Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Secrecy and Authoritarian Governments
Authoritarian governments nearly always combine incompetence, excessive intrusion into private lives, and secrecy. Secrecy or the control of information combined with incompetence has deadly consequence. Secrecy both creates and abets incompetence. As the United States of America slides into an Authoritarian regime it should come as no surprise that the Bush White Houses is doing its best to restrict access to information about its incompetent response to Hurricane Katrina. According to the Boston Globe, “staff at the White House and other federal agencies” are refusing “to be interviewed by congressional investigators,” hand over documents, or even answer basic questions about when phone calls were made and to whom. One hallmark of authoritarian governments is their unwillingness to release information regarding their performance.
Apparently, the same White House staff members are even refusing to acknowledge that Hurricane Katrina happened or that the city of New Orleans was flooded. Rather they are claiming that the destruction of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast is yet another example of the liberal media making things up and of a vast liberal conspiracy to pull down George Bush and the Republican Party. The President and his staff are working hard doing the People’s work.*
*Some restrictions apply. The term People is subject to re-definition by the President or his designated proxy at any point via Top Secret Executive Order. All inquires about the President’s work habits must be submitted in writing and in triplicate on the first Thursday of every other month ending in a vowel. Requests for such information must be approved by the President’s designated proxy prior to being submitted. All requests must also be accompanied by a loyalty pledge to the President, proof of membership in the Pioneers or Rangers organization, a notarized birth certificate, and a note from the President’s mother. All documents are subject to verification. All persons submitting a request for approval to submit a request for information are subject to background checks by an agency whose existence cannot be acknowledged or denied. All persons submitting a request for approval to sumbit a request for information are subject to arrest and/or deportation. All decisions are final; they may not be appealed. Persons not a member of the Republican Party may not make requests of any kind unless they are represented by an approved lobbyist. Lists of approved lobbyists are not available.
Authoritarian governments nearly always combine incompetence, excessive intrusion into private lives, and secrecy. Secrecy or the control of information combined with incompetence has deadly consequence. Secrecy both creates and abets incompetence. As the United States of America slides into an Authoritarian regime it should come as no surprise that the Bush White Houses is doing its best to restrict access to information about its incompetent response to Hurricane Katrina. According to the Boston Globe, “staff at the White House and other federal agencies” are refusing “to be interviewed by congressional investigators,” hand over documents, or even answer basic questions about when phone calls were made and to whom. One hallmark of authoritarian governments is their unwillingness to release information regarding their performance.
Apparently, the same White House staff members are even refusing to acknowledge that Hurricane Katrina happened or that the city of New Orleans was flooded. Rather they are claiming that the destruction of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast is yet another example of the liberal media making things up and of a vast liberal conspiracy to pull down George Bush and the Republican Party. The President and his staff are working hard doing the People’s work.*
*Some restrictions apply. The term People is subject to re-definition by the President or his designated proxy at any point via Top Secret Executive Order. All inquires about the President’s work habits must be submitted in writing and in triplicate on the first Thursday of every other month ending in a vowel. Requests for such information must be approved by the President’s designated proxy prior to being submitted. All requests must also be accompanied by a loyalty pledge to the President, proof of membership in the Pioneers or Rangers organization, a notarized birth certificate, and a note from the President’s mother. All documents are subject to verification. All persons submitting a request for approval to submit a request for information are subject to background checks by an agency whose existence cannot be acknowledged or denied. All persons submitting a request for approval to sumbit a request for information are subject to arrest and/or deportation. All decisions are final; they may not be appealed. Persons not a member of the Republican Party may not make requests of any kind unless they are represented by an approved lobbyist. Lists of approved lobbyists are not available.