Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 11/2011

Publication Practices for Transparent Government

Jim Harper

September 2011

The Cato Institute

Abstract

Government transparency is a widely agreed upon goal, but progress on achieving it has been very limited. Transparency promises from political leaders such as President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner have not produced a burst of information that informs stronger public oversight of government. One reason for this is the absence of specifically prescribed data practices that will foster transparency.