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Forum Post: Obama Threat to Whistleblower Protections Triggers Alarm in Congress

Posted 11 years ago on Jan. 24, 2013, 9:30 p.m. EST by john32 (-272) from Pittsburgh, PA
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

"When President Barack Obama signed the latest defense authorization bill (pdf), he added a signing statement that highlighted his objection to new protections for government whistleblowers that are included in the bill.

Obama said he opposed whistleblowers making non-secret disclosures to Congress, even though lawmakers protect such actions by federal employees.

The legislation provides landmark protections for those who reveal waste, fraud, and abuse by government contractors and grantees, according to Angela Canterbury at the Project on Government Oversight.

“Obama has thrown disclosures to Congress into question by claiming these new rights for whistleblowers ‘threaten to interfere with my constitutional duty to supervise the executive branch,’” Canterbury wrote. “This is especially disturbing given that Obama has long supported whistleblowers and has previously kept every promise to strengthen protections for them........."

continued:

http://www.allgov.com/news/top-stories/obama-threat-to-whistleblower-protections-triggers-alarm-in-congress-130124?news=846849

24 Comments

24 Comments


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[-] 3 points by quantumystic (1710) from Memphis, TN 11 years ago

“This is especially disturbing given that Obama has long supported whistleblowers and has previously kept every promise to strengthen protections for them........."--------------What a fucking load of bullshit. He has never supported whistleblowers (bradley manning shout out). Obama's speeches are progressive but that is it.

[-] 2 points by Middleaged (5140) 11 years ago

Ironic... Should be film by Guy Richie.

DOD No Fear Act Protects Whistleblowers.... Policy Program. If you are a Civilian, you are protected in DOD by the No Fear Act.

http://prhome.defense.gov/nofear/

http://www.asamra.army.mil/nofear.cfm May 6, 2011 ... Section 301 of the Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (the No Fear Act),

http://eeo.amedd.army.mil/training/NoFEARActWhistleblowerProtectionLaws.ppt No FEAR Act Training. US Army Medical Command. Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Prepared by: Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Programs. No FEAR Act

[-] 2 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

"...has supported whistle blowers..." ?

Has no one heard of Bradley Manning?

[-] 2 points by GirlFriday (17435) 11 years ago

I know, right?

[-] 1 points by Middleaged (5140) 11 years ago

Pardon, Bradley Manning has not had a Day In Court. Bradley Manning hasn't made a single statement to the Media. Bradley Manning has been Muzzled in accord with military protocol. The only people that have Blamed Bradley Manning are the US Army.

Could Bradley Manning be a Whistleblower? Who the hell knows. It would ruin his Case in Military Court. In the Army you break secrets, you go to jail. There is no Whistleblowing in the US Military... and certainly not in revealing secret data or info from classified information.

[-] 2 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

Bradley Manning is a real hero. He sacrificed himself to expose the truth.

What's being done to him is wrong. Torturous living conditions and still has not had his day in court.

[-] 2 points by Middleaged (5140) 11 years ago

Agree. He is a young man, a human, and he is caught up in the largest Totalitarian Organization imaginable.

[-] -1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

NOVA aired a drone propaganda piece on PBS last night. Scary shit. Presented somewhat sanitized ( somewhat - ha ) for public digestion/acceptance.

Down with the Drone wars people.

[-] 1 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

I saw a preview for it. Looked like propaganda. Did they even talk about the recent study done by Stanford and the NYU school of law? Or even mention civilian death tolls at all?

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[-] -2 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

They mentioned civilian death tolls as possibly 30% out of all of the drone actions. They did mention the un is looking into civilian deaths. They also showed a drone one step closer to independent operation ( independent ). They showed drone pilots and some of the training they go through - exercises carefully presented showing operation ( tracked killings ) "outside" of civilian population centers.

They did also say how in the past bombing incursions into a country would be an act of war - but that today these drone incursions are not treated in that manner. ( how did that get into the mix ? )

[-] 1 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

Independent as in "processing it's own decisions" ?

That breaks the 3 rules of robotics.

lol "bombs are not war" - anyone need a bigger sign of corruption?

[-] -2 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

Yep - that kind of independent. ( skynet independent - only each unit does it's own decision making - no central control )

[-] 1 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

predator drones that operate independently? or surveillance?

[-] -2 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

Fully armed drones - different then the predator series - but could be used there as well - for surveillance and attack - fly for days - some designed to fly weeks months possibly a year without landing.

They got little ones that can fly through open windows navigate their way around inside of buildings - find targets and explode.

[-] 1 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

holy shit.

literally trying to build skynet. Robots don't get tired. They don't feel pain. They don't have morals.

[-] -1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

I know - Right? Upgraded surveillance that can record weeks of real time video - resolution down to like 12" but full field of view like 15 square miles. Find a car on the image? no prob - now highlight that car and track it's movements for the last couple of weeks ( full motion replay ) or highlight a person - all while not losing any other activity in that 15 square mile area.

[-] 1 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

all this and climate change! Gah! One more year of drought and my state will seriously be fucked.

Now I gotta worry about drones tracking everything.

[-] -2 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

Think about the sweating non-cooperative world leaders must be doing.

CLOSE THAT WINDOW - DAMN IT ANYHOW - How is my secret underground transportation system coming along? - damn I am getting cabin fever - ya think I should cave on that resource access?

[-] 1 points by OTP (-203) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago
[-] 1 points by Middleaged (5140) 11 years ago

Wow, Conflict of Interest Judge, No Ethics these days in Courts or in Government. Everyone is in bed together with tight relationships.

Like Royalty marrying royalty. Judge is married to guy in STRATFOR Corporation. How does that happen? I guess the Judge was never a peace activist.

[-] 1 points by Builder (4202) 11 years ago

It works the other way round in the See Aye Eh.

If you know too much, they release your information, and send you to the cleaners.

[-] 1 points by Middleaged (5140) 11 years ago

Maybe. Might be different for Agents, Tech Support, Analysts, and plain old field assets. I always favored the accidental death idea or the sudden heart attack.

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[-] 1 points by freakyfriday (179) 11 years ago

Nothing new here. His ATF appointee (Jones) threatend the entire bureau about whistleblowing in the immediate aftermath of Fast and Furious going public. There is video of his whistleblower speech floating around on the web.

[-] 1 points by Renneye (3874) 11 years ago

Great exposure! Thanks john32!! He's got his second term now. I think we'll see the hammer coming down.