The GOVERNANCE blog

Governance: An international journal of policy, administration and institutions

Debate: Is American government too open?

It’s been 50 years since the U.S. Congress adopted the Freedom of Information Act, which provides access to documents held by federal agencies. Since 1966, Congress has adopted many other laws designed to promote openness. But has the United States gone too far, undermining the capacity of public officials to solve our major problems?

In a commentary for Governance,Bruce Cain of Stanford University says yes, American government is now too open.  And Charles Lewis of American University responds in a second commentary: No, it isn’t.

Screen Shot 2016-03-19 at 3.11.14 PMCain and Lewis engaged in an in-person debate about their commentaries at the University of Missouri on March 15.  Watch the debate here.

Written by Governance

March 19, 2016 at 1:52 am

Posted in commentary, Conferences

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