Let's stop being the "surveilled" society and become the "surveilling" society

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

OF OUR OWN GOVERNMENT!

Let's just turn it upside down. They need to account to us!

All of their policies, all of their emails, all of their internal communications need to be easily accessible to us, THEIR BOSSES.
Just like the rules you work under in your corporate world.

There might be some exceptions, then they can apply to be exempted under some special circumstances that are very very RARE.

We speak of Big Brother in fearful terms as it as always been expressed as the government watching the people.

What if Big Brother turned into the people watching the government?

[CrazyOrangeCat]

1. The Freedom of Info Act . . .

. . . was designed for that purpose. And damned if Big Brother Cheney didn't use 9/11 to pretty much shut it down.

That has got to change for this to be a free society.

K&R

[OneGrassRoot]

3. TRANSPARENCY, We The People Demand It ! ! ! k&r n/t

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

4. We have a lot more technology since the Freedom of Information Act

They (we) could actually make information free anytime that we choose to.

Why shouldn't local, state and national government be transparent? If they were really conducting business of the people's behalf , there wouldn't even be a question.

The answer is that much of local, state, and national government has existed in the past as a springboard for personal wealth, family wealth, etc. of the "connected". Insider bids, nepotism, cronyism, etc. all flourish where the general populace doesn't have a clue what is going on.

Here's an example many of us can relate to: You know someone who is in general an underperforming moron. Yet, somehow, they have a state or local position that they appear underqualified for. How come they got the position,and how come qualified or over-qualified people did not even know of the existence of the position?

[OneGrassRoot]

8. Yep, a paradigm shift toward gov't AND corporate transparency...

sadly, they're one and the same at present.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

10. Some very good points.

If government was truly transparent . . . and it COULD be, technologically speaking . . . cronyism could be shut down. Wow.

[niyad]

2. absolutely agreed!!! it is time WE THE PEOPLE remembered--and reminded these bastards--that they

work FOR US--and as such, there is very little that they do that WE THE PEOPLE do not know about, down to the last cent, person and piece of equipment. (as you pointed out, certain issues of security MIGHt be given exemption, but very rarely)

we pay their damned salaries, we are THEIR bosses, NOT the other way around. they do NOT tell US they do not feel like testifying, WE tell THEM they WILL testify, UNDER OATH, with full transcripts.

[villager]

5. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

Absolutely right. K&R

[lumberjack_jeff]

6. I want some o' that Total Information Awareness too. n/t

[NotGivingUp]

7. this is exactly what needs to be done! k & r ! n/t

[VP505]

9. I agree,

and Leahy and Conyers have an opportunity to start that revolution by standing up to King George, call his bluff with their subpoenas and putting the Court Jester Rove and Miers under oath. I wonder if they have any clue how much support they REALLY have for that.

[Nikki Stone1]

11. K & R

:kick:

[FredStembottom]

12. Reminds me of an idea I first had about 20 years ago......

I would call it Basic Reporting.

A list of who every Senator and congress person meets with each day.

Published daily.

Now the Internets make this possible.

Just the names of the people or groups they meet with each day. From cub scout groups (no names of kids would be reported, of course but Den 123, Covington, KY would be) to the names of lobbyists that stopped in.

We the People could chain together the names and investigate further when and where we saw fit.

Does anyone here know the day-to-day procedures in Senate and Congressional offices? Are these names already kept logged somewhere?

If so.... those logs should be on the 'net daily!

[EVDebs]

13. Take their sigmoidoscopes and shove 'em where the sun don't shine nt

[snot]

14. Knowledge is power; and as in any other form, an imbalance of power

tempts some to abuse.

I don't believe the gov't or anyone else has a legitimate right to my personal info; but I'd feel better about it if they provided the same to me. Instead, we get the opposite -- the most secretive administration ever. You can bet they wouldn't need to be so secretive if their motives for spying on us and their other actions were pure.

[Pryderi]

15. The Punch Clock Campaign - Sunlight Network

http://www.sunlightnetwork.com/punchclock_agreement

The Punch Clock Agreement

I believe citizens have a right to know what their Member of Congress does every day.

Starting with the next Congress, I promise to publish my daily official work schedule on the Internet, within 24 hours of the end of every work day. I will include all matters relating to my role as a Member of Congress. I will include all meetings with constituents, other Members, and lobbyists, listed by name. (In rare cases I will withhold the names of constituents whose privacy must be protected.) I will also include all fundraising events. Events will be listed whether Congress is in session or not, and whether I am in Washington, traveling, or in my district.