How important in transparency in politics?
@thegreatdebater (7316)
United States
June 23, 2012 1:33pm CST
While some politicians like the president have said they want to make politics more transparent and have failed. Other politicians have no problem telling you they aren't going to be transparent and will do anything and everything to make sure you don't have any idea what they are doing. Take what is happening in Ohio right now. Our governor has made it known to the people that he will everything it takes to make sure they don't know what he is doing. He created a private company with tax payer dollars, and hired friends to run it. Although some right wingers may think this is a good idea, I am sure they won't be happy if a democrat does it and they find out that they can't get documents that were sent to this department because it is a private corporations. This is just a way for the governor to get around the law, while taking care of his friends and donors. He also just signed an energy bill that will allow Fracking companies to drill without telling residents what chemicals they are using (they are required to tell health care providers, BUT they are not allowed to tell the public). Even if regulators ask for this information they have up to 60 days to reply, meaning that they could use chemicals that are dangerous to the land, and they could get away with it for up to 60 days before they have to tell anyone what they are doing. This might not seam bad to some, but Ohio is taking in other states waste water, and if you want to start a company and illegally dump this water it would take at least 60 days for anyone to know what you are doing, and that is if the regulators find out about your right away. There is little doubt that the fracking companies in the state wrote this bill, and the governor isn't commenting about it. I am not against fracking, but I do not support allowing companies to dump other peoples waste in the ground and walking away as if nothing happened. So do you think that transparency in politics is important today?
5 responses
@mac1946 (1602)
• Calgary, Alberta
23 Jun 12
Of course it is important,but as you said,it will never happen.
As almost all people know,there is no such thing as an honest politician.
the only thing any of them want is our money to steal for their own pockets or to fix things that are not broken.
The unfortunate part is,that any honest people that would be transparent,do not have the money to run,you have to be rich or know many people that own businesses to get money out of.
As you can probably tell,I hate politicians.
1 person likes this
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
3 Jul 12
I can understand how you feel about politicians. There are very few honest ones, and the honest ones are considered nuts.
@burrito88 (2774)
• United States
24 Jun 12
All politicians say they want more transparency until the focus is on them. And it doesn't matter if the are Liberal or Conservative, Democrat or Republican. So or later then all have something to hide.
1 person likes this
@sierras236 (2739)
• United States
23 Jun 12
President Obama said he was going to have more transparency and didn't. Honestly, it probably wouldn't have been as big an issue if it had remained an issue that was left unanswered than an accepted and failed challenge.
Transparency is a good thing. It tends to keep people more honest since they really can't hide their activities.
Now, I recognize the government MUST have some secrets. I am fine with that.
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
3 Jul 12
I think that transparency is a good thing to a point. But, I find it interesting how people are fine with people who are honestly telling them they are going to be dishonest. But, attack people who say they are going to be honest, and either can't or won't. Obama could have a perfectly good excuse for his lack of transparency, but it wouldn't matter. Where as John Kasich will NEVER have a transparent administration, and republicans are 100% fine with that.
@Labrat (210)
•
24 Jun 12
I think the public should have the right to know exactly where the taxes they pay are going. The government is meant to be for the voice of the people of the country and yet they lie through their teeth all the time. Is this not a form of fraud? Politisions should always at least try to do what they promise, but most of them dont, and I think it should be illegal.
@kenshin2143 (1880)
• Philippines
29 Jun 12
Transparency is very important in the governing body of a particular place for it will reflect the transactions, projects and goals of the said body. However, for some reasons, many politician tend to intentionally alter these transactions in order to hide the real content and play on the citizens trust. On the other hand, there are also politicians who are very trustworthy. However, they tend to be hidden in a vast number of people in bad faith. There are also cases that the good guys are being blackmailed by the bad guys in order to do false things. So we cannot really judge people without examining them deeply.
