NPR reported that public requests for information from the government are becoming increasingly delayed, taking months, even years to be fulfilled. Much of the delay, of course, is a certain level of bureaucracy and no doubt a lack of systems and staff to process the incoming requests. But many times, it is a result of intentional foot-dragging by certain branches of the government, less than eager to share this information with the public. Of course, if all you require are J. Edgar Hoover's celebrity files, those are readily available in the highly entertaining FBI electronic reading room.
In addition to restricting The Freedom of Information Act since its passage in 1966, the players of our current administration have spent decades working to erode the privacy protection of individuals. Despite the inability of the government to disclose information to us, they seem to have unlimited resources and technology available to extract information from us.
Regardless of whether their level of inquiry facilitates our safety, the checks and balances of a two-way flow of information is crucial for the maintenance of a free and democratic society. Anyone defending these seizures on our rights should consider what the other hand is doing while the long arm of the law is protecting us.
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