are necessary to protect the military. The only way to get rid of the secrets is to divest ourselves of the need for a military.

I'm not certain, but I don't believe we'll be able to accomplish that little task in several lifetimes....