It’s National Sunshine Week. No, not an observance of the shift of daylight savings time. It’s a week to highlight the importance of open access to information as a predicate for democracy.

As it happens, we’re not doing so well in this area. The Federation of American Scientists has been tracking the topic. So has the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. The National Security Archive, which knows a thing or two about the Freedom of Information Act, has just issued a report card on how well government agencies are complying with the law. It’s time for a little Leave No Agencies Behind tough love. Do your part. Use this handy-dandy FOIA generator to get some of your public information.

Also out this week, the 2007 edition of the The State of the News Media. The news is not good. Will there come a time when we have to declare it a failed state?