Opinion: Citizens have duty to monitor government
OPINION
(Stroudsburg) Pocono Record
Today marks the beginning of Sunshine Week, a celebration of open government — and an exhortation to demand it ceaselessly.
Open government is a core principle of our American form of democracy. Government employees — both elected officials and non-elected workers — are directly accountable to the people. In a citizens' government, citizens and the press are the watchdogs, making sure officials remain accountable to the people. Keeping access open to officials and to public documents is essential if citizens are to maintain their freedom.
Just over a year ago, Pennsylvania's new Right-to-Know law went into effect, setting up a system for government agencies and offices to follow in responding to requests for public records. The law shifted a burden from citizens, who earlier had to prove why the records should be open, to the government. All records now are presumed open, and any agency that denies a request for records must argue its case for why it shouldn't be public.
In Monroe County, local government, including most school boards, complied pretty well with the Pocono Record's requests for basic information about employees, salaries and other facts.
But open government requires more than responses to basic questiions. It relies on questions and challenges from citizens, too. Citizens who don't pay attention to their municipal government, their school board, state legislature or the doings of their federal government are taking a huge risk. Only citizen involvement keeps officials at every level accountable. Dedicated citizens are often those who track down suspicious activities and make sure allegations of corrupt behavior are investigated. If citizens don't use these rights, they risk exploitation and worse — freedom itself.
The battle is never over.
Citizens and the press must remain constantly vigilant to make sure government at all levels performs its duties honestly and openly. Just consider the stories that have helped Americans understand what's happened to the economy in recent years. The inflated values in the real estate industry. The packaging of residential loans into complicated and essentially unstable financial instruments sold on the market. Huge bonuses even at failing firms on Wall Street.
Consider too the stories from around the state, tales of judicial misconduct and corruption in Luzerne County, of public school teaching jobs for sale, about the state Judicial Conduct Board's failure to investigate complaints made against a judge accused of taking kickbacks.
Every citizen has a stake in these thorny problems. Every issue, every level of government, every episode calls for people to assert their right to know and protect their freedom by keeping government open.
The Pocono Record and other newspapers strive to provide information and insights essential to citizens' freedom. We champion and encourage those engaged citizens who seek the truth.
Together, the free press and responsible, involved citizens must continue their watchdog role over government and play our respective roles in maintaining a free society.
(Stroudsburg) Pocono Record
Today marks the beginning of Sunshine Week, a celebration of open government — and an exhortation to demand it ceaselessly.
Open government is a core principle of our American form of democracy. Government employees — both elected officials and non-elected workers — are directly accountable to the people. In a citizens' government, citizens and the press are the watchdogs, making sure officials remain accountable to the people. Keeping access open to officials and to public documents is essential if citizens are to maintain their freedom.
Just over a year ago, Pennsylvania's new Right-to-Know law went into effect, setting up a system for government agencies and offices to follow in responding to requests for public records. The law shifted a burden from citizens, who earlier had to prove why the records should be open, to the government. All records now are presumed open, and any agency that denies a request for records must argue its case for why it shouldn't be public.
In Monroe County, local government, including most school boards, complied pretty well with the Pocono Record's requests for basic information about employees, salaries and other facts.
But open government requires more than responses to basic questiions. It relies on questions and challenges from citizens, too. Citizens who don't pay attention to their municipal government, their school board, state legislature or the doings of their federal government are taking a huge risk. Only citizen involvement keeps officials at every level accountable. Dedicated citizens are often those who track down suspicious activities and make sure allegations of corrupt behavior are investigated. If citizens don't use these rights, they risk exploitation and worse — freedom itself.
The battle is never over.
Citizens and the press must remain constantly vigilant to make sure government at all levels performs its duties honestly and openly. Just consider the stories that have helped Americans understand what's happened to the economy in recent years. The inflated values in the real estate industry. The packaging of residential loans into complicated and essentially unstable financial instruments sold on the market. Huge bonuses even at failing firms on Wall Street.
Consider too the stories from around the state, tales of judicial misconduct and corruption in Luzerne County, of public school teaching jobs for sale, about the state Judicial Conduct Board's failure to investigate complaints made against a judge accused of taking kickbacks.
Every citizen has a stake in these thorny problems. Every issue, every level of government, every episode calls for people to assert their right to know and protect their freedom by keeping government open.
The Pocono Record and other newspapers strive to provide information and insights essential to citizens' freedom. We champion and encourage those engaged citizens who seek the truth.
Together, the free press and responsible, involved citizens must continue their watchdog role over government and play our respective roles in maintaining a free society.