"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win."

So said Gandhi. It looks like we're entering the "ridicule" phase on the rising movement for greater political transparency and interactivity. Not only are congressional staffers in revolt over the notion that their personal financial disclosure statements, which are required by law to be publicly available, are searchable online at Legistorm, now a former leader of the American League of Lobbyists is muttering darkly about the danger of letting the public help craft the text of legislation.

Commenting on the Sunlight Foundation's innovative PublicMarkup.org site**, where the public has been invited to comment on and improve the text of a draft omnibus bill on government transparency, Paul Miller, the past president of the league, told the Austin News-Statesman:

"I don't think the way you advocate is to put everything online and say, 'All right American people, weigh in on that,' because then what's next? Are we going to let the American people decide our defense policy, our trade policy, our immigration policy?"

Indeed, what is next? Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria?

[**Full disclosure: I consult for the Sunlight Foundation.]

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