Opinion

OTHER OPINION

September 21, 2008

A closed government opens door to abuse

EXCESSIVE SECRECY MAKES government less trustworthy and the public less safe. But it’s on the increase in Washington.

The accelerating push to hide government workings from the public is detailed in the “Secrecy Report Card,” produced by a coalition of more than 70 groups that advocate open government.

Among the highlights:

• Competitive bidding of federal contracts has dropped by almost 25 percent since 2000. More than $114 billion worth of contracts were given out without competition in 2007.

• Secrecy is especially acute in the Department of Defense, where 18 percent of the acquisition budget is classified.

• Scientific and technical advice is increasingly hidden from the public. A 1972 act of Congress required that federal advisory committees meet in the open. But last year the government used exemptions to close 64 percent of the advisory committee meetings.

This kind of secrecy in government encourages cronyism, drives up costs to taxpayers and worsens the national debt.

But it’s becoming harder for the press and watchdog groups to ferret out abuses.

At 25 key federal agencies, the government spent $7 million less in 2007 to process Freedom of Information Act requests.

Overall, last year saw a continuing trend of the federal government classifying more information, keeping patents secret and invoking the “state secrets” privilege.

Some confidentiality is necessary. But the administration’s insistence on executive power and secrecy has eroded public confidence in government.

Fortunately, some in Congress acknowledge the problem. The House has passed a reform bill called the Over-Classification Reduction Act. Among other things, it would require more justification for classifying documents, and create a process to reward employees and contractors for challenging improper classification decisions.

Senate passage of the act would be a step forward.

But the public and press must keep up the pressure for a more open government.

Kansas City Star

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