Transparency and irony
On the most recent episode of the inside-Lansing public television show Off the Record, Tom McMillan discussed spending transparency. McMillan explained that his bill would shed light on a practice (government spending) thereby causing “cockroaches” (wasteful expenses) to scatter (pressure for reform).
A reporter from Michigan public radio asked whether he would support extending this transparency effort to lobbyists’ expenses (like dinners for lawmakers). McMillan fumbled a bit on his reason for not supporting this, mentioning something about free speech, and basically saying he wanted to start with government expenses. Sticking to state expenses is probably good policy; would you necessarily want your neighbors or coworkers to know every position you financially supported? (Matt Welch at Reason on a similar occurrence in California.)
But the interesting thing was that when the reporter, Rick Pluta, asked about requiring private parties to disclose to all of us their checkbooks, he seemed to be suggesting that this disclosure would be a good thing. Yet Rick’s work biography says he has “a particular interest in issues related to privacy.” Perhaps he means he sees no need for privacy, or thinks it’s harmful?
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I think Rick means he has no use for “privacy” rights inextricably linked to “property” rights, which is no different from most ACLU liberals who put more emphasis on the rights of neo-nazis to march in Jewish neighborhoods, than the right of Suzette Kelo to keep her home.
Rick Pluta had another good question though when he asked McMillan what exactly were “core conservative issues,” and whether social issues were now going to have to take a back seat to spending and taxes and plank positions to help get Republicans elected. In addition, McMillan’s apparent openess to having Brooks Patterson run for governor is a far cry from the 2004 party primaries when McMillan unsuccesfully tried to run a slate against Patterson in Oakland County.