Obama Promise To 'Protect Whistleblowers' Just Disappeared From Change.gov

The folks from the Sunlight Foundation have noticed that the Change.gov website, which was set up by the Obama transition team after the election in 2008 has suddenly been scrubbed of all of its original content. They noted that the front page had pointed to the White House website for a while, but you could still access a variety of old material and agendas. They were wondering why the administration would suddenly pull all that interesting archival information... and hit upon a clue. A little bit from the "ethics agenda": (another unfulfilled promise from candidate Obama)

Protect Whistleblowers: Often the best source of information about waste, fraud, and abuse in government is an existing government employee committed to public integrity and willing to speak out. Such acts of courage and patriotism, which can sometimes save lives and often save taxpayer dollars, should be encouraged rather than stifled. We need to empower federal employees as watchdogs of wrongdoing and partners in performance. Barack Obama will strengthen whistleblower laws to protect federal workers who expose waste, fraud, and abuse of authority in government. Obama will ensure that federal agencies expedite the process for reviewing whistleblower claims and whistleblowers have full access to courts and due process.

Yet we end up with the exact opposite, not really the change we were hoping for...

Yeah. That statement seems a bit embarrassing at the very same time Obama's administration is threatening trade sanctions against anyone who grants asylum to Ed Snowden. Also... at the same time that we get to see how whistleblower Bradley Manning's "full access to courts and due process" will turn out. So far, it's been anything but reasonable, considering that the UN has already condemned Manning's treatment as "cruel and inhuman." And people wonder why Snowden left the country...

Source: 

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130726/01200123954/obama-promise-to-protect-whistleblowers-just-disappeared-changegov.shtml

Working for the Public Sector is MUCH better than the Private Sector

This a wonderful view into a lifetime of working for the state, trying to serve our society, but finding that the nature of the state is waste and inefficiency. FedWorkerThrowaway is Reddit gold, after only 12 hours!

Government work is great from a benefits standpoint and job security aspect, but you'll soon realize that it becomes incredibly degrading for your personal life.

For one thing, government work is not meritocratic. You can work hard and do a good job, but Phil, who is currently sleeping at his desk, will get the next promotion because he was there longer than you. Oh, and the supervisor feels bad for him because he's got a wife and kids and needs to make ends meet.

Also, its degrading because of the 10/90 principle. 10% of the people do 90% of the work. Everyone else just gets in the way or works against you. But you can't fire them because of the ridiculous benefits they get (the same ones you got). Also... supervisors are afraid to shed workers, because it weakens their budgetary position next year... less workers mean less money coming into your division, which means less "work", which means less reason for your division to exist.

Think that's bad? Try ordering a component you need for a program. Try ordering a part that you could normally buy at Home Depot, but because some politicians want the Government to "play fair", you need to go to an approved vendor. Or, if its something there is no vendor for, you need to go out and have at least two different companies to bid on giving you that part. The process takes 5 months because the turnaround time on your paperwork to order something takes 2 weeks because the contract specialist you sent it to was an overworked 10%er, or a lazy piece of crap 90%er. Regardless, you filled out that form wrong anyway, try again.

Even when you do things right, the bidding process is horrific. Bids don't go to the best value, but are decided upon silly factors like these:

• Small business (<100 employees or something)
• Female owned business
• Minority owned business
• Veteran owned business
• Disabled owned business

Figures that the company who won the contract has a lousy track record, but its small one "owned" by a female minority veteran who was injured in combat. Oh, and how do they operate? You tell them what you want to order, they then buy it from home depot, upcharge it 80% for shipping and processing, and then sell it to you.

After awhile, you slowly realize that the entire system is a grind... it just exists to burn away as much of the taxpayer dollar. You try your best to do your job right and work hard. To be a good steward of the taxpayer's dollar. But the System has got you. After awhile, you get tired of being furloughed because some morons in the Capital can't figure out how to pass a budget. You're tired of hiring freezes which limit your mobility from department to department. You get sick of the fact that when promotions open up, they go to the 90%ers and "Phils" in the office before you. Even though you get accolades and "COINS" from your superiors acknowledging your work, you can't get any financial reward. So they give you time-off awards... which are pointless since your benefits already give you excellent vacation time.

