Sunday, September 28, 2008
Editorial: Plain talk from the government
Americans shouldn't need an advanced degree in Bureaucratese to understand their government.
From the RoundTable blog
Read the latest entries
A bill to require bureaucrats to communicate with Americans in plain language couldn't be any clearer: Regulations may remain obscure. Still, that hasn't been enough for Sen. Robert Bennett, a Utah Republican, to release his hold on the bill and allow the Senate to vote on guaranteeing Americans the ability to understand their government.
Bennett frets the Plain Language bill would require the Federal Election Commission to translate campaign finance laws into regular-people language. He has a valid point. Lawyers, too, are flummoxed by those laws and keep running to the Supreme Court to translate. But his point is beside the point. The bill excludes federal regulations.
Instead it aims to require agencies that deal with the public to give them guidance in a way they can understand and lessen their frustration in dealing with the government.
To understand the difference, consider this National Marine Fisheries Service example provided by plaingovernment.org.
Government speak: After notification of NMFS, this final rule requires all CA/OR DGN vessel operators to have attended one Skipper Education Workshop after all workshops have been convened by NMFS in September 1997. CA/OR DGN vessel operators are required to attend Skipper Education Workshops at annual intervals thereafter, unless that requirement is waived by NMFS. NMFS will provide sufficient advance notice to vessel operators by mail prior to convening workshops.
Say what?
Try plain speak: After notification from NMFS, vessel operators must attend a skipper education workshop before commencing fishing each fishing season.
Much better. Many of the nation's bureaucrats understand the value of plain language and continue to follow an old Clinton administration directive to present government documents in a clear, concise and well-organized manner. But not all do, and those who do could be told to stop by the next president.
The Plains (Ga., that is) president was the first to order plain language. President Reagan followed President Carter into the White House and rescinded his executive orders. President Clinton in 1998 gave plain language a revival. President Bush hasn't spoken one way or the other on plain language.
It's time Congress does.
