Steve Ivy and Jim Roepcke have been discussing, among other things, the people's right to know what their government is doing.

Specifically, Steve said:

>I believe that this country was founded on the idea that the 
>people have a right to know what's going on in the government, 
>and I believe that the people should have more effect on what 
>goes on in the government.

This reminds me of an episode of Stargate SG1, in which this alien (but Human) culture believed that the highest moral obligation of the government was to be completely transparent to the people. Officials were not allowed to do anything off the record. The government was caught hiding part of an internal debate from the people, and it was said that this was a worse crime than murder.

It's an interesting ideal, and it was pretty well presented (in the context of a sci-fi television show)... I haven't forgotten it yet.

I think it's safe to say that the story was a commentary on the U.S. Government, and Steve seems to be saying the very same thing.