AP: Two Polls Show Public Worried About Gov't Secrecy

[Hissyspit]

http://my.earthlink.net/article/nat?guid=20060312/4413aad0_3ca6_15526200603121232948143

Polls: Public Worried About Gov't Secrecy
By The Associated Press
From Associated Press
March 12, 2006 7:11 AM EST
Two new polls gauging Americans' views on government openness found a majority believe the federal government leans more toward secrecy than openness, while eight in 10 are convinced that an open government is necessary for an effective democracy.

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One poll, by the Scripps Survey Research Center at Ohio University, found that 64 percent of respondents thought the federal government is somewhat or very secretive, while more than a third think their local and state governments lean more toward secrecy. Fifty-five percent said state and local governments were somewhat or very open.

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Forty-six percent said government records should be considered public and their release should only be blocked when it "would do harm"; 42 percent said the government should protect its information and only release it if there is a "sound legal case" for it to be public. A separate poll released Sunday found respondents were supportive of open government and access to public records - though solid majorities also said that government officials should keep records secret if "necessary", or to help in the war on terrorism.

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Nearly seven in 10, or 69 percent, told researchers that open public records and meetings keep government honest. Nearly as many, 63 percent, said it was OK for government officials to keep records secret if they deem it necessary, and almost three-quarters, 73 percent, believe the president should "make some public records secret if it might help with the war on terrorism."

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[DeepModem Mom]

1. Maybe people are waking up? nt

[AX10]

2. The people are waking up.

[Hissyspit]

3. kick