Do you have a right to know what the government is doing?

Answer 1

Yes, it's in the bottom of the 1st Amendment, right of redress of grievences. This means that people have every right to keep an eye on what their lawmakers are doing and hold them accountable when they don't represent their constituents. This has been slowly forgotten over the last 200 years, and our fat cat Reps and Senators like it this way.

The right of redress also covers a LOT of other ground, people need to figure out what this means and start holding government accountable. Government should be afraid of the people, people should never fear what their government is up to.

Every time you give any politician just an inch of wiggle room or benefit of the doubt, they WILL screw somebody or start a war for their buddies. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The purpose of freedom of the press and freedom of speech and right of redress is so people can ALWAYS keep an eagle's eye on their government. A government of secret prisons, secret trials, secret taxes, secret spending, secret treaties, and secret policies is no longer accountable to the people or the law. This is TYRANNY.

Answer 2

I think to a degree we do, yes. But I think there are instances when we are better off not knowing. But it's a catch 22. If we don't know, then the government could easily screw us.

Then again, if we assume that they (those we elected) have our (the nation's) best interests at heart, then no, we don't need to know everything. It's kind of like it is or was with parents. They did things that were in our best interest all the time. Some of these things may have seemed retarded or counter-productive. But in the end, we were better for it.

Maybe a better scenario would be this: my husband hunts. and I am more than happy to eat the quail and duck and squirrels that he kills, and I know he kills them, skins them, guts them, ect. But I don't need all the details...yuck.

By the same token, total secrecy can lead to total corruption...

Hell, I don't know!

Answer 3

No.

You have the right to check if they do their job right but in the system you elected people to do that for you. They are called senators.

There is also 'the freedom of information act'. This allows you to gather information without being obstructed. This however does not mean you can know what they are doing.. it is only paperwork that you read. There is no 'full disclosure act' supporting the information act.

Personally you have no right in politics but the vote. Unless you want in and be a politician of course.

Answer 4

I believe that we should, based on the fact that we elected these politicians to work in our best interests, and if what they are doing really is in our best interest, we should know what that is. However, I do not think we should know everything that goes on in wars/conflicts. Send the military over there and let them do their jobs and come home. The reason they are not home now is b/c they are not allowed to do the jobs they are sent over there to do b/c the media might catch it and it might hurt someone's feelings. Sorry for the rant, btw.

Answer 5

As long as i'm paying TAXES,,,hell yes I do..
I want my taxes to do whats right for our Country..
So far I haven't seen nothing good come from our Governments that is spending MY taxes.

Answer 6

Yes we have the right. The question is what do you do with that information once you have it. With privileges come responsibilities.

Answer 7

yes, of course, and i hated it the other day when p. bush was on the news and he said that he didn't want to tell the american people for their own safety.

Answer 8

Within reason. If that knowedge will aid an enemy or cause harm to us, then there is no right to know that.

Answer 9

As long as it's not classified.

Answer 10

Freedom of Information Act - yup - we do.