I keep hearing that the company of mercenaries, Blackwater, wants to start doing private intelligence gathering for our federal government and I can't help but think that it's the worst idea ever to let private companies do all your intelligence gathering.
Just think about the shitty jobs the CIA, NSA, and FBI did in the run up to 9/11, do you really want more of our tax dollars going to a company run by right wing Republican Amway nutjobs? Imagine if you can that company A, let's call them Blackwater, and company B, let's call them Halliburton are locked into a fight to be allowed to gather intelligence for an administration like the current one we got. Now wouldn't it be in their interest to make shit up out of whole cloth just so they can be seen as real go getters who can produce actionable intelligence just so they can secure a contract and collect some of that government gravy money? Company A makes up something, Company B makes up something, and the real truth is nowhere to be found because the companies just make shit up to keep getting money.
And what if the intelligence put forth by the companies is wrong? What if we go to war based on some faulty intelligence they gather or make up? Who is liable? The current war of terror has shown that Blackwater is accountable to no one. They kill, torture, maim, and terrorize Iraqi's, Afghans, and people in this country whenever they feel like it and they are not accountable under our law or Iraqi and Afghani law.
Privatizing national intelligence is just another bad idea in a long line of bad privatizing ideas. We the people have suffered since Reagan/Bush/Clinton/Bush Jr. began privatizing essential governmental services. They just can't help themselves, when private companies take over enterprises that used to be run by the federal government they get greedy and they let their mania for profit degrade whatever they take over. When Reagan bitched and moaned and said that government wasn't the solution and that it in fact was the problem, what he meant was that his pals in big business wanted to make more money off the government and spending on social programs had to be curbed so that they could free up that money so that it could go into corporate pockets.
Privatizing intelligence gathering is about as smart as invading Iraq in retaliation for the 9/11 attacks. I for one don't want a government run by private companies, I want a govrenment that is run by the people for the people. I want my federal government to be run the way the founding fathers intended, with checks and balances and by the people, not corporate America. I know my idea is far fetched and in this day and age it may even be dangerous. Who knows, what with all the radical stuff I write on this blog I'm probably on the list of Americans they'll round up when they declare martial law.
11 comments:
I'm probably on that list too. These neocons scare the shit out of me.
The biggest problem is that the greed is endemic. Others would call it "growth". A publicly traded company constantly needs to show growth or it will wither up and die.
Now consider that the people who want to make government smaller want to turn its functions over to companies who have no choice but to get larger. And who foots that bill? We do. So while the amount of people on the government payroll may be smaller, my bill for the work gets much larger.
Over HALF the information in the president's daily briefing comes from private contractors. The new pentagon counterintelligence agency (appropriately named, eh?) outsources 70% of its employees.
Another argument for outsourcing is that it makes the companies more 'nimble' as in you can fire anyone that doesn't perform up to par. First of all, anyone that's worked in a large corporation knows there's a boatload of slag, and second these outsourced employees have not sworn an oath, have dubious background checks and could conceivably get a job for the sole purpose of finding out the porno habits of one Dr. Monkey von Monkerstein. Or worse, frame you as a terrorist and then go merrily on their way.
Better quit now, this comment is longer than most of my posts.
In sum: right on bro.
What Jess said.
See, here's where they're short-sighted: all of their "friends" have tax exemptions and all of their "enemies" pay taxes, so when they round us all up and throw us in the detention camps, there won't be anyone left to pay for the detention camps.
Speaking of camp, I'm smuggling in a deck of cards. You like to play poker, Monkey?
Privatizing national intelligence is just another bad idea in a long line of bad privatizing ideas. Yes it is a bad idea. And we need to make sure Obama gets it right. See his Intelligence advisor is John Brennan, formerly of the CIA. There are 2 problems with Brennan.
Brennan's company is responsible for the Presidential Candidate Passport Fiasco and Brennan takes exactly the same position as the Bush administration on FISA immunity for telcos.
We're going to have to keep Progressive pressure on any incoming administration.
Why do you want the turrists to win?
Oh, Dr. MVM. Such a "conspiracy theorist" you are.
Here's my tinfoil thong. I'll wear the hat this time.
Great post.
Just cuz you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not watching you.
I am on that list for sure and I am not amused.
If they round you up, Dr. Monkey, just let me know. I'll come in like Rambo, with guns blazing, and set your fuzzy butt free!
You were not dear friend until this post, now I am compelled to leak your name to higher authorities/i can promise that your death by overworking in the freedom work camps will be slow and grueling!
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