U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman rejected arguments by Bush administration lawyers that employees from the Department of the Interior and Department of Energy can claim special confidentiality privileges for the period when they worked for the task force, which held private meetings with energy industry representatives as it crafted a national energy policy.
- Energy Task Force Data Not Private: Agencies Ordered to Release Papers
Secrecy is an ongoing unified theme in the Bush Administration, be it the application of the Patriot Act, immigration hearings, the true cost of the Medicare law, the formulation of national energy policy, assisting with the 9/11 Commission, release of papers of past presidents, and so forth. John Dean, who knows something about such things, recently wrote a book on the breadth of the problem. [see also, here, for a historical view] Though many argue its application to post-9/11 matters is ultimately counterproductive [most recent case], this increased concern for secrecy was not just a result of that tragedy.
In each case, the selective release of material for political reasons or under pressure suggests the lack of any true principle but secrecy (and/or control) unless political interests requires breach of it. I have previously entitled this the "Bush Principle." Said principle is defended by such methods as low down and dirty street fighting (see, e.g., Richard Cohen's column on Sen. Frist's libels against Richard Clarke), delaying tactics (starting in the 2000 Election Crisis), and skillful spinning.
As discussed by George Soros in his writings, an "open society," one in which the people can critically look at what our government does, is inherent to our democracy. An open government might be deemed too much to ask in the eyes of an administration unwilling to admit they are wrong or are obligated to give up some of their control for the good of the society at large. All the same, I think it is the least we as citizens in a free society should demand. The fact said demand is deemed so troubling to the administration is one reason they have to go.
[I cannot leave out a reference to a book I read a few years ago entitled Secrecy: The American Experience by Daniel Patrick Moynihan. One blurb recommending it: "[Moynihan] knows well from his own experience. . . how secrets can function as a source of power for the bureaucrats who possess them and how.. . they are often hoarded when they should be disseminated or traded like currency when they should be freely shared," Richard Perle.]