Chan Lowe: Blocking the sunshine
Keeping a lid on our elected officials here in Florida is a little like the Global War On Terror: The bad guys are always coming up with clever new ways to get around the safeguards, and the forces of good are always playing catch-up.
The Florida Sunshine Law, which at the time it was enacted was considered one of the more progressive, good-government pieces of legislation in the country, is woefully out of step with new communications technology.
When the legislators wrote that law, they were thinking about preventing secret discussions over coffee down at the pancake house, or maybe in a back office, out of view. Nobody ever envisioned texting, or instant messaging, or whatever.
So if you're a public officeholder, and you want to check in with your lobbyist/handler but you'd prefer to keep it on the q.t., you text that person, because hey-- there's currently no law against it.
The "spirit of the law?" What is that, some kind of booze?
CHAN LOWE has been the Sun Sentinel’s first and only editorial cartoonist for the past twenty-six years. Before that, he worked as cartoonist and writer for the Oklahoma City Times and the Shawnee (OK) News-Star.
Comments
CHAN,
R U READY 4 THIS.?
POLITICAL TEXTING.?
OMG--THEY'LL STEAL A WAD,
STUFFING IT IN THEIR POCKETS.
LOST IN SPACE-CAN WE TRACE.?
THE DEALS,THEY CAN STEAL.?
WTF--JUST OUR LUCK,THEY'LL GRAB A BUCK..
TEXTING SUCKS.!!
OINK-OINK...LITTLE PIGGY'S,
EATING FINE--THEY DON'T WANT TO BE ON-LINE.
BLOCK THE SUN..
AIN'T IT FUN.?
CAN WE C,WHERE THEY'LL B.?
NO-No...HEE-HEE !!
Posted by: Lorraine Wagner | January 11, 2010 8:43 AM