Observe your government in action! In person!
Justice Louis Brandeis called sunshine the best disinfectant when it comes to ensuring a clean and open process in government. It is up to us, the citizens, to make sure that the sun is getting through. In keeping with the spirit of Sunshine Week, LWV Minnesota is challenging you to observe at least one meeting of your government and let us know what you learned.
Here at the League of Women Voters we believe that one of the best ways to shine some light into government meetings is to be present at those meetings – that is why local chapters of the League of Women Voters have Observer Corps. Observers attend meetings of government bodies, take notes about what happens, and report back to the community. Observers learn about not just the issue being discussed, but the process through which debate and decision-making took place.
2010 marks the first year that LWV Minnesota has had Observers at the State Capitol observing hearings of legislative committees. The feedback from our inaugural corps of legislative observers has been overwhelmingly positive about the experience. Not only have they learned a lot about the issues, but they have found that advocates, witnesses, and even many of the legislators really appreciate their presence in the hearing.
Starting with the first day of Sunshine Week (today), and going for the next 30 days, LWV Minnesota is challenging you to attend a hearing, be it a meeting of a park board, a city council or a legislative committee, and see what they are talking about. Then, take a minute to let us know what you thought. Did you feel welcome? Was information made available to the public? Was there an opportunity for citizens to comment?
As the saying goes, “the world is run by those who show up.” Take our challenge to show up and help us let in more sunshine.
Tags: Sunshine Week, Transparency