Proposal: If a business contracts with the federal gov. its books and employee rolls must be open.

[originalpckelly]

If we expect openness from our government, allowing private federal contractors to keep their records closed is destructive of that openness.

Their owners, employees, and their finances should all be completely public information if they are to contract with our government. They must account for every single dime of federal spent.

Is this a good or bad idea?

[Richard Steele]

1. It's a fine idea, obviously. It's a damn SHAME we even need to be talking about it.

Secrecy in public affairs has never led to anything good.
It's the first prerequisite for crime and corruption.
Without it, such things are much more difficult. Anyone
arguing in favor of it is inherently SUSPECT, IMO.

[BornagainDUer]

2. What if opening the books is a threat to national security?

:sarcasm:

They haul that out whenever they need it.

[Hangingon]

3. National security is oftem legit.

More often you will run afoul of "proprietary information". Business have a right to keep their techniques and practices from their competitors. I think we have to depend on accurate and aggressive government auditors. In many ways, the company doing business becomes more open - at least to the government.

[JDPriestly]

4. Excellent idea.

All this "privatization" is a way to avoid the civil service and the rights and political neutrality of civil servants. It is a way to lower the standards for compensation and benefits for all American workers. It is also a way to avoid careful scrutiny regarding discrimination. And it allows for a lot of cheating by friends of whoever is in charge of the current administration -- without the bother of oversight by Congress. It all started with Johnson who abused Roosevelt's government involvement in infrastructure development and public works projects. We need to correct this big time.