Okay, y’all, here and here are today’s installments of the Sun-Herald et al.‘s “The Secret State” series. I’ll update with my reaction, and invite yours, soon as I’ve read them.
Day Two of “The Secret State”
February 11th, 2008 @ 10:18 am - by lotus · 3 Comments
Filed Under: Herald & Examiner
newspapers used to lead the charge on open records. However, since newspapers are now owned by huge corporations, they are too intertwined with us chamber members to open records that would expose the politicians they support.
1. It’d be nice to see an ACLU-like organization funded by wealthy open records advocates to assist people in these cases, and in lobbying for stiffer penalties for egregious withholding of public records.
2. One thing to watch out for, is the protection of personal data from inter-nut stalkers. It’s a real nightmare for victims nowadays, all the data that can be gleaned online.
I can remember the fight to get Mississippi’s first open meetings law passed during Bill Waller’s administration. He never got the credit he deserved to standing up to the old guard and pushing that through.
Unfortunately, “open” now means different things to different people. Hood has to open everything; Barbour can keep anything secret.
Now the same crowd (National Association of Manufacturers) that is touting the so-called “Sunshine” law for AGs has filed a lawsuit to invalidate the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act. Oh, the hypocrisy of it all.
As John Guyette wrote on thepoptort.com:
“So in the universe where NAM lives, a family shouldn’t have the right to sue the manufacturers of a defectively designed crib. But take away their right to cover up their membership as they wine and dine politicians, and they’re knocking down the courthouse door!”
http://www.thepoptort.com/2008/02/trade-group-sue.html