Well, this is total BS. The mishandling has happened before documents get to the National Archives. It was the National Archives who called out the missing Trump documents. Moreover, the NA is not the source agency for the documents. They must rely on records obtained from other agencies. If they receive no record of a document even being produced, how can they track it down? The problem is not NA.
On the other hand, if Wuerker is commenting that perhaps the NA does not have enough people to do their job, then this is probably true. They have a little over 2500 people on staff.
Just two numbers give you an idea of the workload from 2019.
More than 1.1 million cubic feet of new materials shelved
More than 1.1 million cubic feet disposed
Let’s just throw out a random number of documents per cubic foot — say 25
So maybe some 30 million documents added and 30 million disposed of?
Looks like maybe 1% of documents might be classified. so 300,000 added and 300,000 destroyed. Each of those produces paperwork. And I have probably underestimated the number of documents.
There is NOTHING wrong with the National Archives. They aren’t the repository for classified information. In reality, documents are classified, stored, used, declassified, and/or destroyed all over the world. The vast majority of these NEVER get handled by the National Archives.
The real culprits are a) over-classification (including maintaining documents instead of destroying them) and processes for accounting for them. It’s not that they don’t exist; they do a fine job with the vast majority of classified information. But it could be improved.
It should have been a REQUIREMENT back when our system of governing was first set up, that part of the instructions for its operation was to be an integral method of PAYING for whatever was established.
For instance, take the Income tax – every time it’s reared it’s ugly head, first in 1862 to help pay for the “War between the States” and finally in the 16th Amendment to the constitution – there was never any well-thought-out plan on how to pay for its collection!
Congress has ALWAYS played “fast & loose” with how anything they passed was supposed to be paid for and that is ridiculous.
KFischer1 over 1 year ago
The National Archives is not the problem. The problem is people not turning in all the documents they are suppose to.
Radish the wordsmith over 1 year ago
There should be a checkout card attached to the TOP Secret file, charge people 5 cents a day when the secrets are overdue.
Radish the wordsmith over 1 year ago
Repubs dissolved the dem plan to higher IRS agents to go after rich deadbeats.
The republican tax breaks for undeserving rich people added 25% to the debt and the American people got nothing except the bill.
Baslim the Beggar Premium Member over 1 year ago
Well, this is total BS. The mishandling has happened before documents get to the National Archives. It was the National Archives who called out the missing Trump documents. Moreover, the NA is not the source agency for the documents. They must rely on records obtained from other agencies. If they receive no record of a document even being produced, how can they track it down? The problem is not NA.
On the other hand, if Wuerker is commenting that perhaps the NA does not have enough people to do their job, then this is probably true. They have a little over 2500 people on staff.
check out the numbers for the National Archives.
https://www.archives.gov/about/info/national-archives-by-the-numbers
Just two numbers give you an idea of the workload from 2019.
More than 1.1 million cubic feet of new materials shelved
More than 1.1 million cubic feet disposed
Let’s just throw out a random number of documents per cubic foot — say 25
So maybe some 30 million documents added and 30 million disposed of?
Looks like maybe 1% of documents might be classified. so 300,000 added and 300,000 destroyed. Each of those produces paperwork. And I have probably underestimated the number of documents.
DrDon1 over 1 year ago
Some opine that “broken” government agencies started way back when Newt was running roughshod over our democracy…
Rich Douglas over 1 year ago
There is NOTHING wrong with the National Archives. They aren’t the repository for classified information. In reality, documents are classified, stored, used, declassified, and/or destroyed all over the world. The vast majority of these NEVER get handled by the National Archives.
The real culprits are a) over-classification (including maintaining documents instead of destroying them) and processes for accounting for them. It’s not that they don’t exist; they do a fine job with the vast majority of classified information. But it could be improved.
mr_sherman Premium Member over 1 year ago
That explains how they could lose the ark of the covenant.
/s.
MC4802 Premium Member over 1 year ago
Probably as well funded as the IRS
wellis1947 Premium Member over 1 year ago
It should have been a REQUIREMENT back when our system of governing was first set up, that part of the instructions for its operation was to be an integral method of PAYING for whatever was established.
For instance, take the Income tax – every time it’s reared it’s ugly head, first in 1862 to help pay for the “War between the States” and finally in the 16th Amendment to the constitution – there was never any well-thought-out plan on how to pay for its collection!
Congress has ALWAYS played “fast & loose” with how anything they passed was supposed to be paid for and that is ridiculous.