Political Quotes

“this week is Sunshine Week, an annual nationwide celebration of the good that comes from peeling back the curtains on government. Sunshine Week coincides with the National Freedom of Information Day and President James Madison's birthday, both of which occur on March 16. James Madison understood the value of an informed citizenry as a necessary check against those in power. We shouldn't forget his call for the people to ``arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.'' More recently in our Nation's history, Justice Brandeis declared, ``sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.'' These sentiments hold true to this day. A government that operates in darkness--and a public that's kept in the dark--sows the seeds of waste, fraud, and abuse. In the face of secrecy and obstruction, the public has a vital weapon: the Freedom of Information Act, FOIA. Over 50 years ago, President Lyndon Johnson signed FOIA into law, establishing the public's judicially enforceable right to government information. Before FOIA, the people had to justify their need for information to the government, but after FOIA, the government has to justify its refusal to release information to the public. FOIA's enactment marked a crucial step toward a government more accountable to the people.…”