Our plan begins with the preservation of Public Access to Government Data. We do not believe the next four years bode well for public access to government data. And the access will be necessary to construct a public plan. We are calling this step one of this effort “the Plan to Preserve Public Access to Government Data Anchored in Constitutional Guarantees and Oaths of Office.”

Our Objective is to: To protect public access to government data as a constitutional obligation, ensuring transparency, accountability, and the promotion of the general welfare for current and future generations.

Our Foundational Principles are:

1. The General Welfare Clause – Highlighted in the Preamble and Article I, Section 8, the general welfare principle mandates the government to act in the public’s best interest by supporting informed decision-making and fostering trust. 

2. Oaths of Office   – Public officials swear to uphold and defend the Constitution. This duty includes ensuring that policies and practices align with democratic values, such as transparency, accountability, and public accessibility to information. 

3. First Amendment Protections – Ensures the public’s right to receive and share information freely, reinforcing the importance of accessible government data.

On this basis we propose the following Action Plan…

1. 1 – A Data Preservation and Transparency Initiative consisting of Partnerships: A Collaboration with and between academic institutions, non-profits, and civic organizations to archive datasets at risk of loss or removal.  These datasets are planned for

 1.2. A Public Repository: Develop an accessible online platform named “The Democracy Data Vault,” housing preserved datasets critical to public welfare, including environmental, health, and economic data.

  The rationale guiding the beginning of this effort is: Census data. Census data is essential for defining and addressing the needs of diverse communities, as it provides the core metrics for understanding population distribution, socio-economic conditions, and regional disparities. 

This generates the following action item: – Preserve key datasets from Census.gov, including population statistics, age distribution, race and ethnicity data, income brackets, and housing data. 

Step 2: Further defining the data by usage.

2. Education and Community Development Defined by Census Demographics. 

   Rationale: Census data guides decisions on school funding, community resource planning, and educational initiatives tailored to specific populations. 

   Action Item: Focus on data detailing school enrollment rates, educational attainment levels, and regional resource disparities. 

     3. Economic and Social Welfare Grounded in Community-Level Data

 Rationale: Public programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, and unemployment benefits are allocated based on detailed demographic and community-specific data. Restricting access to these datasets undermines the general welfare by preventing effective policy design. 

   Action Items: Preserve datasets on employment rates, housing affordability, and access to social services.       – Demonstrate how these datasets support government initiatives to reduce inequality, improve quality of life, and provide targeted support to vulnerable populations. 

In summary

1. In the Data Preservation and Transparency Initiative: We seek to develop Partnerships and collaborate with academic institutions, non-profits, and civic organizations to archive datasets at risk of removal. 

   A Public Repository is a longer-term vision. Developing an accessible online platform that houses preserved datasets critical to public welfare including environmental, health, and economic data has been a goal of many nonprofits for many years, our vision is being named “The Democracy Data Vault until partnerships and collaborations can coalesce into a decision-making format.

2. Public Advocacy Campaign: We need to add a public advocacy campaign to our efforts to construct a plan. As a start we propose the following. A Thematic Focus: Launch the “In Service of the Oath” campaign to connect the issue to officials’ sworn commitments (oath of office) and the general welfare clause of the Constitution (Article 1 section 8) to the Data Preservation project and the construction of a public plan and budget. 

  We must define “Engagement Channels”: Use social media, op-eds, public forums, and town halls to educate citizens about the importance of government data for democracy. 

Since childhood, we put our hand over our hearts and pledged allegiance to the flag and all that it stood for. Our “In Service of the Oath” campaign is meant to emphasize bringing meaning back to taking an oath, be it the Pledge of Allegiance or the Oath of office.

The emphasis on developing a team of collaborators to review and analyze data needs to be rooted in a grass roots perspective very close if not exactly like the sedition hunters surrounding January 6th. Except that the goal is to crowdsource the federal budget into pieces to look at what it supports and how it generates revenue.

Wrapping Up….

We have discussed long term initiatives in terms of data collection and data archiving by developing collaborations and partnerships with larger institutions. Experience teaches us that there are challenges in any partnership over use and ownership. We must have many baskets to put our eggs in, and many sources to get our eggs from. While we make our outreach, and acquire the census data that we need

Let us stop for a minute and assess where we stand in regard to starting this effort. We have tried to establish an understanding that the public good must include transparency and access to public (census) data. But we face a challenge of honesty, specifically the taking of an oath upon entering any elected office. This is why our “In Service of the Oath” campaign focuses on upholding the Constitution thru how an elected official uphold their sworn oath to uphold the law. Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution unequivocally grants Congress the “power of the purse,” giving it exclusive authority to levy taxes, allocate expenditures, and provide for the general welfare of the nation. The constitution establishes the concept of being a nation of laws and creates the Congress specified in the Article.

“Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” – Elizabeth Willing Powel’s question to Ben Franklin “A republic, if you can keep it.” – Benjamin Franklin’s reply.

Our data transparency campaign is a Proposal to Include a Tariff Category on Point-of-Sale Receipts

Objective:
To enhance transparency in consumer transactions by introducing a distinct category for tariffs on sales receipts, alongside existing tax categories such as city, county, and state taxes.

Key Provisions:

1. Mandatory Display of Tariff Charges:

• Retailers will be required to include a separate line item on sales receipts indicating the amount of tariffs applied to imported goods sold at the point of sale.
• This category should be labeled “Tariff,” clearly distinguishing it from sales taxes and other charges.

1. Applicability:

• This requirement will apply to businesses that sell goods subject to tariffs, ensuring consistency across all points of sale.

1. Implementation Mechanism:

• The information on tariff charges will be sourced from importers and wholesalers, who will provide the tariff data for each product in their supply chain.
• Point-of-sale systems will integrate tariff data into the receipt calculation and printing processes.

1. Consumer Education:

• The program will include a public awareness campaign to educate consumers on the purpose of tariffs and how they are reflected in prices.

Benefits:

• Transparency: Consumers gain insight into how tariffs influence the prices they pay, fostering greater awareness of trade policies.
• Accountability: Retailers and importers will have a standardized method for reporting tariffs, improving compliance and record-keeping.
• Informed Policy Debate: By making the financial impact of tariffs more visible, this initiative can encourage informed discussions on trade and economic policies.

Challenges and Solutions:

1. Technical Implementation:

• Retailers may face initial costs to update point-of-sale systems. These costs can be mitigated through tax credits or grants for businesses implementing the changes.

1. Data Accuracy:

• Clear guidelines will be provided to importers and wholesalers to ensure accurate reporting of tariff amounts.

Conclusion:
This proposal aims to empower consumers with greater transparency and foster a deeper understanding of how trade policies affect everyday life. By making tariffs visible at the point of sale, we can bridge the gap between policy decisions and their practical implications for the public.

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