| In a truly representative democracy, the politicians we elect should be working for us. Each of us should be tracking their votes and listening to their speeches to confirm this dictum.
In between elections we need to know if they are representing us and are behaving in an ethical manner. The Sunshine Law is our legally required receipt that politicians give us to ensure us as citizens that we are getting from our public servants what we voted for.
When Governor Blunt condones the erasing of his staff’s e-mails in violation of the Sunshine Law, he deliberately tears up his receipt proving whether he has served all of the citizens of Missouri rather than serving his narrow political interests or himself.
A democracy is only functioning properly if information is flowing freely from its citizens to the politicians and then from the politicians back to the citizens. If that feedback loop is stopped, democracy is in jeopardy. We need to put teeth into the Missouri Sunshine Law so that we know just who the politicians are serving because our democracy depends on it.
The contents of these e-mails should be public record despite the governor's contention that they are not.
Commentary by Bob Pund
Columbia, MO Go Back | 
