Our most profound phrases of democracy — "We the people," governments "deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed," "Of, by, and for the people" — bequeathed to each succeeding generation of Americans from our wisest political ancestors, should always give us pause.

These are not hollow echoes of a time past. These words help frame our basic beliefs enshrined in our Bill of Rights.

And so it puzzles me when we the people weren't bothered when George Bush declared more historical documents secret, or when Hillary Clinton went behind closed doors 15 years ago to hatch a universal health care plan that was dead on arrival largely because her process was so secretive, or when the Connecticut General Assembly comes up with yet another reason why yet another government document can be exempt from public disclosure.

Our good legislators are actually contemplating letting companies contracting with the government keep secret most of the documents about that public business.

Freedom of Information laws are really the statutory progeny of our Bill of Rights, beginning with the right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

If one Founder is the father of the Bill of Rights, it is James Madison, who after serving two terms as president said, "A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy; or, perhaps, both."

I was sitting recently on a panel before a banquet

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room full of local government officials discussing state FOI laws. I tried to make the point that if the government belongs to the people, then surely government documents also belong to the people.

But some in the room worried about citizens or reporters requesting "voluminous" documents that take time for officials to dig out. It reminded me of when the Connecticut Post requested all of former Mayor Joseph Ganim's cell phone records. He fought ferociously to keep them secret. And when he finally had to give them up, they helped show the way to his corruption.

The free press, just as the Founders established, remains a watchdog on government. In his book out last year, "Connecticut Government and Politics," Sacred Heart University professor Gary L. Rose wrote: "The reporting of the Connecticut Post regarding the scandalous activity of Bridgeport Mayor Joseph P. Ganim, as well as the investigative reporting of The Hartford Courant concerning the illegal activity of Gov. John G. Rowland, were journalistic efforts worthy of a Pulitzer prize. The investigative reporting of both newspapers underscores why a free, fierce and unbridled press is essential to the preservation of the American republic."

Absolutely there is an adversarial relationship between the unfettered press and democratic government. When those who govern us want to hide things, it is the job of the news media to bring them to light for the benefit of an informed citizenry.

You can't have a democracy without an informed citizenry, and I'm here to say it would be virtually impossible to keep the public informed without a free press.

But also, the press and government both serve the public — that's why we refer to judges, mayors, town clerks, senators, etc., as public servants. We pay their salaries, remember?

And the reading public, through subscription prices, helps pay the salaries of reporters, photographers and editors whose job it is to keep readers informed on what is happening in their world.

The Freedom of Information laws are there to help the press and government work together for the public good.

"Let's say the Post wants to look at blighted city properties and absentee landlords," I said during the panel discussion. "We need the documents so that our stories are authentic." How many code violations; who is the hidden owner?

My fellow panelists — all government officials — didn't disagree, nor did anyone in the audience raise any objections.

It is times like these that the promise of the Founding Fathers establishing "a more perfect union" is upheld.

James H. Smith is the editor of the Connecticut Post. You can reach him at 203-330-6325 or by e-mail at jsmith@ctpost.com.