'Citizen Journalism': a necessary ingredient in transparency in government

COMMENTARY

I am revisiting today an issue that I think deserves the special attention of voters and government officials at all levels alike:  transparency in government.

My first aricle as a writer was based on observations as a former lobbyist and a long-time political activist and as a former candidate for political office.  I am reposting that brief commentary from July 2010 below this article.

I had repeated skirmishes with local, state, and federal officials and staff of government agencies over access to information as a lobbyist, and as I advocated for several private, non-profit organizations. 

Now I find myself with the same problems in getting the information necessary to present the facts on what is happening in Raleigh to you as readers.

The Raleigh News and Observer's editorial section in December carried an op ed opinion piece on "citizen journalism."  I read it with great interest, as I consider myself a "citizen journalist" as opposed to a "professional journalist."

I do not ever want to become a "professional journalist," and I want to explain why.

While I have requested press credentials to aid in writing stories as Statehouse writer for Examiner.com, I want to somehow protect my "outsider status" and not become cozy with my sources and the leadership in Raleigh that I write about.  I do not want to lose my independence and objectivity.

Examiner.com chooses its writers not on the basis of professional resumes or college credentials, but on the basis of an expressed "passion" for the subect we write about.

While i can get "wonky" and write some details about government or "insider" stories, too, I want to continue to write on the subjects I choose and which I hope readers find most interesting. 

Also, I have been accused many times of being a "liberal"-- and it may surpirse the leaders of the new Republican regime in Raleigh that i wear the badge proudly--as long as it is a philosophical label and not a political party one. 

I will continue to write from my own point of view, and I hope that is just one in an array available to you on Examiner.com/Raleigh.

Professional journalsts have tried to use "balance" and objectivity as shields from allegations of bias.  I see no human beings completely free of bias includng me, so I just acknowledge my own liberal bias up front.  As a liberal I try to write about stories about poltical change.

But to continue to write and to express the thoughts which I hope kindle new ideas even among those with different political viewpoints, I must have access to political events and government meetings that are happening here in Raleigh, the seat of state govenment.

This is the crux of the issue of "transparency in goverrnment."  Not only a few connected journalists from a few media outlets, but anyone in the media or the public, must have access to information about their government. 

The new leaders in Raleigh, the newly elected GOP leadership, have an opportuntiy to fulfill a campaign process to open up the legislature's meetings and to make information more readily available.

Only time will tell, if this promise to create "transparency" will become a new reality on the political landscape of Raleigh and North Carolina.  If it does, it will be a true paradigm shift in politics as we know them today.

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North Carolina must have a responsive and transparent government

July 13, 2010

COMMENTARY

There is almost always a "buzz word" that is the most popular for a brief period of time.

In the Capital City of North Carolina, the word of this period is "transparency." Governor Beverly Perdue has used the word repeatedly in written communications and in her weekly newsletters to constituents. Her staff and her appointees echo this talk  of "transparency" as a necessary goal for their departments' staff.

The reality is something other than true transparency in government. While transparency is a worthy goal, what North Carolina needs is less talk about open government and more attention to the details of open government.

When documents are requested from state agencies, it should not require a court battle for them to be released by the state. When the budget is debated in the North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA), it could be done in public meetings, but the real decisions are still made behind closed doors by the "Big Chairs" of the House and Senate.

Only when legislators change from words to action will our NC Government really become more transparent. First steps would require putting real teeth into ethics and political campaign finance laws.

While there was some progress on ethics legislation in the 2009-10 Session of the NCGA, leaders continue to just talk about open government without implementing it.

That means putting an end to “Pay to Play” in state government contracts and in campaign donations from contractors. Most importantly, it means extending the current law allowing public financing of elections further to include more elective offices.

Few members of the NCGA wanted to deal with these critical issues in an election year, but the voters can see through the unwillingness of their elected officials to deal with the scandals in elections in North Carolina. Look for payback at the ballot box in the 2010 fall general election.