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kentuck

(115,451 posts) Sun Jun 16, 2013, 07:31 PM Jun 2013

In a democracy, do not elected officials have a right to keep secrets from the people? [View all]

Under what circumstances would it be OK not to tell the people if they are under threat from some external source? Why is it OK for just a handful of people to have these secrets? What is the end result if the people don't know the secrets of the few? Who is pulling the strings in this puppet show?

36 replies

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In a democracy, do not elected officials have a right to keep secrets from the people? [View all] kentuck Jun 2013 OP

If secrets are kept, it's no longer a democracy, because the data to make a thoughtful choice PDJane Jun 2013 #1

kept, is the key word RobertEarl Jun 2013 #4

A thoughtful, reasonable response.. kentuck Jun 2013 #5

I think you are drawing a reasonable line here n/t Yo_Mama Jun 2013 #9

secrets, yes burnodo Jun 2013 #2

Not if they are bugging all of us or within an interpretation of infringing on our rights dkf Jun 2013 #3

In a representative democracy we elect executives and legislators to act on our behalf FarCenter Jun 2013 #6

But... kentuck Jun 2013 #7

I think this kind of spying (if it is going on) is a special case... cascadiance Jun 2013 #10

Well said. kentuck Jun 2013 #16

The congress has delegated oversight of intelligence to the Select Committees on Intelligence FarCenter Jun 2013 #11

And from whom does the "Gang of Eight" get the secrets?? kentuck Jun 2013 #18

50 USC � 413b - Presidential approval and reporting of covert actions FarCenter Jun 2013 #20

Thanks a lot! kentuck Jun 2013 #24

and upon being elected, they are sworn burnodo Jun 2013 #12

What law makes that a crime? FarCenter Jun 2013 #14

spying on citizens without cause? burnodo Jun 2013 #15

What section of the United States Code is that? FarCenter Jun 2013 #17

I think you may be far center right? kentuck Jun 2013 #19

The way I look at it Yo_Mama Jun 2013 #8

There is a difference between keeping secrets and collecting data on every American citizen davidn3600 Jun 2013 #13

How so? kentuck Jun 2013 #21

Here is the problem as I see it: The Straight Story Jun 2013 #22

Someday I'd like to live in an entirely transparent democracy. hunter Jun 2013 #23

There is no right in a democracy to keep the peoples business from them. bemildred Jun 2013 #25

I would agree that there is way, way too much secrecy. kentuck Jun 2013 #26

Secrecy is a privilege we allow the government, not something the government has a right to. bemildred Jun 2013 #28

They are not keeping secrets from the people treestar Jun 2013 #27

That's a matter of perspective, I would think. kentuck Jun 2013 #30

They have to be secret of necessity I would think treestar Jun 2013 #35

What kind of information should be kept secret? backscatter712 Jun 2013 #29

The intelligence community is just like most of today's politicians... kentuck Jun 2013 #31

I respectfully disagree. PragmaticLiberal Jun 2013 #32

Perhaps I should have said the "leaders in the intelligence community"? kentuck Jun 2013 #33

Actually, I think most politicians probably have noble intentions..at least initially. PragmaticLiberal Jun 2013 #34

The real question today is, "Do we?" usGovOwesUs3Trillion Jun 2013 #36