Open Government Quotes

I chose America as my home because I value freedom and democracy, civil liberties and an open society.

A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce, or a tragedy, or perhaps both.

On taking office, Obama promised the 'most transparent' administration in history; yet his record as president has been anything but transparent.

A great number of those working for liberal causes are not only shy but borderline collusive. They want change to happen nicely, and it won't. They want decency to come about without anybody suffering or being embarrassed, and it won't. And most of all they want to give many of the enemies of open government the benefit of the doubt, and I don't. It's not just a difference of approach, it's a complete schism in our respective philosophy. You can't go about disclosure in the hope that it won't spoil anybody's dinner.

If governments did not mislead their citizens so often, there would be less need for secrecy, and if leaders knew they could not rely on keeping the public in the dark about what they are doing, they would have a powerful incentive to behave better.

The present trend toward Government secrecy could end in a dictatorship. The more information there is made available, the greater will be the nation’s security.

Our constitutional system is defined by a balance between the public's need for transparency and the government's need to have a zone of secrecy around decision making. Both are important, yet they are mutually exclusive.

The best weapon of a dictatorship is secrecy, but the best weapon of a democracy should be the weapon of openness.

I believe good governments have nothing to hide. We want to ensure we maintain confidence in our public institutions.

Secrecy in government, in the public mind, becomes synonymous with deception in government.

To cover with the veil of secrecy the common routine of business is an abomination in the eyes of every intelligent man and every friend to his country.

Democratic government may indeed be defined as the government which accepts in the fullest sense responsibility to explain itself.

Access to presidential materials should be as wide as possible.

When I was elected to Congress, I made a commitment to my constituents that my office would set the standard to be open and transparent.

What I'm thinking about more and more these days is simply the importance of transparency, and Jefferson's saying that he'd rather have a free press without a government than a government without a free press.

What makes our country unique is its commitment to being open, to making its leaders accountable.

If the debates had been public, no constitution would have ever been adopted.

Connectivity is important to our state, including the opportunity for our citizens to see our legislative process at work.

The only way we are held accountable is if people know what government is doing.

Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder, has on several occasions talked about transparency as an absolute principle. I don't personally believe that.

Why does the White House sometimes seem so determined to close the door on the people's right to know what their government is doing?

We should be able to go to our government and get clear answers.

I will provide friendly and courteous service and will work closely with all departments in the county. I will abide by the Texas Information Act in providing information to the public.

There is no country on earth with a stronger tradition of protecting the public's right to know.

Government has got to open up and engage citizenry as partners.