1985 05 00 Government Publications Review - Vol 12 No 3 - Lapham

Magazine Overview

This document is a "Reviews" section from a publication, featuring reviews of two distinct works: "Clear Intent: The Government Coverup of the UFO Experience" and "The Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding the Federal Budget; Fiscal 1984 Edition."

Review of "Clear Intent: The Government Coverup of the UFO Experience"

This review, written by John Spicer Nichols, Associate Professor of Journalism at The Pennsylvania State University, examines the book "Clear Intent" by Lawrence Fawcett and Barry J. Greenwood. The book, published in 1984, is priced at $8.95 and has 259 pages. The reviewer expresses initial excitement based on the cover and preface, which promised revelations about government knowledge of UFOs and a "revealing use of documents released." However, the reviewer was ultimately disappointed, finding the book to be a "cut-and-paste job of intra-office, intra-agency memos" with "neither analysis of the information with regard to the authors' thesis nor conclusions drawn about what it all means."

The authors' thesis is that the government is hiding something from the public regarding UFOs. They obtained documents through the Freedom of Information Act of 1966 and the Privacy Act of 1974. The book contains chapters detailing UFO sightings via memoranda, foreign involvement, mysterious helicopters, and the involvement of the CIA, FBI, and NSA. Despite the authors' apparent urgency, the reviewer found himself asking, "So what?" after finishing the book.

The review acknowledges that the work shows some government officials lied about UFO information but criticizes the authors for not attempting to explain why or draw conclusions. The reviewer posits two reasons for the difficulties encountered in obtaining information: the bureaucratic phenomenon where "the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing," and a strong bias toward "self-serving intrainstitutionalism" or "covering your exterior."

The review references the 1967 Air Force commission of physicist Edward Condon and a team from the University of Colorado to study UFOs. This study resulted in a 1,465-page report that largely refuted UFO theories and effectively ended the government's involvement in UFO investigation, which was officially terminated with the disbanding of the Air Force's Project Blue Book in December 1969.

The reviewer argues that the authors of "Clear Intent" failed to recognize that in the face of an official policy of disinterest in UFOs, bureaucrats are unlikely to admit to anything they cannot explain. This silence, the reviewer concludes, does not necessarily imply sinister intent or hidden investigations but rather that the public is not being taken into the government's confidence.

The reviewer, David L. Lapham, Major USMC (Ret) from the University of Central Florida, concludes that "Clear Intent" is not a scientific study of UFOs or the government's investigation of them, but rather a poor attempt to defend a pre-established position. He recommends "The New York Times" over "Clear Intent."

Review of "The Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding the Federal Budget; Fiscal 1984 Edition"

This review, also by David L. Lapham, examines a publication from the Northeast-Midwest Institute, a nonprofit organization founded in 1977. The publication, "The Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding the Federal Budget; Fiscal 1984 Edition," is part of an annual series examining the federal budget. It is 31 pages long and costs $5.00.

The Guide summarizes the congressional budget process, including the roles of budget committees, the budget schedule, and timetables for fiscal years 1984 and 1985. It also explains the purposes of budget documents, defines terms used in the budget, lists functional categories, and includes a glossary of budget terms.

The reviewer notes that much of the information is available elsewhere, citing other publications like "The Congressional Budget Process: A General Explanation" and the GAO's "Glossary of Terms Used in the Federal Budget Process." However, the Guide is praised for being a useful quick reference source, especially when one does not want to sift through extensive documents. It is also described as the most readable of the mentioned publications, particularly its section on "How to read the budget."

The Guide emphasizes the importance of "budget authority" and "outlays" and explains how to interpret budget tables, including the significance of the middle column showing the current fiscal year's estimate. It also highlights the publishers' inclusion of an insert for the FY1985 budget, acknowledging that even this is out of date as of the review date (December 1984).

Overall, the Guide is deemed a helpful, though not essential, publication for a large library.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The "Reviews" section showcases a critical and analytical approach to published works. The reviews are thorough, providing summaries of content, authorial intent, and the reviewer's assessment of the work's strengths and weaknesses. There is a clear emphasis on the need for analysis, evidence, and logical conclusions, particularly in the review of "Clear Intent." The editorial stance appears to favor well-researched, objective, and analytical content, while being critical of works that rely on compilation without interpretation or that seem to promote pre-existing agendas without sufficient support. The inclusion of reviews on both UFO-related topics and government budget information suggests a broad interest in subjects concerning government operations, transparency, and public information.