It really is that simple. There are things that need to be secret, but too many secrets are kept, not because of they need to be to work, but because they need to be to avoid embarrassment, brouhaha, and the need to publicly justify actions because the public has become aware of them.
And that’s not a partisan issue. That’s an existential issue for a democracy.
Reshared post from +Jon Williams
Bruce Schneier is somewhat of a legend in the computer security space. He basically wrote the book on cryptography, and has spent decades working on ways to improve security, privacy, and freedom in the Internet age. He has been called the Chuck Norris of computer security, complete with his own set of Chuck Norris-like meme quotes (i.e. Bruce Schneier’s mother’s maiden name is a large prime number).
More importantly, he used to work at the NSA, so it isn’t as if he’s some random outsider taking pot-shots.
So, this essay of his (ostensibly on the value of whistleblowers, but also about the recently leaked information on the US gov’t domestic spying programs) is very interesting, and somewhat scary. https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/06/government_secr.html
Schneier on Security: Government Secrets and the Need for Whistle-blowers
Schneier on Security. A blog covering security and security technology. « Friday Squid Blogging: Squid Comic | Main. June 10, 2013. Government Secrets and the Need for Whistle-blowers. Yesterday, we learned that the NSA received all calling records from Verizon customers for a three-month period …
I'm not sure that there's a good solution to the problem.
Assume for the moment that you're Senator Ron Wyden, and secrets are being kept that shouldn't be secret. Because the executive branch is in charge of making those decisions, you keep your mouth shut.
Yes, there is an alternative – Wyden could have spoken publicly. But is that a good alternative?
Sure it's fine when the people who break the law do good things, but what happens when the people who break the law do bad things? If Bradley Manning, Edward Snowden, and Woodward & Bernstein are heroes, then Scooter Libby and Robert Novak are heroes also.
I think a hero in this case is the person speaking out against immoral acts. I could care less about their political leaning.
But again the article listed sums it up beautifully. If information wasn't over classified we wouldn't have this problem in the first place. A document that embarrassed someone is not confidential period! Remember this is a public institution we are talking about.