You eventually give up. The idealism of working to better your country or your state by serving it as an employee turns into a depression-inducing commentary on the state of current affairs. Regardless if you start out as a Democrat or Republican, you slowly but sure just hate this bureaucratic mess. You begin writing your resume, updating it, and looking for new jobs. But the money and benefits you get are too good... you have a home. Kids. And a new job means moving, which no one wants to do.

So one boring day at work, after turning on your computer, you fall asleep at your desk, while the boss is showing around a new intern. He looks idealistic and happy to have a job, and wants to make a difference and do well. You give him one look, and then you close your eyes.

Who cares if you're sleeping, it's not like they're gonna fire you anyways.

Edit: wow, didn't expect this to get this big. Also, thank you for the gold... this is a throwaway, but it's cool to see what that is like. Also, I haven't even scratched the surface on the bullshit American taxpayer dollars was wasted on...

Reddit is awesome: http://www.reddit.com/r/changemyview/comments/1ik0kb/working_for_the_public_sector_is_much_better_than/cb59kkv

Boom! Democrat-run city of Detroit officially files for bankruptcy

One down, hundreds to go. Even better, it happened under the reign of the far Left, showing us that high government spending, regulation and taxation of an economy and workers only ends one way; bad. 

http://www.libertarianrepublican.net/2013/07/boom-democrat-run-city-of-detroit.html

Tapper interviews Spitzer in NYC comptroller race, quotes Libertarian candidate Kristin Davis at him

Jailing the competition seems to be too common a tactic for poiticians these days...

http://www.libertarianrepublican.net/2013/07/tapper-interviews-spitzer-in-nyc.html

Initial unemployment compensation claims return to lower level

It is hardly a sign of economic recovery, or improved employment rates, when we see charts that appear to show a decline in the unemployment rate. The numbers don't tell the full story. 

First, we know that more part-time jobs have replaced full-time jobs, a way for employers to cut costs as government regulations put pressure on firms. The Obama administration take credit for this creation of jobs, but burdensome regulations have created lower-paying jobs and underemployment, definitely not a net gain. 

Next, we consider that unemployment regulations make it more difficult to qualify for benefits, also not a positive shift. It also excludes the growing number of workers who's benefits have expired. These realities are definitely not positive gains in employment, but show the continue decline of the overall economy. 

http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/Psd8s-SNEfw/-Initial-unemployment-compensation-claim-returns-to-lower-level

Trayvon Movement Occupation of Florida Capitol

You had me at Florida...

The ignorance of the general public never ceases to amaze...

"Florida Governor Rick Scott was still nowhere to be seen Thursday as protesters angered by George Zimmerman's acquittal in the self-defense shooting of Trayvon Martin occupied his office in Tallahassee for the third day in a row. 

"The doors of the Capitol locked at 5 PM with around sixty protesters from the group Dream Defenders signing and chanting as CNN's cameras rolled. The group is demanding a special legislative session to consider a repeal of Stand Your Ground laws, an end to what they call racial profiling by the police and end to what they describe as criminalizing youth. 

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BigGovernment/~3/HnokMHkiq6o/story01.htm

The trouble with the protests is that they miss the mark entirely. They are protesting against a law that was entirely irrelevant in the Zimmerman trial. When Martin attacked Zimmerman and threatened his life, Zimmerman acted in basic self defense. Stand your ground law did not apply, because Martin was the aggressor. The only wounds he sustained was the fatal gunshot, while Martin delivered multiple injuries to Zimmerman. 

Given this reality, repealing stand your ground laws would have no effect on similar cases. The protestors are merely trying to politicize a tragedy for political gain. By focusing on issues of race, they are promoting racism where it was not an issue. This sort of willful ignorance plays on people's emotions and offers little in the way of reason. Ignoring the facts will not resolve perceived social problems. 

In 513 Days Between Trayvon Shooting and Zimmerman Verdict, 11,106 Blacks Murdered by other Blacks

To be exact, the shameful truth is that 93% of African-American murders are committed by other African-Americans. That is breathtakingly awful when you consider how incensed the African-American community is about the Trayvon tragedy, no matter what you believe about Zimmerman’s guilt.

And these racebaiting culture-hustling microphone-pimps only get riled up when a “White Hispanic” kills an African-American? It’s absolutely shameful.

To update, in the 513 days between Trayvon dying, and the Zimmerman verdict, 11,106 African Americans have been murdered by other African-Americans.

