Oddbean

We just need Congress to pass a bill with a lifetime ban on government employment (and pensions) and with jail time for anyone caught using a private email or purposely misspelling words to prevent FOIA requests. I'd say minimum of a year in jail with an additional week for every email that doesn't follow official rules to aid FOIA requests. If there were real consequences, they'd be more likely to obey the rules and also try harder to make sure there are no "accidents." Same, except with a 5 year minimum jail sentence for destroying or discarding equipment to make data unrecoverable.

I understand. I also know there is zero chance of a law passing that actually punishes government employees or politicians when they break the law. They worked hard to get in that position so they could break the law. The only laws I might support are laws that limit and/or punish those that are part of the government and laws that protect life & private property. Of course with the government, you always have to consider every possible way that law could be twisted. They've already managed to interpret most of the Constitution in the exact opposite way in which it was intended.

Sometimes I comment what I think is ideal. Sometimes I comment on what might be possible understanding what we have now. This was a pragmatic rather than idealistic comment. It would make things better than they are now while not fixing the problem anywhere near fully.