The Inspector General is supposed to be a watchdog, pure and simple. Their role is watch and inspect what is going on, and if they see anything questionable, start barking like crazy. They are there to ensure that the tax payers money is being spent the way it is supposed to be spent. In essence, they are there to keep the tax payer from getting robbed.
But it looks like there's a new trend to muzzle the old watchdog. And if they somehow get the muzzle off and manage to bark out a warning, then they're going to get put down.
The most recent watchdog to get put down is Inspector General Fred Weiderhold of Amtrack. To be clear, he was not fired for what he said, he was "retired". Amtrack is our government run train system that is heavily subsidized by government funds. It was IG Weiderhold's job to ensure that our money was spent wisely. And bark loud and long if it wasn't. But he had been pretty effectively muzzled. He was forbidden by the Amtrack leaders from communicating with Congress without their approval, and any written communication had to go through them. Um, OK. So the people robbing us blind demand the right to edit the documents that tell Congress that they're robbing us blind. That's a great way to ensure that things are working effectively. And keep in mind, Amtrack got $1.3 billion in stimulus money. The office of the inspector General got money in that stimulus package as well. On paper. The leadership of Amtrack actually appropriated the money for the IG. Weiderhold did manage to get the muzzle off long enough to get somebody's attention, and now he no longer has a job.
But Wiederhold was not the first, and he won't be the last. There was also Gerald Walpin, Inspector General of AmeriCorps. And why was Walpin fired? Because the powers that be didn't like his investigation into the misappropriations of AmericCorps funds. They fired him for doing his job. This is not an enviable job to have. The Inspectors General are whistle blowers as their main job function. They are there to protect us against waste in our government, but how can they protect us when the government retains the right to fire them. And how can our government work if the people designated to speak out are silenced.
Then there is EPA employee Alan Carlin who did his job but his conclusions weren't what the administration wanted to hear. As a result his report that CO2 emissions are not impacting climate change, and that the climate may not, in fact, be getting warmer, was suppressed and he was instructed to work on something else. The memo to him actually said that his report did not support their policy or legal stance. OK, silly me. I thought the EPA was there to report the conclusions dictated by the data, not by the President. To be fair, Carlin is still employed. For now. But he has been speaking out. He has slipped his muzzle and is sharing the findings of his report.
We need our watchdogs unmuzzled. The average American doesn't have access to the files of all of the government organizations so we have these watchdogs in place. How can we have any faith at all that our government is acting in our best interests when our watchdogs fear getting kicked if they bark. Our once vicious watchdogs protecting our interests will lay down and whimper as the thieves rob us blind.
The big question is whether or not we're going to let this happen, or if the American people have become a bunch of whimpering lap dogs as well.
But it looks like there's a new trend to muzzle the old watchdog. And if they somehow get the muzzle off and manage to bark out a warning, then they're going to get put down.
The most recent watchdog to get put down is Inspector General Fred Weiderhold of Amtrack. To be clear, he was not fired for what he said, he was "retired". Amtrack is our government run train system that is heavily subsidized by government funds. It was IG Weiderhold's job to ensure that our money was spent wisely. And bark loud and long if it wasn't. But he had been pretty effectively muzzled. He was forbidden by the Amtrack leaders from communicating with Congress without their approval, and any written communication had to go through them. Um, OK. So the people robbing us blind demand the right to edit the documents that tell Congress that they're robbing us blind. That's a great way to ensure that things are working effectively. And keep in mind, Amtrack got $1.3 billion in stimulus money. The office of the inspector General got money in that stimulus package as well. On paper. The leadership of Amtrack actually appropriated the money for the IG. Weiderhold did manage to get the muzzle off long enough to get somebody's attention, and now he no longer has a job.
But Wiederhold was not the first, and he won't be the last. There was also Gerald Walpin, Inspector General of AmeriCorps. And why was Walpin fired? Because the powers that be didn't like his investigation into the misappropriations of AmericCorps funds. They fired him for doing his job. This is not an enviable job to have. The Inspectors General are whistle blowers as their main job function. They are there to protect us against waste in our government, but how can they protect us when the government retains the right to fire them. And how can our government work if the people designated to speak out are silenced.
Then there is EPA employee Alan Carlin who did his job but his conclusions weren't what the administration wanted to hear. As a result his report that CO2 emissions are not impacting climate change, and that the climate may not, in fact, be getting warmer, was suppressed and he was instructed to work on something else. The memo to him actually said that his report did not support their policy or legal stance. OK, silly me. I thought the EPA was there to report the conclusions dictated by the data, not by the President. To be fair, Carlin is still employed. For now. But he has been speaking out. He has slipped his muzzle and is sharing the findings of his report.
We need our watchdogs unmuzzled. The average American doesn't have access to the files of all of the government organizations so we have these watchdogs in place. How can we have any faith at all that our government is acting in our best interests when our watchdogs fear getting kicked if they bark. Our once vicious watchdogs protecting our interests will lay down and whimper as the thieves rob us blind.
The big question is whether or not we're going to let this happen, or if the American people have become a bunch of whimpering lap dogs as well.
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