A Constitutional Amendment that wouldn't hurt a thing

[1-Old-Man]

Add this right after the Bill of Rights: "The work of the Government shall not be conducted in secret."

By god that would certainly change things.

[LWolf]

1. I could swear I remember hearing something

about making government transparent when Obama was campaigning.

Not that words spoken on a campaign trail mean anything.

[RGinNJ]

2. I'll vote for that.

[valerief]

3. That would hurt rich people getting richer by controlling the government,

and rich people getting richer is the most important--though most insane--thing in the world.

[Pelican]

4. No exceptions at all?

Nothing should be classified and thus be available to all citizens and by extension anyone in the world?

[1-Old-Man]

5. I see Atom Bombs as problematic, but how do you allow some secrets and not others?

Because if I had put in the words "except in time of war" or "other than for military necessity" or found some other way to allow partial secrecy then you know what would happen - just what we see today, perpetual war and secrecy to a level that it clearly outweighs any need for it. Secret Courts and secret law do not a free nation make, secret Presidential decisions and secret Congressional votes are not the protectors of a free people.

[Pelican]

6. The answer is that there is no simple answer...

Classification and secrecy and privacy is absolutely needed in every aspect of governance.

It takes parties pushing at both sides and you end up somewhere in the middle I suppose.

[1-Old-Man]

7. I disagree - it it not needed at all in legislation or in decisions by any Court.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. Democracy + Secret Government = Oxymoron

In a democracy, the people are responsible for holding public servants accountable. How can the people do that if the public servants operate in secret?