Keeping the citizenry informed: early congressional printing and 21st century information policy

The author argues that the founding fathers intentionally did not include language mandating the printing of government information, aside from the Journal as described in the Constitution, for the simple reason that they viewed it as an inherent obligation on the part of all elected officials.

Abstract

Although the electronic revolution in publishing fostered a new Information Age, the need for government documents in tangible format continues. This paper examines the historical roots of congressional printing compared to 21st century challenges to information policy. The author argues that the founding fathers intentionally did not include language mandating the printing of government information, aside from the Journal as described in the Constitution, for the simple reason that they viewed it as an inherent obligation on the part of all elected officials. As such, restrictive information policies, such as the U.S.A. Patriot Act, impinge upon the original intent of the founding fathers and indeed, threaten the ideal of a democratic society.