Here's a good thing: WH releases all visitor logs for first time ever

[G_j]

http://rawstory.com/2009/12/obama-ends-bush-secrecy-policy/

Obama ends Bush secrecy policy, launches ‘declassification center’

By Raw Story
Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 -- 5:22 pm


WH releases all visitor logs for first time ever

In an executive order issued Tuesday, President Barack Obama ended a Bush-era policy that allowed the head of the US's intelligence agencies to have the final word on the declassification of documents.

The order also establishes a National Declassification Center whose job it will be to streamline the process of declassifying documents -- an important change to the US's process of freeing up information, given that there is a backlog of more than 400 million documents stretching back all the way to World War II, according to the White House.

The order establishes for the first time that "no records may remain classified indefinitely," explained William H. Leary, the National Security Council's director of records and access management, in a posting at the White House blog.

"President Obama’s new Order strikes a careful balance between protecting essential secrets and ensuring the release of once sensitive information to the public as quickly and as fully as possible," Leary wrote.


The Washington Post reports:

The order comes as part of Obama's promise to push government to err on the side of disclosure as it tackles the need to keep certain information from the public.

As a candidate, Obama promised to run the most open and transparent administration ever. He has released White House visitor log data for the first time, though only months after the visits. But his decision not to release some information about detainee torture and his acceptance of closed-door negotiations on the health care bill in Congress have brought criticism from good-government groups.

Steven Aftergood, the Federation of American Scientists' director of the Project on Government Secrecy, told the New York Times that Obama's order was "a major step forward" and that "there are some real innovations here." But he cautioned that the changes will only result in a more open US government if federal agencies implement the new policy properly.

..more..

[wtmusic]

1. Transparency is good. nt

[no limit]

2. As mad as I am at the guy this is really good

It's one of those things that remind you why this is a lot better than the alternative.

[Political Heretic]

3. Well done. I acknowledge this good move and I'm greatful.

:thumbsup:

This is a beginning, not the end, of efforts to reclaim the kind of openness and transparency we deserve. As the article points out, policies of having secret health care meetings, or going to court to maintain bush era arguments against the freedom of information on detainee treatment and torture still must be addressed.

[G_j]

5. here is the part that traditionally becomes the problem,

"...a careful balance between protecting essential secrets and ensuring the release of once sensitive information.."

depending on who is making that call

[Political Heretic]

13. I am of the mind that there are very few "essential" secrets

though I know that puts me in a minority.

The less secrets our government keeps, the better it is for the entire world, I think.

[KansDem]

4. Actually, I was kind of hoping for the visitor logs dated 1/20/01 to 1/19/09

...but this is a good start!

[ProSense]

7. They were released

The White House also released an additional set from before the policy went into effect covering from Obama's inauguration Jan. 20 to Sept. 16.

[KansDem]

10. Actually, I was referring to every day Bush was in office...

1/20/01 to 1/19/09...:hi:

[ProSense]

11. Oops. Sorry.

:rofl:

[Moochy]

6. Good Stuff

"Publicity is justly commended as a remedy for social and industrial diseases. Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Brandeis

I'd never read that full quote.. More Electric Light Now!!!

[jgraz]

8. Yep, this I can rec.

[MannyGoldstein]

9. IIRC, The Courts Ordered This And Obama Fought It

Or am I mistaken? Could be.

[1]

12. heh. nice story. and no knock on obama. but if there is a visitor they don't want you to know about?

you won't know about it...