Do you believe that the GOVT needs to inform the public of everything that it does?

Question

If the GOVT performs covert actions with the intent of saving American lives, do you feel that everyone should know about it?

Do you feel that ultimately our GOVT's job is to safegaurd the lives of the American populace?

The best answer goes to the user that best states their point of view. I dont have to agree with you. Thanks

Answer 1

Absolutely not. There are a lot of things that the public should not be privy to and we are. Information is mishandled and misconstrued every day. Look at how The New York Times handles things when they get their grubby fingers on things that they aren't supposed to.

When it comes to our national security, I believe that there are many things that we have no business knowing.

Answer 2

I would believe that government, of the people and for the people, need to keep the people informed of the actions of the government. Government does not have the obligation to protect everyone. You cannot protect fools from themselves. Instead Government should be acting in the best interests of the populace without infringing upon the Constitutional rights afforded us all.
In conclusion it isn't reasonable to expect the government to inform Americans of every action and consequently give up national security. However, government has not proved to be very honest with the nation over the past and what the government considers to be in the nation's best interest is often not, but typically benefits corporations or other politicians.

Answer 3

Yes, the government sometimes will have to keep secrets from us for our security... at the same time the citizens of a Democracy should always be wary of our leaders and our government abusing their power. The modern world might demand covert operations and secrets that will have to be kept from its own citizens but this does not mean that these citizens should NOT find out what those secrts are or were... The founders embraced the "Fourth Estate" in theory; they stressed the importance of the press and the First Amendment for this purpose.

The government should use its power to classify some information but the citizens' have the right to question what they are hiding and should not trust the government implicitly. The citizens have a duty to openly question the government and should allow the press to report and investigate all findings.

Answer 4

No somethings are better left a secret. The public and the press sometimes seem to overstate things say for instance if we were to capture Bin Laden I dont think I wouldn't want any of our adversaries to know how we managed to do it. In the case of Black Projects the military has I think its best if we dont know we have a special Bomber or spy plane I really dont want our enemies knowing our secrets. So yes I believe if there are acually UFO's or other alien beings and all the other secret stuff going on out there that the public isnt ready to know about it. Just remember back in 1991 when the US was in the first gulf war they made it a point of saying it was the Persian Gulf war the average american would have believed we were attacking Texas.

Answer 5

Everything - No

Sensitive and Classified information due to National Security should not be public information.

But at the same time we need to make sure those documents are really designed for what they say they are. There should be a neutral oversite commity to overlook these items and make sure they are legal within the lines of the Constitution and that no American will be subject to illegal actions.

There are some things that are necessary to keep classified, but an Administration needs to be kept in check - with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Those items may not be challenged in any form - and no legal language can be created to make loopholes in those documents. Period

Answer 6

The government cannot give us full disclosure of covert operations or we would be giving the information also to our enemies. Once an action has taken place then their is no reason not to let us know. The last time I checked the government works for me and that rest of the american people and has no right to hide its actions from me except for the security of our country and only until the information will no longer harm the U.S.

Answer 7

Of course all governments have secrets that are not to be shared even with their own citizens. Unlike most dictatorships the US government has been pretty open. The last 3 Congresses were much too closed but even they were more open than some governments. I believe we should have very open government in a democaracy. Those representing us need to let us see how they do that. Let us be the judges of whether they are representing our best interests or not. If so they keep their seat if not they lose their seat.

By very nature democracy must be open if it is to survive.

Answer 8

Obviously the government can't publicize every action they take, particularly in the area of defense. HOWEVER. We are a Representative democracy which means that members of congress are our proxy. While the president can't tell the public about classified operations he can tell congressional committees who have security clearance. Just because the president deems something to be top secret doesn't mean he can avoid congressional over site.

Answer 9

I believe in an open government, BUT security concerns are not the public's business...evil requires tough responses-many of which we need not know about

Answer 10

YES!
Because we taxpayers employ them!
We should decide if we want safer bridges,better schools,cleaner and safer cities -or more soldiers in far away countries and more military aid to Israel .