Congressional Transparency: Creating a Compromise
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by Adasko
Hi,
Because congressional transparency raised alot of questions recently, I have a plan to create a compromise, between full and current transparency, which I think, should please both the congress, and the eCanadians.
Opening the Debate Section- Congress will open the debate section for all eCanada Forum Members to see, read-only. However an exception will be made:
Congress will be able to create a secret debate, if a vote is held earlier, and 3/5 of the congressman vote for the motion. But... Why not make every debate secret? To ensure that congressman won't overuse this ability, I want to propose creating a post of "Citizens Right Representative" who's opinion would be crucial, once a motion succeeds.
The CRR should be elected by eCanadians, through the eCanadian forum, from non-congressional, and non-cabinet candidates. The congress would have the right to veto the peoples choice, once per term. The term of the CRR would be equal to the one of the Speaker.
His responsibility will be to ensure, that the topic of the debate falls under guidelines ( created after a meeting of the Cabinet, Congress, and the CRR,) that make a debate secret, for example; threat to national safety, voting on a cabinet policy with a secrecy clause, or personal congress matters (revoking congress access). If a CRR blocks a secrecy vote, despite it falling under one of the guidelines, he should be trialed in express sentencing.
I think this should be a satisfactory solution to the transparency problem, as similar forms are often used in real parliament.
If you like it, vote it up, and if you have a question, post a comment. 😉
Cheers.
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As a member of congress, I think this is a fair way to solve the issue of transparency.
Voted
I like the idea of having the debates by default be open to the public, with the option of creating secret debates when necessary.
I'm not sure, however, that a Citizens Right Representative is a necessary part of the equation. I like the idea behind the position, but I'm not sure it would work out in practice how we want it to: I'm afraid that, in the eyes of the people, once the CRR is elected he'll have joined that shadowy echelon of government people, keeping government secrets.
I feel like it is the duty of all Congressman to be a representative of their citizen's rights. It is unfortunate that the disconnect between government and the people has damaged this relationship between a Congressman and his or her constituents, but I don't think an additional government position is the answer.
..All that said - Voted.
Leps, I understand what you're saying, but this is a safety valve, and it is needed. Not that I think, congressman have bad intentions, but they can always be wrong. 🙂
i fully support this. voted
Our elected officials are just that elected, they are charged with representing the citizens of this country and if you do not like your elected officials then don’t vote for them next time.
Transparency is one thing and can be debated till the cows come home but why in the world would we need a “Citizens Rights Representative” when the elected officials are accountable to us already.
Next we will be looking at a Concerned Citizens Rights Representative to insure that the Citizens Rights Representative does not abuse his/her authority.
Accountable, but once they make something secret, We can't stop them, that's the problem. And We deserve to know anything, that isn't really necessary to be secret.
How will we know that this Citizen representative won't try to play the political game, or become another position for a PTO, and steal government secrets?
Well, I guess that's why We elect him! And he doesn't have that much rights, it's just checking if the question is important. If he steals a goverment secret, well, he's a traitor. How do We know, a congressman won't do the same thing? If he does anything against the law, he will be suspended and will have a proceeding in court. And of course, if he doesn't do his job, We can file a protest and throw him out.
It just seems to me that the CRR would enjoy all the privlages of Congress, without the responcibility. Perhaps a cabinet position would be better, that way it is someone who we can trust not to steal our secrets.
No. He wouldn't be able to vote on anything, but secrecy. Duuh. And what's the difference if the guy gets a cabinet position, or not? I think a Citizens Right Representative should be a citizen, not a member of cabinet. Sheesh.
Hurrah another hoop for the congress to jump through to slow it down, Congrats on reducing the use of congress once again. If this passes dont expect Gofarman to go far man... in congress. Reducing congress' ability to act even more.
Three cheers for Democracy
Hip Hip Hurray
Hip Hip Hurray
Hip Hip Hurray
It's not about speed, it's about quality. 1 thing done right > 30 done for the last minute.
"Accountable, but once they make something secret, We can't stop them, that's the problem. And We deserve to know anything, that isn't really necessary to be secret."
