Federal, State, and Local Governments Communication
Communication among the different levels of government is important for the running of a country. In the United States of America, communication flows from the federal government to the state and the local governments. Information from the federal government follows regulations given under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Enacted in 1966, the law provides that any level of government or person has the right to accessing information from federal agencies. The federal government is therefore required to provide records to the state and local governments upon receiving information in written form. However, the federal government reserves the rights to withhold information from protected records. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) contains three exclusions and nine exemptions. The right of accessing information is enforceable by states and local governments in court. The recent revision of the FOIA includes the Electronic of Information Act Amendments (EFOIA) (Berman, 2003).
The Federal Government provides several provisions for the transfer of information and the facilitation of communication among the different levels of government. Communication among the federal, state, and local government take place through the policies set by the federal government. A memorandum from the federal government provides the accessibility of information by any agency from the state or federal government. Instructed agencies take various initiatives to implement contents of the memorandum and to ensure transparency, collaboration, and openness. The Open Government Directive ensures the transfer of information is efficient. The Office of Management and Budgets ensures agencies have sound information practices and convey information in the right manner. In addition to that, the Federal Government maintains Data.gov as an online platform to facilitate easy access and transmission of data (Berman, 2003).
Communication and transmission of information depends on the information being transmitted. Agencies have to ensure that they protect sensitive data such as terrorism-related communication from spreading inappropriately. Sensitive data that is not classified includes data such as security plans and other information as classified by the national security department of information. The Federal Government also protects sensitive and classified data from public release and access. Such information may include data from the Department of Justice and other information that is essential in criminal prosecution. The Department of Justice determines handling and dissemination of any sensitive information. The Office of Management and Budget acts as the government’s overseer for security programs and policies (Secrecy, n.d.).
The state and local governments are mandated to provide the public with relevant information as stipulated in the American constitution. The constitution stipulates that the state and the local governments stand as servants of the people and not as their master. This policy thus requires that the state and local governments furnish citizens with important information at all times. The people have a right to remain informed at all times. The media acts an important intermediary between the government and the citizens facilitating democracy and participation in making decisions. The media enables citizens to access their right to information by giving them constant updates on current and emerging issues in governance. On the other hand, the media can also have negative effects. For instance, the media can cause unnecessary panic among citizens by disseminating sensitive information (Dill, 2013).
References
Berman, D. R. (2003). Local Government and the States: Autonomy, Politics, and Policy. M.E. Sharpe.
Dill, K. E. (2013). The Oxford Handbook of Media Psychology. Oxford University Press.
Secrecy, U. S. C. on P. and R. G. (n.d.). Report of the Commission on Protecting and Reducing Government Secrecy: pursuant to Public Law 236, 103rd Congress. Government Printing Office.
