To Get a Favor from a Public Body, Lobbyists Should Make it Public

  I like the dividing line I found the other day on which government records should be public, and which should be allowed to be kept private. If an email, or phone call, or document concerns an official action by the governing body -- if it announces it, or proposes it, or weighs in on it -- then, it should be open to the public.
  But, if it does not, it becomes of the domain of things the government official need not make open to the public.
  Public security matters excepted, of course -- but I mean things that really would compromise our security.
  I realize this would open a lot of things to the public. Think of it, suddenly even visits from lobbyists would be public information. You would have to record and release the parts in which proposals for legislation occurred.
   But, why should such conversations be private? If the lobbyist is asking for legislation, should that not be a matter open to the public? I don't think you should expect to be able to ask a "public" body for something, unless you are willing to make the petition public. If you want a favor from the public body, you should have to go public to get it.