An NCoC Featured Discussion
April 9, 2009
From first stepping foot on the campaign trail to the launch of the new administration’s government website, President Barack Obama has proclaimed governments responsibility to be “transparent, participatory, and collaborative.” While the Administration is still within its first 100 days, many Americans are making it clear that they are ready to see this promise fulfilled with a renewed effort focused on government accountability. Transparency, it seems, has become synonymous with trust. In the 2008 America’s Civic Health Index, only 22% of Americans reported feeling that government is run for the benefit of all; sixty-seven percent said, “Government is run by a few big interests who look out for themselves.” Can putting extra emphasis on transparency bridge the trust gap between government and the public? “’Transparency’ has become a buzzword because of the belief that greater transparency will root out corruption in government,” said Lisa Rosenberg, Government Affairs Consultant at the Sunlight Foundation, “But what’s often lost in the cynicism that surrounds conversations about transparency is that channeling the power of the Internet to make what government does available online in real time will create a more thoughtful, deliberative conversation between elected officials and the public, and may result in better public policy, more careful monitoring of the public purse, and more trust in government.” While transparency may be a hot topic lately, it is not a new one. The Freedom of Information Act a “sunshine” law signed by President Johnson in 1966, allows for the full or partial release of previously undisclosed government documents. In 1976 under the Ford administration the Government in the Sunshine Act was passed with the intention of creating an even greater level of transparency and government accountability. While many viewed it as a step in the right direction, critics contend that its scope is too narrow, pertaining only to “meetings” of “agencies.” President Obama has already initiated some changes existing government accountability practices, such as issuing an executive order overturning limitations on release of presidential records, and a memo directing the creation of an open government directive within 120 days. He has also committed to: -Publishing legislation online before it is signed into law -Making all “earmarks” public information, including which legislators are responsible for them -Detailing how much all federal contractors spend on lobbying -Creating a centralized database for all lobbyist information The way the government operates is only half of the transparency equation and trust in government must be balanced with individual accountability and participation in government processes. “No one change will make it happen. No one law or executive order, or Supreme Court ruling can, or ever will, change a democracy. It has to come from the people, the demos,” said Ian Storrar, Chief Operating Officer of Mobilize.org. On March 26, the White House became “Open for Questions” when the President hosted a town hall forum, which was streamed live on the internet, where he answered questions not from the media, but from everyday individuals. “When I was running for president, I promised to open the White House for the American people. This is an important step toward achieving that goal,” Obama said. And the American people responded: 92,929 people submitted 104,110 questions to the town hall and cast 3,606,647 votes for the questions they most wanted to hear answered. Blending of online and offline communications allow for public spaces to deepen conversations and take action on community issues every day across the country. “We can create space using the Internet and face-to-face citizen’s forums for focused examination of political, social, economic and cultural issues. It is an untapped resource that affords governments, communities and society an opportunity to take people back into community, build social capital and link to their collective public mind,” said Steven N. Pyser, editor of the International Journal of Public Participation. We want to hear from you… What suggestions would you make to ensure an efficient and successful implementation of the president’s proposals in the government but also among citizens? What concerns might arise in making government more accessible to more people? Can this actually work?