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> Assume a super-leaker who accesses a repository of ALL significant secrets of law enforcement, military, intelligence, and political aspect of the fedgov. Si

> Assume a super-leaker who accesses a repository of ALL significant secrets of law enforcement, military, intelligence, and political aspect of the fedgov. Significant to who? A very good argument can be made that there is absolutely no good reason for our government to keep ANYTHING secret. Any behavior the government thinks that they need to keep secret, they should not be engaged in. The harm done to our country and our "democracy" by the secret (and often illegal and unconstitutional) actions of unaccountable government officials is far, far worse then any claimed benefit.

hackuser 10y ago
> A very good argument can be made that there is absolutely no good reason for our government to keep ANYTHING secret. I disagree. As examples, the codes to launch nuclear missiles and also your personal tax returns probably should be kept secret.
- StanislavPetrov 10y ago
  Considering that the codes to launch nuclear missiles were set to all 0's for decades, your disagreement is a perfect example of why nothing should be secret. http://www.globalzero.org/files/bb_keeping_presidents_in_the_nuclear_dark_-_episode_2_the_siop_option_that_wasnt_april_may_02.17.2004.pdf http://www.globalzero.org/files/bb_keeping_presidents_in_the... Government secrecy is toxic, the very antithesis of how a free society should be run. It serves to hide corruption, negligence, and malfeasance.
marcoperaza 10y ago
If you seriously want to defend this viewpoint, which flies in the face of all conventional wisdom, then respond to superuser2's list. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11919660 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11919660
tzs 10y ago
So if a whistleblower tells the government about illegal activities of a business or of an organized crime group, the government should release the identity of the whistleblower and the details of exactly what information they provided? If people tell the CDC details of their sexual contacts so that CDC can track and deal with an outbreak of an STD, the CDC should release the names of the people involved and those sexual details? Or do you think law for cement and public health are not areas that government should be involved in?

hackuser 10y ago

> A very good argument can be made that there is absolutely no good reason for our government to keep ANYTHING secret. I disagree. As examples, the codes to launch nuclear missiles and also your personal tax returns probably should be kept secret.

StanislavPetrov 10y ago
Considering that the codes to launch nuclear missiles were set to all 0's for decades, your disagreement is a perfect example of why nothing should be secret. http://www.globalzero.org/files/bb_keeping_presidents_in_the_nuclear_dark_-_episode_2_the_siop_option_that_wasnt_april_may_02.17.2004.pdf http://www.globalzero.org/files/bb_keeping_presidents_in_the... Government secrecy is toxic, the very antithesis of how a free society should be run. It serves to hide corruption, negligence, and malfeasance.

marcoperaza 10y ago

If you seriously want to defend this viewpoint, which flies in the face of all conventional wisdom, then respond to superuser2's list. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11919660 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11919660

tzs 10y ago

So if a whistleblower tells the government about illegal activities of a business or of an organized crime group, the government should release the identity of the whistleblower and the details of exactly what information they provided? If people tell the CDC details of their sexual contacts so that CDC can track and deal with an outbreak of an STD, the CDC should release the names of the people involved and those sexual details? Or do you think law for cement and public health are not areas that government should be involved in?