It would be nice to see the National Archives fulfill the impression that most Americans have of their role in government.  Requiring politicians to maintain their records and deliver them into their care is critical to our style of government and accountability to the people.

Nixon is an example of the way government used to be, he was afraid to destroy those tapes and the missing 18 minutes and history was served.  If our watchdogs are chained then politicians in either party can violate the rules. Politicians need to fear destroying records and violating the laws of our country because the records will reveal the misdeeds.

A strong and independent NARA serves us all.  I look forward to the day that NARA rejoins the NFPA 232 Committee and provides gravitas to the Technical Committee.

Recently the defense department declassified and released the Top Secret files about Israel possessing nuclear weapons; that was only conjectured since 1987 and history will show this is treason in the midst of negotiating with Iran on shutting down and evolving nuclear program. Only if NARA can have access to all of the government records can these inter-communications be revealed that show how this document that was closely guarded for so many years moved from Top Secret to Classified and then unclassified in such a quick turn-around.  It is breath-taking really.

It is as if Morgan Stanley reclassified Vital Records to shredding in one step.  Oh wait, Enron set that precedent.  But look at the storm that followed.  

Is it just me or is records and governance of records in the news much more often. It seems that corporations and government no longer respect records.  They shorten retention schedules, they store them in a hackable cloud and they shred at an unprecedented speed.  Mr. Springs, you arrive none too soon!

Hugh Smith
FIRELOCK Fireproof Modular Vaults
[log in to unmask]
(610)  756-4440    Fax (610)  756-4134
WWW.FIRELOCK.COM

List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
To unsubscribe from this list, click the below link. If not already present, place UNSUBSCRIBE RECMGMT-L or UNSUB RECMGMT-L in the body of the message.
mailto:[log in to unmask]