Accountability And Transparency, Anyone?

Tonight I'll be on a panel for the "Government Accountability and Transparency Forum" at Northeastern, hosted by the Progressive Student Alliance. (Don't worry, there will also be wiser panelists: Avi Green, Pam Wilmot, and Walter Robinson.)

It's a topic we hear an awful lot about these days. But I'm not sure, as I think about it, that we all really know what exactly we're talking about. What is it we want, and why? And how do we achieve it?

I think the title they've chosen is quite wise in itself: distinguishing accountability from transparency. But are those ends in themselves, or methods for achieving the goal of good government? 

I'd be interested in your thoughts on the subject. Anyone?