Don’t you just love it when there’s a law that can finally make a difference? Well, put on your seat belts, folks, because we are about to go on a heck of ride!
All those material falsehoods the government has been putting out since 20 January? It turns out there is a law that will either put a stop to them- or force some severe personnel changes.
What the heck am I talking about? The Information Quality Act. It’s also called the Data Quality Act. This was enacted way back in December 2000 (PL 106-554), as part of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act for FY 2001. The purported goal of the act was to ensure the “quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity” of information the US Government provides the public. The public- that’s you and me.
The law stipulates that the government let folks who feel affected by the falsehoods promoted by the government to seek redress. It was initially passed because some folks thought this was a way they could slow- or stop- the promulgation of new health, safety, or environmental standards. But, now, there’s some very smart folks who are going to use this law to stop the spread of BS and fake science that has been running rampant since early this year.
Some of the targets could be the canards denying climate change, environmental controls,and the like. But, it seems that the first use against the government is going to be for the “Tax Cuts & Jobs Act” (TCJA). Where the government is clearly lying how these tax cuts are going to grow the economy- or that they will actually only cost the Treasury $ 1.5 trillion.
On 13 November, the gauntlet was dropped. A 10 page letter was sent to the Treasury Department demanding it retract the claims the TCJA will benefit working Americans. That is the first step required under the 2001 law.
(NOTE: Treasury removed from public view the report that the 2012 tax cuts did not match the Treasury’s claims. Like removing it means we forget it existed- or that folks like me wouldn’t already have a full copy of that report. Another bone of contention is Steve Mnuchin’s lie that 70% of the business tax burden is passed on to the employees- to the tune of $ 4000 for each employee. The Wall Street Journal reported the real facts: 82% of the business tax burden is borne by capital income; only 18% is borne by labor.)
Democracy Forward (a liberal – but non-partisan- advocacy group) is not seeking monetary damages- just compliance with facts and evidence.
If the request (that 10 page letter) gets brushed aside, the group will progress the action to the Federal Courts to effect compliance.
Let the games begin!
The problem is all this stuff is based on opinion which is often based on bad or few facts and is not held by those who file suite. True? False? This is next to impossible to prove. Wonderful world.
Absolutely, there is interpretation. But, as has been the SOLE mode for this administration, scientific data is erased from view. They think that means we forget it exists. Economic analyses effected by bipartisan experts are taken down from the web. (That is this current case.) And, in its stead voodoo is expounded, proclaiming facts not on evidence.
This differs from the action the Justice Department is taking re: the ATT-Time Warner merger. This case involves facts that both sides can argue. It may require continued oversight- which given the predilection of the Administration to obviate same, leads to Justice’s position. (Of course, this same administration is cancelling net neutrality, which is the primary negative involved in this merger.) The only negative is the influence of TheDonald on the judiciary.