More: In 513 Days Between Trayvon Shooting and Zimmerman Verdict, 11,106 Blacks Murdered by OTHER BLACKS | Independent Journal Review

Economic and Civil Liberty in the 50 States

A comparison of economic and civil liberties across the 50 states by the Mercatus Center: http://freedominthe50states.org/overall

Bipartisan State

Lincoln: The Birth of Electronic Evesdropping

Think that PRISM and NSA/CIA/FBI/government spying on Americans and everyone else in the world is a recent development? Think again. President Obama seems to enjoy being compared to the "great emancipator," and there are more disturbing similarities between the two than left-statists would like to admit. 

In 1862, Lincoln authorized sweeping control over the American telegraph infrastructure for Edwin Stanton, his secretary of war. Telegraphs were re-routed through his office, and Stanton used his power to spy on Americans, arrest journalists, and even control what was or wasn't sent. It was a critical tool in wartime, but a massive invasion of privacy that surely angered citizens.

Mindich argues that despite the huge differences in scope and technology, the Lincoln-era example is a neat comparison to the current war on terror. For those that take issue with the current NSA procedures, he says, the only real solution is to end the war — that's the only way Stanton's grasp of the telegraphs was loosed. "As the war ended, the emergency measures were rolled back. Information — telegraph and otherwise — began to flow freely again." Until this war is over, Mindich cautions, invasive governmental overreaching is a fact of life; whether it's Western Union or Microsoft, Lincoln or Obama, that's how it's always been.

Via: theverge

See more at: http://www.darkgovernment.com/news/lincoln-the-birth-of-electronic-evesdropping/#sthash.XjHTvzKs.dpuf

Economics in One Lesson: The Shortest and Surest Way to Understand Basic Economics

If everyone took the time to learn about economics from a sociological perspective, society might achieve much more than ever before, in a voluntary manner. Unless, that is, people relegate social decision-making to a small group of sad sociopaths. That worked well for Germany, the USSR, Great Britain, and many other prior empires. Now its America's turn, I'm sure the central planners get it right this time... 

Those who fail to learn from the History Channel are doomed to watch it on repeats. 

Hazlitt's gift to us both clears any misconceptions about the science of economics and reinforces it with the moral arguments against violence and coercion by the state. Statists come in all flavor. We must each take up intellectual arms against tyranny to conquer the ruling ignorance that seeks to guide society, it would rather watch us stagnate and suffer. If you think you know anything about economics, let Henry school you. 

Reviews at:

Economics in One Lesson: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3028.Economics_in_One_Lesson

Also available for free courtesy the Mises Institute's publishing efforts to bring prosperity to society.

http://mises.org/document/6785/Economics-in-One-Lesson

Obamacare sports advertising plan sacked for a loss

As more supporters bail on the collapsing "Affordable" Healthcare Act, it is becoming more apparent that the legislation needs to be repealed. The public doesn't want it, and its only making healthcare more expensive. Rockwell's Law: Imagine that, a law that has the opposite effect of its stated intentions. That never happens...

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SayAnything/~3/k1MMb7vgAL0/

If You Like The Surveillance State, You’ll Love E-Verify

From massive NSA spying, to IRS targeting of the administration's political opponents, to collection and sharing of our health care information as part of Obamacare, it seems every day we learn of another assault on our privacy. Sadly, this week the Senate took another significant, if little-noticed, step toward creating an authoritarian surveillance state. Buried in the immigration bill is a national identification system called mandatory E-Verify.

I find it odd that left-statists protest voter registration but not this...

The Senate did not spend much time discussing E-Verify, and what little discussion took place was mostly bipartisan praise for its effectiveness as a tool for preventing illegal immigrants from obtaining employment. It is a tragedy that mandatory E-Verify is not receiving more attention, as it will impact nearly every American's privacy and liberty.

The mandatory E-Verify system requires Americans to carry a "tamper-proof" social security card. Before they can legally begin a job, American citizens will have to show the card to their prospective employer, who will then have to verify their identity and eligibility to hold a job in the US by running the information through the newly-created federal E-Verify database. The database will contain photographs taken from passport files and state driver's licenses. The law gives federal bureaucrats broad discretion in adding other "biometric" identifiers to the database. It also gives the bureaucracy broad authority to determine what features the "tamper proof" card should contain.

Hello, 1984, are you just visiting or here to stay?

More:

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Intelwar/~3/0SAw14IzXRg/if-you-like-the-surveillance-state-youll-love-e-verify_062013