Let's say there's a corrupt government out there that checks all the typical boxes: accepting bribes, prosecuting innocent people, framing foreign countries for things so they have a reason to start a war, etc. Why is a government so secretive about it? Hypothetically speaking, let's say congress, the president, and all the supreme judges came forward today and admitted to taking money from corporations, rigging elections, imprisoning and torturing people, and staging 9/11 so they could go to war with Iraq. What am I, an average citizen, going to do about it? I can't complain to the police or try to get the government prosecuted because the police and courts are part of the government and would never convict themselves. The only thing I can think of is protest but what good does that really do? People are standing outside the white house in herds, protesting and sitting in the street, blocking traffic but that hasn't made Trump change any of his policies. In fact, most of those protesters have been arrested. Even if what they were protesting about wasn't illegal. In North Korea, it's no secret about how oppressive their government is but if anyone protests, they're murdered. So the people have barely, if any, power against the government.

So what I'm asking is why would a government go through all the effort to hide the truth from the public when there wouldn't be any consequence from letting the truth be revealed?

"and staging 9/11 so they could go to war with Iraq." This is not the place for Conspiracy Theory!

No self respecting corrupt individual or group does his dirt in the open. Corrupt does not mean dumb or stupid because there are consequences for such actions even in NJ. So your premise is inaccurate.

I know that the government doesn't do it out in the open. That's why I'm asking why they don't. If they got exposed, what would happen to them? If average citizens tried attacking the government for their misdeeds, they would no doubt be persecuted for treason or attacked by police/military. Countries like North Korea and the Soviet Union (at one point) don't sugar coat the fact that their government is authoritative and oppressive. In fact, they're proud of it. Kim Jong Un is even referred to as a "dictator" so it's no secret.

I understand criminals have to keep what they do a secret because they'll get arrested. But if the government commits crimes, how could they arrest themselves?

Now I don't really believe all that about 9/11 being staged. I'm just saying hypothetically, let's say George Bush came out and confessed or whatever. Sure, people would be outraged but other than that, how would it harm the government?