Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Obama Announces Open Data Policy With Executive Order

Posted by timothy on from the except-you-guys-in-the-atf dept.

In an overdue but welcome move, President Obama today issued an executive order mandating "open and machine-readable data" for government-published information. Also, kodiaktau writes "In a move to make data more readily available, the United States of America has announced the Project Open Data and has chosen GitHub to host the content." Ars has a great article on the announced policy, but as you might expect, it comes with caveats, exceptions, sub-goals and committees; don't expect too much change per day, or assume you have a right to open data, exactly, in the eyes of the government, but — "subject to appropriations" — it sounds good on paper. (I'd like the next step to be requiring that all file formats used by the government be open source.)

23 of 94 comments (clear)

  1. Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by ModernGeek · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is the first time that I've seen someone talk about President Obama and Executive Orders in a way that makes sense. It is my understanding that Executive Orders have to do with the internal operations of the government, not as a mechanism of usurping congress when it comes to laws that have an effect on the American public.

    --
    Sig: I stole this sig.
    1. Re:Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by msauve · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's not just Obama. There's a rich history of Presidents using EOs to try and get out of their duty to execute the law. It's been a bipartisan dereliction of duty (and illegitimate power grab).

      But yes, you're right in that this sounds like a legitimate use - ordering an execution of the law which makes it more accessible.

      --
      "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
    2. Re:Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by girlintraining · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It is my understanding that Executive Orders have to do with the internal operations of the government, not as a mechanism of usurping congress when it comes to laws that have an effect on the American public.

      People seem to forget Executive Order 9066, which led to the creation of internment camps for "Japanese-americans" (or as I call them, citizens) during WWII. There's a great many more examples of executive orders going far beyond "internal operations of the government." And yes, Obama, like every other president has penned some questionable executive orders.

      Of course, even snarking the President on slashdot is a hanging offense, so god help me for suggesting this; But it's clear that every administration. Every. Administration. Has used executive orders to expand the power of the executive branch, or as you put it "usurping congress". Whether this is a problem or not depends largely on your personal political preferences and which party controls the white house at the moment... but historically, they have a long tradition of going far beyond "internal operations of the government"... at least as I suspect you're thinking of it.

      --
      #fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
    3. Re:Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      People seem to forget Executive Order 9066, which led to the creation of internment camps for "Japanese-americans" (or as I call them, citizens) during WWII. There's a great many more examples of executive orders going far beyond "internal operations of the government." And yes, Obama, like every other president has penned some questionable executive orders.

      Forget? I have not forgotten; I think that's just as bad (actually, much, much worse) than whatever it is Obama has done. The fact that executive orders were abused in the past doesn't make abusing them okay, though.

    4. Re:Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Executive orders have been held to have force of law in US History except under two cases:

      1. Congress passes a countervailing law with a veto-proof majority.

      2. The Supreme Court invalidates the order as unconstitutional.

      1952 was the first time (2) occurred.

      There have been some pretty significant executive orders, including Jackson's specie circular requiring that payment for federal lands be done in gold or silver, and FDR order that the military round up Japanese and German Americans in military zones.

      Harry Truman desegregated the military via executive order, and Eisenhower did the same for public schools by executive order.

      George Bush's order to restrict access to presidential papers was equally controversial.

    5. Re:Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by ttucker · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Every branch, and each political faction, constantly, and steadily usurps power from the american people. Democrat vs Republican ballots merely ask, which powers do you want to lose today? Whichever you pick, the other party waits, because they will take away the other freedom soon enough. There is not an option that says, "I want more freedom", or "I want the government to have less control of my life."

    6. Re:Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by msauve · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It constantly amazes me - the two parties have focused the electorate against each other, while they collude in common cause - building and maintaining power.

      --
      "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
    7. Re:Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by msauve · · Score: 2

      The Judiciary make laws at (almost) random, depending on how they feel, and the current political climate. They pretend to have some semblance of reasonable justice and independance, but there have been way too many decisions which declare that "black is white" (with a straight face) to deserve any respect.

      --
      "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
    8. Re:Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by msauve · · Score: 4, Informative

      "Executive orders have been held to have force of law in US History except under two cases"

      Growing wheat for your own use has been held to be "interstate commerce." So much for that argument. Don't quote judicial decisions as part of a logical argument, they're two different worlds.

      --
      "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
    9. Re:Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by ATMAvatar · · Score: 3, Insightful

      We are merely mice voting for black or white cats.

      --
      "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
    10. Re:Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by Darinbob · · Score: 2

      I can think of very few cases where the higher courts have done this without there being a valid legal question on the table that needed deciding. Certainly one side or the other may say it's obvious that only one interpretation is correct but things that make it to higher courts are never that simple.

      (If the laws are vaguely written by congress then it is because congress intended to not get into specifics in order to get enough votes, so you can't go and later look at some politician's writing to decide what the congressional "intent" was.)

    11. Re: Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Ummm, perhaps you are unaware of the hearings the House of Representatives are holding with regard to the actions of Obama, Hiliary, the State Department and White House over the events in Benghazi eight months ago. The refusal to come to the aid of an Ambassador and SEALs for eight hours, with a real-time Predator drone overhead (so the US could see what was going on in real time), and then a cover up (lying) for weeks, then no impartial investigation for eight months is simply *criminal*. It is far far worse than internment camps (as bad as they were).

