[LINK] Obama, "Information .. make it known"

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

> Wikileaks Mirrors
> http://wikileaks.info

Storm in a tea-cup. If wiki-leaks doesn't attract and release leaks, then
soon a million other such sites will pop-up. Much better if our world Govs
somehow work with Wikileaks to ensure no-one is endangered. Embarrasements
for politicians are unimportant. Transparency as Woodrow Wilson stated is.


<http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-welcoming-
senior-staff-and-cabinet-secretaries-white-house>


 THE WHITE HOUSE 
 Office of the Press Secretary
 For Immediate Release January 21, 2009

 REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT IN WELCOMING SENIOR STAFF & CABINET SECRETARIES
 TO THE WHITE HOUSE (edited)

President Obama ..

".. The way to make government responsible is to hold it accountable. 

And the way to make government accountable is make it transparent so that 
the American people can know exactly what decisions are being made, how 
they're being made, and whether their interests are being well served.

For a long time now, there's been too much secrecy in this city. The old 
rules said that if there was a defensible argument for not disclosing 
something to the American people, then it should not be disclosed. That 
era is now over. 


**Starting today, every agency and department should know that this 
administration stands on the side not of those who seek to withhold 
information but those who seek to make it known.**


Our commitment to openness means more than simply informing the American 
people about how decisions are made. It means recognizing that government 
does not have all the answers, and that public officials need to draw on 
what citizens know. 

And that's why, as of today, I'm directing members of my administration 
to find new ways of tapping the knowledge and experience of ordinary 
Americans -- scientists and civic leaders, educators and entrepreneurs -- 
because the way to solve the problem of our time is -- the way to solve 
the problems of our time, as one nation, is by involving the American 
people in shaping the policies that affect their lives.

The executive orders and directives I'm issuing today will not by 
themselves make government as honest and transparent as it needs to be. 

And they do not go as far as we need to go towards restoring 
accountability and fiscal restraint in Washington. But these historic 
measures do mark the beginning of a new era of openness in our country. 
And I will, I hope, do something to make government trustworthy in the 
eyes of the American people in the days and weeks, months and years to 
come. That's a pretty good place to start.

Thank you very much. (Applause.)

--


Cheers,
Stephen
Knowing i may become an "CIA threat" for such dangerous ideas.