Congress Abuses 'It's Classified' To Hide Stuff They Don't Want To Talk About
from the of-course-they-do dept
Reporters at McClatchy have been doing a bang up job covering government abuses lately, and their latest is a report talking about how frequently Congress abuses the ability to classify documents to hide from any sort of accountability or transparency. As the article says: "for Congress, 'it's classified' is new equivalent of 'none of your business.'" The article highlights just how frequently elected officials in Congress have been hiding behind "it's classified" lately. The article focuses on a recent effort to provide weapons to rebels in Syria. Apparently, Congress signed off on it, but it won't tell anyone the details even of who approved it, because, well, you guessed it: "it's classified."Those were, in fact, the words Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., chair of the committee, used when asked a few days before the approval was granted to clarify her position for her constituents. She declined. It’s a difficult situation, she said. And, “It’s classified.”The article highlights how Congress has realized that it can avoid having to answer difficult questions by slapping the "it's classified" claim on just about anything. But it's the difficult questions that they should have to answer, and by avoiding them, they're fundamentally avoiding their jobs. They're clearly not representing the American people, because they refuse to answer to them.
She was not alone. In a string of interviews over days, members of both the Senate intelligence committee or its equivalent in the House were difficult to pin down on their view of providing arms to the rebels. The senators and representatives said they couldn’t give an opinion, or at least a detailed one, because the matter was classified.
It’s an increasingly common stance that advocates of open government say undermines the very principle of a representative democracy.
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Filed Under: classified, congress, difficult questions, overclassification
Reader Comments
The First Word
“Captian Picard said it best
"A matter of internal security." The age-old cry of the oppressor.Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series)
The Hunted (1990)
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Captian Picard said it best
Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series)
The Hunted (1990)
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Don't ask why
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Diane Feinstein
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Re: Diane Feinstein
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Over half of Congress has already lost their authority due to treason against the Constitution and the American People. They're fast turning into domestic enemies.
All it will take is one more financial crisis, for people to take action.
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I think we're done here folks.
Also, I'd get fired wholly if I answered my bosses questions with "Well, it's classified".
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The Truth about Classified Information
We use words like transparency, accountability, democracy ...we use these words as the backbone to a life spent defending something. You use 'em as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom congress provides, then questions the manner in which they provide it! I'd rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you run for office yourself stand that post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you're entitled to!
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Re: Diane Feinstein
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOQahcnTIqk
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Re: Captian Picard said it best
Picards civil rights speech
Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series)
The Drumhead (1991)
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Some pigs...
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Re: Re: Captian Picard said it best
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Maybe we need...
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Re: Captian Picard said it best
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Re: Captian Picard said it best - but Jesus said it first
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
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Considering
send weapons to another country to foster rebels?
I can only add, that the ODDS that 1/2 the money gets used to buy guns, means that 1/2 will get AROUND to be in someones pockets..
I find it humorous, that in the USA GUN prices and AMMO have doubled and tripled in the last 10 years, as we send FREE GUNS(Automatics and other weapons of MASS DESTRUCTION) to other countries.
Funny how it costs over $1 per SHOT to shoot a gun in the USA..Forget testing/sighting in your guns. but we are willing to SEND AMMO to other countries..
1980's and Afghanistan, should be a lesson.
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Re: Re: Captian Picard said it best
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Re:
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Re:
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Re: Considering
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To most politicians, the American people are nothing more than annoying insects, trying to distract them from doing their job of protecting the corporations who finance them.
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Re: Re: Captian Picard said it best
http://everything2.com/title/the+Ivanova+dance
Sokath, his eyes uncovered!
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Arming Syrian rebels
Humans and their guns. They never learn!
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Re: Arming Syrian rebels
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