Political Quotes

“how many times will this Congress need to relearn the very basic lesson that an unaccountable government is an irresponsible government? When we confront difficult problems, we can either work to try to solve them, or we can seek to hide them. Without the amendment that is being advanced at the moment, it is the latter choice that is being made. Exempting so much of this new bureaucracy from the Freedom of Information Act and denying basic protections to whistleblowers is a true ticket to trouble for America. It is a ``kill-the-messenger'' and ``hide-the-body'' approach that tries to sweep all problems, including ones that endanger basic public health and safety, under the carpet by increasing the power of self-appointed censors and denying whistleblowers protection from retaliation. The only lesson that some people have learned from Enron is the value of secrecy. After all, who exposed Enron's misconduct? A whistleblower named Sheeron Watkins. Certainly no one in this Congress exposed it. Indeed, some are still trying to ignore the causes of what happened at Enron. Meanwhile, with this Administration, this is not the only place where secrecy is beloved. Just ask Vice President Cheney about his ``Energy Policy Development Group''. We can ask, but he will not tell until a court makes him do it.”