Rescind EO 13233. Dems should make this a cause.

This Executive Order by GWB closed access to presidential papers until at least 12 years after that President leaves office and only if they agree to that access.

This precludes any understanding and/or investigation of previous Presidential actions, perchance to yield insight into the events and agreements that have lead us to this point.

Also who the players are/were, and what their impact is and has been.

It seems to me that the general acquiescense to this EO suggests that there is much that is hidden from We the People.  It should be rescinded, immediately, so that we can come to grips with the hidden goings on that have brought us to this state of our Democracy.

The full body of the text is here:

http://www.fas.org/...

There are descriptions of this order and it's impact here:

http://www.ala.org/...

and here:

http://www.archivists.org/...

This has new relevance to me because on CNN, Late Edition yesterday, a Sen. Martinez suggested that we should have open government with respect to the immigration bill.  Same with Kristol on Fox.  " Open government" was the suggestion in both cases.

Well, if one really want's open governement, then this EO should be recsinded.  But while I don't for a second believe that this will ever be done in an R administration, the Democratic contenders should make this a frontspiece to their campaigns, if open government and bringing power back to the people is their aim.

We as Americans need to understand how we go into this secretive, rights suspended mess in the first place.  And perhaps more importantly, how not to get here again in the foreseeable future.  Dems as well as Repubs will likel be at risk here, and perhaps that is why there is no universal howl for this openness.  But it is something that needs to be done in order to better our democracy.

Opening up Presidential Libraries to investigation would be a significant first step in that direction.  Having our candidates express that that openess is a good thing would also be a huge first step to a new openness in US government.

This may be arcane, but it is important.

UPDATE I:  Not much of a poll question.  Who wouldn't agree.  Thanks all for pointing this out!  Better next time...  Thanks, all!

•  Republicans hate the sunshine

  I agree.  This executive order and many other bush orders need to go.  The best government is that which is transparent and open to the public.  Typical of Bush to make it more difficult to see what he has done since he must know it will only confirm that he is the Worst. President. Ever.

  by arogue7 on Mon May 21, 2007 at 05:47:00 AM PDT

  •  And his Daddy's minions and how this admin

    has come to embrace felons, nurtured in previous R admins, and who got pardoned and why, and why they are in this admin.

    The whole heritage of this current nightmare is sitting in some vault somewhere.

    by Terra Mystica on Mon May 21, 2007 at 05:57:19 AM PDT

•  I chose both.

  Democratic records and papers should be preserved and studied by historians while Rethuglican records and papers should be preserved as evidence.  It appears that the shrubbistas have already figure this out.

  by MajorFlaw on Mon May 21, 2007 at 05:47:57 AM PDT

  •  They are being preserved. If only they could be

    made available as "'evidence."

    And real time would be better.

    Congress can pass a law overriding the EO.  They could do that now.  But they don't, for whatever reason.

    by Terra Mystica on Mon May 21, 2007 at 06:04:51 AM PDT

•  Tip Jar, perhaps for the future of the

  Democracy.

  by Terra Mystica on Mon May 21, 2007 at 07:09:16 AM PDT

•  Thanks all! nt

  by Terra Mystica on Mon May 21, 2007 at 10:18:47 AM PDT