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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsObama Promise To 'Protect Whistleblowers' Just Disappeared From Change.gov
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":
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.
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...
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130726/01200123954/obama-promise-to-protect-whistleblowers-just-disappeared-changegov.shtml
dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)BlueStreak
(8,377 posts)Last edited Fri Jul 26, 2013, 05:24 PM - Edit history (1)
The fact that this even needs to be said should tell everybody everything they need to know about the Security Industrial Complex in the USA today.
But we did torture Bradley Manning.
Actually they probably would have had better results if they would have told Putin, "Hell yes, we're going to torture him. And you are cordially invited to come over and join in that torture party as our honored guest."
The Straight Story
(48,121 posts)dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)and just call it retraining now.
chimpymustgo
(12,774 posts)Our government is frightening.
BlueStreak
(8,377 posts)Snowden's problem is that he hasn't taken enough personal, quiet time to really think about just how much he loves his country. Think 25 years will be enough time for that maturation process?
truedelphi
(32,324 posts)and for that separation to be strictly adhered to also has been thrown under the bus.
Summer of 2009: He repeatedly told the public that he could not use the Oval Office as a bully pulpit, citing the fact that according to his interpretation, it would be unseemly for him to ignore the separation of powers. As long as legislation had not been fully voted on by Congress, he could not, he claimed,asked Congress to include a public option inside the ACA.
Now over the last ten days, he has been telling Congress how to write legislation regarding the Patriot Act and Surveillance activities, and also how to vote on such acts.
SHAME!