First off we can not stop them any ways, they are elected for their term of office and can act with the authority given them by those who elected them. If we do not like the actions taken then it is up to us to either decide to run for office our selves or vote for another candidate next election.
As for the issue of secrecy that's not quite how I view it, some matters need confidentiality until things are decided or acted upon. Also its the final decision that truly matters and or how my representative voted that matters to me. To insure full and complete discussion with maximum participation, not having some one looking over your shoulder is some times the way to go. If I was participating in congress I would prefer to hear every ones thoughts or points but some may be reluctant to have a frank discussion if they are under constant scrutiny with the possibility of every word being reported in the media. There is a balance that must be found but it appears to me that some just don't trust their duly elected representatives. To me that may be the larger problem.
I have no issue with the idea that only congress members can post in the dedicated "Member of Congress" forum but I am staunchly opposed to having that particular forum be accessible to them only. The public has a right to see the debate so they can know how decisions were arrived at and what the opinions of their congressmen are on a particular subject. The only way we congressmen can be fairly held accountable for our conduct is if the public actually knows what that conduct is first hand. They have to be able to view the discussions, even if they cannot comment on them in that particular forum.
One of my concerns is if the debate area is open to the public will the politicians have that frank discussion that may be needed or will they instead play to the audience and only make the popular statements, they are politicians after all.
My preference is that the job gets done and actions speak louder than words. The debate or the process may hold interest for some but will viewing it improve the end result?
I think people are way too worried about spys, I mean really what does congress discus that is so sensitive? Military budgets? give me a break, the information isn’t that helpful to anyone. Anything that needs to be kept secret is already kept from congress. The forums should be open for viewing to all eCanadians if something like a TO comes along it's all discussed in a secure IRC channel anyway.
Voted! 🙂
Having never been in congress I have no idea what is or is not discussed in that forum. If what Falling Moon has stated is correct and I have no reason to doubt the point made. Then why not open it up on a trial basis for a predetermined period and see if there is value to it or if any harm has come. I personally will not be in the gallery viewing the discussions as it holds very little interest to me, I prefer to do not observe. But for those who this may be some thing of interest for then why not.
why not FULL-transparencies?
Are congress playing in the back of their citizen?
wont vote for this
As a member of Congress, I can really appreciate the viewpoint where this article is coming from. Citizens want to know what their elected representatives are doing, and as citizens of eCanada, they have a right to know this information.
With regards to economic issues, such as the changing of taxes on items, the discussion in congress should be readily transparent to the people of Canada.
There are however some issues that are better left unknown to all citizens, for the risk that state secrets are released to enemies of eCanada is too great. These include issues that affect national security. A properly-running federal government provides congressman this information so that citizens are at least being indirectly represented about how to handle such important aspects of eCanada.
For this reason, the congressional board must be made private to protect the high-level discussions of eCanada from being readily known by powerful enemies. With that aside, congress needs to pass some form of media organization that will disseminate knowledge about current discussions and changes to taxes BEFORE they are approved/rejected.
dabman
CSD
I feel I should clarify what I said earlier, I have no issue with transparency. For example, making the congress viewable to Canadian Citizens. The issue I have with this proposal is that another individual in congress that has power to create votes and supersedes the operation of Congress is not only extraneous it is damaging to the status of congress in eCanada.
If you guys want Congress to operate in a timely and effecient manner you need to REDUCE the amount of conditions and rules they have to follow, not increase it by adding Civilian Rights Lobbyists IN the congress.
As Citizens of eCanada it is up to you to vote in the congressmen that represent your will, if you don't know what your congressmen is doing ask him. For my 2 terms as Congressman then Speaker of Congress I answered questions of many people about a whole range of topics, and addressed as many concerns as time allowed. If you ask a question and your congressman doesn't answer you maybe you voted for the wrong person, without the people holding individual congressmen accountable for each of their actions there will be no conclusion.
I would also like to add that the people that talk to their and congressmen don't have issues with congress like many of the commenter's that have wrote here.
I agree, this will hold congress accountable for their actions so we ecanadians can have confidence in them.