Government secrecy on the rise.
Government secrecy on the rise.
A new report by OpenTheGovernment.org, a coalition of 67 organizations, finds that government secrecy “by almost any measure is expanding and little is being done to stop it.” Some highlights:
– In six years, President Bush has issued at least 151 signing statements, challenging 1149 provisions of laws. In the 211 years of our Republic to 2000, fewer than 600 signing statements that took issue with the bills were issued. Among recent presidents, Reagan issued 71 statements challenging provisions of laws before him; G.W.H. Bush issued 146; Clinton, 105.
– Since 2001, the “state secrets” privilege has been invoked a reported 39 times–an average in 6.5 years (6) that is more than double the previous 24 years (2.46).
– A 2007 Justice Department Office of the Inspector General report on secret wiretap warrants indicated that the government made 143,074 National Security Letter requests in the period 2003-2005. The number for 2006 remains classified.
Patrice McDermott, director for the coalition, said, “The executive branch seems to believe that something is kept under wraps solely on its say-so, whether it is legitimately so or not.”
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We really have no way of knowing what our “open” government is actually doing because of this very UnAmerican secrecy and hubris. And to think we used to be a free country, not even a decade ago.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:09 amOne thing to add to those numbers for signing statements: G.H.W. Bush only served for four years. Both Reagan and Clinton served for eight. At the rate he was going, Bush I would have issued about 300 signing statements in the same period of time.
Not as impressive as his son, but still big numbers.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:10 amImpeach, Indict, Convict, Imprison…that is what the Justice Department is supposed to do…this is our country…it does not belong to the thugs in this crime family. Remove them if we have to drag their worthless, criminal asses out forcefully.
Enough is enough. The rethuglican party has proven a gross hatred for your form of government and we should help them remove themselves forever…a party that hates government has no business running the government the hate.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:16 amGovernment must be a transparent garment which tightly clings to the people’s body. – Georg Buchner
September 1st, 2007 at 10:21 amBush Junior is a despotic president, a border line fascist, so do not act surprised about anything he does secretly.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:26 amBush has worked hard to try to transform this Country into a Tinhorn Banana Republic Dictatorship. =P
September 1st, 2007 at 10:34 amOff Topic: CNN is running that Craig will resign today…
September 1st, 2007 at 10:48 amCraig is supposed to give a resignation speech at 12:30 pm Idaho time supposedly, but perhaps Eastern time > not sure actually. Larry is not going to admit to cruising for sex in restrooms. He will say he is leaving the Senate to work to clear his name or something along those lines.
September 1st, 2007 at 11:00 amUK General: Interlectually bankrupt
September 1st, 2007 at 11:31 amLet just start calling these signing states what they are, George made is own line item veto……………………
September 1st, 2007 at 11:41 amQuantifying secrecy must be challenging.
September 1st, 2007 at 12:11 pmSecrecy is on the rise and the dumbed down 20 something year olds, the generation that will be most affected can not see it… In their minds, because the main stream media does not cover actions/events, it does not exist. They are quite happy to escape into their video games while this country falls apart around them. And try talking to these younger folks….. because they do not hear what is really going on from the MSM, ones mental stability may be questioned.
September 1st, 2007 at 1:14 pmBush has worked hard to try to transform this Country into a Tinhorn Banana Republic Dictatorship. =P
Comment by Wayne
Today is the first day the Mexican truckers are allowed to cross the US border. This is a turning point for me….not a trucker or related to one, but I do see big changes in more outsourcing, and the myth of the ’supper highway’ coming true. And of course corporate MSM is keeping quiet on this…this will be more cheap labor for the Corporate One World Order.
September 1st, 2007 at 1:23 pmIt sounds like “TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION”. Just where are your and my taxes going? To a secret enterprise?
WE MUST OBJECT!
Get your tea bags ready.
September 1st, 2007 at 2:30 pmI think a correction is order at opengov–hasn’t BUSH ISSUED NEARLY 1,000 SIGNING STATEMENTS (that we know of), NOT 151
September 1st, 2007 at 4:02 pmEver read 1984?
Welcome my son, welcome to the machine.
Where have you been?
It’s alright we know where you’ve been.
Welcome my son, welcome to the machine.
September 1st, 2007 at 4:18 pmWhat did you dream?
It’s alright we told you what to dream.
It’s called “Do anything you can, but for God’s sake CYA the best way you can!” The only way they know how to CYA is to be secret!
What most people don’t know is that there is STILL a lot more yet to surface and if you didn’t like what has already surfaced, you sure aren’t going to like what else is going to surface either!
September 1st, 2007 at 4:33 pmIt’s about time people in this country woke up because we are headed for a dictatorship! The Bush administration has done everything it can to undermine freedom and liberty, yet they swear it’s the reason for the war in Iraq. If the Republican party’s hero Ronald Reagan was alive, he’d be calling for Bush’s Impeachment too. What I don’t understand is why the democrats with a little d are going along with it. Of course a fox is going to steal chickens if the farmer doesn’t care if his chicken are eaten. The democrats act as if Bush won by a land slide and has a 99 percent approval rating.
Why should be care about the law if he can break it over and over again and the weak azz democrats who are afraid of their own shadow, do nothing but talk. Ask yourself a question. If I punched a 310 lb offensive linemen in the mouth and he said, “stop’, but didn’t do anything to stop me from hitting him again, why would I or anyone else stop? They democrats don’t deserve to be the majority, they just go right along with Bush like the Republican do.
September 1st, 2007 at 4:46 pmEver read 1984?
Comment by Lee —
Yes, and I did not miss a show when Mike Malloy read the entire book to his audience. That was, what, about 2 years ago? The reality of that story becomes truer by the day.
September 1st, 2007 at 5:01 pmThe Shadow
I am not sure what is going on with the democrats…It is absolutely pitiful. I have heard some talk show hosts state that maybe the dems are afraid because of the anthrax scare directed towards them before 9/11. I have heard others wonder if the dems feel threatened as they have been spied upon and the republicans have the goods on them. Others have said the dems have been bought.
September 1st, 2007 at 5:17 pmFor sure something needs to change. To start a third party would split the progressives giving it all back to the repugs. I am all for campaign finance reform so We the People can choose the candidate from character rather than the big corporate money buying the candidate. But it appears the bought congress will not pass it.
I am a member of the Right Wing Conspiracy- meetings held the 2nd tues every month at a location to be named later– what do you want to know?
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:02 amWhat I don’t understand is why the democrats with a little d are going along with it. Of course a fox is going to steal chickens if the farmer doesn’t care if his chicken are eaten. The democrats act as if Bush won by a land slide and has a 99 percent approval rating.
Well at least his approval rating is twice that of congress
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:04 am