There is delicious irony in the news former Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill broke against the most secretive modern presidency. Not just in dysfunctional innerworkings of the administration, ungrounded tax policy or the pre-mediation of war. You see, Paul O'Neill isn't so isolated from the world. He worked as an executive (and read the newspapers) through a crisis of confidence in Corporate America. He had to confront the issues raised by deception in pursuit of power, the heralding of Sharon Watkins and transparent reform. Now in the private sector we have laws to encourage and protect just wistleblowing.
The public sector, for which we have held a right of transparency, however, now in practice the administration works against it. In a time where more Americans than ever long to trust their government, 13 press conferences do not enable a conversation. Our civil liberties are being taken away, demanding our very lives be more transparent without just cause.
Sure O'Neill stands to benefit for bringing forth the truth, but that doesn't make is actions any less commendable. The agressive response he has received from the administration, practically illegal in the private sector, is something we accept all too easily under undefined national interest.