      The message for the World is, the US will not come to your aid, no matter whether you are a US Ambassador, SEAL, ally (Mubarak), or country (Israel). America is no longer the greatest country on the Earth for promoting and defending Western values. That was Obama's intention.

    12. Re:Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 2

      "People seem to forget Executive Order 9066, which led to the creation of internment camps for "Japanese-americans" (or as I call them, citizens) during WWII. There's a great many more examples of executive orders going far beyond "internal operations of the government." And yes, Obama, like every other president has penned some questionable executive orders."

      Well, I would say "like many other Presidents in recent history", I'm not sure "every" applies. But still...

      Even so, I think what GP is referring to is "lawful authority". The fact that many Presidents have attempted to use Executive Orders to exceed their lawful authority, does not make another President who does it "not an asshole." Any more than the fact that a store has been robbed 4 times in the past means robbing it again makes somebody an okay guy.

      Concerning that lawful authority, GP has it right: Executive Orders are just orders for Federal employees, much as a CEO will write policy for his corporation. They actually have no binding authority on anybody who is not a Federal employee, just as a CEO's orders do not affect non-employees.

      As such (if we're just talking about the actual law), the President may order Federal employees to lock up some Americans, but those Americans are not legally obligated to obey. I believe the internment camp order also had something to do with wartime powers that really do not apply today (as we are not lawfully at war with anybody right now... never mind that we are de facto at war in far too many places).

    13. Re: Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      America is no longer the greatest country on the Earth for promoting and defending Western values. That was Obama's intention.

      Sad part is, America probably is still the greatest country on the Earth for promoting and defending Western values. It is no longer that high a bar.

    14. Re:Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by davester666 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      You would think a Republican-led Congress would be inclined to limit what a Democrat as President does.

      But it turns out...they would rather just let him do whatever, so when their guy gets in, he also gets to do 'whatever'.

      And vice versa.

      --
      Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
    15. Re:Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by msauve · · Score: 2

      Barron v Baltimore. Cherokee Nation. Dred Scott. Slaughter-House. Wickard v. Filburn (and a boatload of other IC cases). Kelo. Citizens United.

      --
      "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
    16. Re: Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by hackula · · Score: 2

      How is that anywhere nearly as bad as internment camps!?! I am not saying it was not bad, but that does not seem even close.

    17. Re: Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by thomasw_lrd · · Score: 2

      Benghazi is bad, but nowhere near as bad interring Japanese Americans during WWII. Ambassadors and Navy Seals should know that they are going into hostile territory, and should be aware that they will be targets.

      Interring Americans during a war is just a horrible thing to do. I understand the history of why it was done, but we all know it was wrong. It should never have happened, much like slavery and the Indian Wars.

      I think your last statement is spot on though. I hope the truth is found out, and if any wrong doing was done (I still believe in innocent until proven guilty, even if it has to do with the highest figures in our govt), I hope they are punished to the fullest extend of the law, up to and including impeachment if needed (not that I want Joe Biden as President, Obama is better than that).

      --
      21st Century Renaissance Man
    18. Re: Only right use of an Executive Order I've seen by Ksevio · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Right...a confusing and hostile situation (which the President and staff clearly botched) that happened over an evening is comparable to a planned out and very public taking of American's rights?

      It might be fun to jump on the whole government conspiracy bandwagon, but the two situations are in no way comparable. There are a lot of questions about Benghazi and some answers may seem obvious now in retrospect, but the Japanese Interment was clearly wrong.

  2. O RLY? by girlintraining · · Score: 2, Insightful

    In an overdue but welcome move, President Obama today issued an executive order mandating "open and machine-readable data" for government-published information.

    Yes, and after so much money and effort spent creating the databases and websites, they'll contain no data because it was all marked classified for national security reasons. /snark

    --
    #fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
  3. Yes, Open *Your* Data Policy by Lawrence_Bird · · Score: 2

    Clearly the Obama admin. wants all data to be open. Theirs, yours and anyone else.

  4. Yeah, that's why the ACLU keeps suing... by Macchendra · · Score: 2

    Obama continued Bush stance's on seeking dismissal of a lawsuit to order a federal court to review the Bush administration's warrantless spying program. ACLU sued his administration. The ACLU also sued Obama for the release of government records on drone strikes that killed U.S. citizens in Yemen. The groups Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and the National Security Archive sued to access to millions of missing White House emails over Bush's two terms in office. Obama refused to reverse the Bush admin's position. A federal judge ordered the Obama administration to release secret evidence it says justifies the continued imprisonment of over 100 Guantanamo Bay prisoners. In a report to the UN Human Rights Council, Philip Alston, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, said US secrecy around the drone program is undermining international law. Obama had responded to a question comparing Bradley Manning to Pentagon analyst Daniel Ellsberg, who in 1971 leaked the Pentagon Papers, detailing the secret history of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. According to President Obama, the cases are not similar because, 'Ellsberg's material wasn't classified the same way.' In fact, the material disclosed in the Pentagon Papers was designated Top Secret'”the highest secrecy designation under law'”whereas the material allegedly leaked by Manning to WikiLeaks was marked 'secret' or 'classified,' among the lowest-level secrecy designations.

  5. Re:How about information on Benghazi, then? by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 2

    Really.

    For example this poll conducted by the Economist. 67% of voter deemed Obama to be a centrist.

    http://www.economist.com/economist-asks/barack-obama-centrist