So far this morning, ministers and civil society representatives to this virtual #opengov summit aren't talking much about what's happened in the USA, the state of its participation, or what it means to @opengovpart. Probably easier & safer not to do so.
@opengovpart Would be good to see ministers, @HelenClarkNZ, & #opengov leaders grapple more with deliberate undermining of trust in government, election integrity, & the press by autocrats, from Hungary to Turkey to Russia to the USA, & share what works to mitigate or reverse it #OpenResponse
The US has a vibrant press & powerful watchdogs that use FOIA, #ddj, & investigative journalism to reveal official corruption: e-pluribusunum.org/2020/05/01/the… …but it's worth noting no one was able to use @opengovpart as a platform to make this @WhiteHouse ethical or @POTUS accountable
@opengovpart@WhiteHouse@POTUS If you're unaware, the USA released a weak national action plan for #opengov in 2/2019, after years of delays & democratic regression: e-pluribusunum.org/2019/02/22/aft… The US somehow remains in good standing, despite further erosion since, renewing questions about what participation means
@opengovpart@WhiteHouse@POTUS@DeliaFerreira@anticorruption@josephpowell The playbook for authoritarianism Powell listed:
Capture state resources
Undermine the judiciary
Erode press freedom
Crack down on
Spread division & disinfo online
Attack election credibility
Blame those that look different than majority
Transparency & accountability have not been a priority for a @WhiteHouse that briefs on background & relegates open government to a compliance exercise.
Opacity atop secrecy: @politico granted US officials anonymity to say @DeptofDefense did not tell @POTUS @JakeSullivan46 & NSC aides @SecDef was hospitalized for 3 days,
Austin recognized he “could have done better job” informing the public.
@politico @DeptofDefense @POTUS @JakeSullivan46 @SecDef Official opacity: @Axios granted the @WhiteHouse anonymity to claim that President Biden & Austin had “a warm conversation” & that @POTUS “has full confidence in @SecDef & is “ looking forward to him being back at the Pentagon.”
I heard a thunderclap in DC on a sunny day.
It appears it was a sonic boom from @DeptofDefense fighters scrambled from Andrews @airforce Base to intercept an unresponsive Cessna that overflew DC.
This is the least useful PSA I’ve encountered in some time, @AlertDC — could you please investigate and then elaborate when you confirm what has happened, @DC_HSEMA@SafeDC ?
🚨✈️🛫💨💥?
I take it back, @AlertDC: it was useful to hear that “there is no great at this time,” but being aware of reports of a loud “boom” doesn’t add much context for millions of people wondering what we heard.
If you know there was a sonic boom from scrambled fighters, please say so.
I’m at the historic @WarnerTheater in DC to bear witness what @PowerUSAID invited all Americans to learn about this morning:
How Ukraine is delivering services online in a democracy at war with @USAID. @karaswisher live now: usaid.gov/diiaindc
19M Ukrainians using DIAA now
As @karaswisher said, there has a been backpack against disruptive technologies like the Internet, smartphones, & social media.
We now worry about AI.
But all governments must harness these technologies to provide critical info & deliver services to networked publics, everywhere.
Today, @PowerUSAID says delivering services showed how “robust & secure digital public infrastructure” enabled Ukrainians to access services in a war while minimizing corruption.
She says @USAID supported in e-gov in Ukraine since 2016. “
The result: “Government in a smartphone.”
I find it encouraging to see @USAID@StateDRL rejoining international open government circles.
It’s discouraging @OpenGovPart@OGP_IRM have said so little about @WhiteHouse45@WhiteHouse acting contrary to process after @POTUS45 made a mockery of the US being in “good standing.”
No #AprilFools: @Twitter to remove @verified status from journalists, after enabling anonymous accounts to spread misinformation & lies using @elonmusk’s ill-designed pay-to-get-seen system “to expand their reach while creating the illusion of credibility” apnews.com/article/ohio-t…