Former President Jimmy Carter wrote a piece advocating amendments to the Freedom of Information Act that he says would allow a freer flow of information and foster trust in the government. He noted that Freedom of Information Act requests, which are supposed to be answered in 20 days, are taking as long as 905 working days at the Department of Agriculture and 1,113 working days at the Environmental Protection Agency. That’s too long.
He argued that amendments to the act — “such as covering all branches of government; providing an oversight body to monitor compliance; including sanctions for failure to adhere to the law; and establishing an appeal mechanism that is easy to access, speedy and affordable” — are needed to counter our increasingly secretive leaders.
Posted by Melissa Cooley
Registered?
Commenting on WE Blog now requires you to be a Kansas.com member. Use the links above to register, if you haven't already, or to log in.Contact us
Follow us
Daily Archives
-
Recent Comments
- writerdog on Let immigrants run
- Regular on It’s the stupidity about the economy
- SolDevVB on Open thread 11/24
- ANTI on Open thread 11/24
- Regular on Open thread 11/24
- DavidB on Open thread 11/24
- donndublin on Open thread 11/24
- writerdog on It’s the stupidity about the economy
- ANTI on Open thread 11/24
- Austrian_Economist on Goldman Sachs ‘apology’ hollow
16 Comments
Go, Jimmy!
He wasn’t my favorite prez, but he IS a good man.
Good grief, an ex-president who makes sense? What next, an ex-presidents wife running for the presidency?
Damn, where’s Gordon Liddy when you need him? Shouldn’t Rove get Liddy to do his dirty work and nip this freedom thing right in the bud?
I remember trying to get some FDA information under FOIA. I was stonewalled, the excuse given fraudulent. I was seeking data on a “Phase I/II” drug study using human beings. The FDA said this was “confidential information”, even though the studies and their data had already BEEN PUBLISHED in the medical literature. The sponsoring drug company had not even informed the FDA of this germane fact. More importantly, if members of the American public are exposed to experimental drugs, shouldn’t other Americans be able to find out about this, especially if, as in the case I investigated, the American-public exprimental-drug-guinea pigs did not give informed consent?
I would have had to hire an attorney and file suit to move the FDA to comply with FOIA. If Beltway government staffers break the law with impunity, what does this tell us?
This tells us that drug companies, insurance industry and other large corporations actually run the government, and our elected officials are nothing more than their puppets and/or mouthpieces.
Why can’t they allow access online. Why is FOIA a request application and then they send you paper copies.
They need to Cyberize FOIA.
JOE–TRY THIS.
Go to Google.Type in Google Uncle Sam.When you get to Google U.S., type in .mil or .gov. and hit go.
See how many millions of hits you get for each!!!!
Come back here and say:Damn, how’s come everyone doesn’t know about google uncle sam?
You can also use gargoyle.theshrub.
I paid a 16% interest rate on my first home under Jimmy Carter’s weak political leadership, so pardon me if I’m not a political supporter of President Carter. I am, however, a supporter of his servant hood. He is the definition of a servant leader, leading by example. So, when he makes political commentary, it doesn’t have any credibility. But, when he makes Habitat for Humanity speeches, I’m all ears with money and hammer in hand.
Tracy! There is a difference between a government website and FIOA request. I actually don’t think you know the difference.
A FIOA request is done in writing. This is when you request specific information from a government department or agency. Not basic information on a website.
Here is an example of FIOA from the DOJ.
http://www.usdoj.gov/04foia/
Get it?
I paid 17% interest rate under Reagan, who told me “things were bad when we started our watch” – in other words – “it’s Carter’s fault”. Wonder why my parents never let me get by with crap like that? They were democrats & they weren’t supposed to be preaching personal responsibility, were they?
Thanks for the information, Joe. In your experience, do they charge you for making copies or other things?
DD! Some department and agencies charge and some do not. Just depends.
Carter didn’t create “stagflation”. That was a product of Vietnam War mega-deficit and overexpansion of the money supply which generated inflation that started in the Gerald Ford administration in 1975. Carter didn’t take office until 1977. Fed Reserve Chair Paul Volker is credited with eventually stopping it, but the Fed, under a repub administration started it. Volker was actually appointed in 79 by Carter, and Reagan got the credit for halting inflation.
heartlander – I would add that the federal deficit fell under Carter after rising under Nixin/Ford. Then it exploded under Reagan with what Bush 1 called “Voodoo economics”
Recently in a Dollar General store, I casually asked about the well-being of a former store manager. The current manager answered, “For privacy considerations, we can’t divulge any information about former employees.”
This “privacy” card is being used as an excuse for laziness and to not do anything by a lot of people including especially government. I marked it up to another victory for Bin Laden.