Why You Should Care
by Susan Graham
If you don’t know what a “data dump” is, you should because Don and his people are dumping our important data at record rates and the result is that we, the public, will have no idea what the truths are. Without data, we just don’t know where we stand. They can say what they will and make up their lies and half-truths and we have no data to fight them with.
For example, since Don has moved in, The White House removed data from its portal of searchable federal data. The site previously included data on everything from budgets to climate change to LGBT issues. It now displays a message telling people to: “Check back soon for new data.” If that doesn’t piss you off, consider this: Some USDA data on animal testing, puppy mill cruelty and company audits has been completely removed since Trump’s inauguration.
As most of you know, I deal with the U. S. Census Bureau and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). For almost 30 years, my email box has been crammed daily with information from them, including how the public can best weigh-in on all kinds of issues and Presidential moves. Now, since Don, what came daily (including weekends) is now there barely three times a week. I’ve emailed government people I’ve had almost immediate turnaround from for years, and not received responses at all. I think they are all very afraid and we should be, too.