S[pace]uspendables[X]
Guest Post from @RShillingburg1 on X
This week’s post is from @RShillingburg1. He originally shared it on X a few days ago and it is reposted here with his permission. He certainly has a heart for America and for whistleblowers trying to right the wrongs of the increasingly anti-American government. I found his post heartfelt, thorough, and important. He also came with plenty of reciepts that are inserted throughout. Please give it a read!
Millions of Americans witnessed an amazing engineering and technology breakthrough over the weekend. Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched a rocket into space on Sunday, October 13. As Americans, we’ve seen dozens if not hundreds of rockets thrusted into space during our lifetimes, but this one was unique. Instead of watching a massive, very costly booster rocket fall into the ocean after it completed its mission, as we have witnessed so many times before, we saw the booster drop at incredible speeds before slowing down, nearly stopping, and then being retrieved from the air by gigantic steel arms. This was a remarkable engineering landmark designed to allow Space X to recycle a mammoth rocket booster. This technological advancement will save millions of dollars and months of production time typically required to manufacture a new booster. Over time, this innovation could save billions in future launches.
This is how Musk thinks and why he is now dominating our nation’s space program. Space X has become what Boeing and NASA used to be, thanks to the genius of Musk and the engineers he’s hired. The same federal government that regularly loses billions of our tax dollars to waste or outright fraud and routinely spends $14,000 for toilet seats or $500 for hammers could use Musk’s innovation and leadership. Former President Trump has asked Musk to lead an effort to improve government efficiency and to cut waste from our federal government. Musk has agreed. https://theverge.com/2024/9/6/24237429/donald-trump-elon-musk-government-efficiency-commission…
https://nytimes.com/2018/12/19/opinion/pentagon-budget-military-spending-waste.html…
Musk doesn’t simply ask “Why?” He asks, “Why not?” and then pushes the boundaries of technology and science to produce quantum leaps that advance mankind. We need this type of innovation in our federal government. Just because something has been done the same way for years doesn’t mean it has to be done the same way now. Technology has advanced; our government in many ways has not. Let’s be honest. Musk is “cutting edge space science,” but our federal government is more like “horse and buggy” when it comes to innovation.
As just one example of government inefficiency, did you know it can require up to six months to receive your first full pension check if you retire from the federal government? I didn’t know this until recently, when a federal retiree commented she was told this by a human resources representative so that she could prepare for the worst possible financial scenario after retirement. https://fedsmith.com/2022/05/31/fers-retirement-timeline-what-to-expect-from-opm/…
Would any private sector employer or employee believe this timeframe to produce an accurate retirement check is reasonable or acceptable? You work 30 or 40 years for an employer and then have to wait months to receive the full pension check you’re entitled to after government service? https://opm.gov/retirement-center/retirement-quick-guide/opm-retirement-quick-guide.pdf…
For too long, government has had no incentive to be efficient or even effective. It is a monopoly. The solution has been to grow government to overcome its inherent inefficiency and complacency, which means more of our tax dollars being spent on an expanding bureaucracy that wastes even more of our taxpayer dollars. Effective, efficient leadership typically also results in ethical leadership. Without the first two attributes, the latter one is typically also absent. After all, if an organization isn’t run well, problems and terrible managers can often get away with nearly anything. We all know that nepotism and incompetency are rampant in our federal government.
Let’s take a look at just two federal agencies, the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI, as examples of these massive government bureaucracies. No American should fear reprisal for their religious beliefs, political views or for caring about or advocating for his or her children's education, but that’s exactly what has occurred in recent years under the leadership of Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray. https://catholicnewsagency.com/news/252380/fbi-raids-home-of-pro-life-leader-on-questionable-charges…
https://washingtontimes.com/news/2022/may/12/whistleblowers-fbi-probed-parents-under-counterter/…
How can a justice department make prosecutorial judgments based on familiar relationships or political views? It shouldn’t. But that’s exactly what has occurred with our Department of Justice under AG Garland. https://cbsnews.com/news/hunter-biden-irs-whistleblowers-joseph-ziegler-gary-shapley/… https://foxnews.com/politics/former-fbi-assistant-director-sees-glaring-disparity-doj-kid-gloves-treatment-biden…
In short, the full prosecutorial strength of the DOJ and the investigative assets of the FBI came down like a 500-pound gorilla on people with certain political views over the past four years, but provided little more than lip service and a tap (often not even really a slap) on the wrists to many with other political views.
Every American should be able to agree that: -This should never occur. -Justice should be blind. -The scales of justice should never be tilted in America no matter what one’s family connections, political or religious affiliations might be. But the problems run a lot deeper than just politicization. Whistleblowers raising legitimate concerns have been routinely retaliated against. Sadly, there are few protections for employees working within the FBI and the DOJ.
Here’s what one judge had to say about the current system of protections (or lack thereof) for FBI employees who blow the whistle on wrongdoing and waste: “. . .FBI agency is both defendant and judge of the employee’s whistleblower claim of unfair treatment. Some observers might argue that, even if well intentioned in order to limit public disclosure of FBI methods, such a system is an offense to basic principles of due process and governmental authority toward people whose only sin may be that they have chosen to work for the Government.” https://fedcircuitblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Parkinson-15-3066.Opinion.10-24-2017.1-1.pdf…
To address the lack of protection for employees who raise concerns, four major, well-respected national organizations have proposed legislative “fixes.” https://empowr.us/whistleblower-advocates-urge-passage-of-legislation-to-protect-fbi-whistleblowers/…
These common sense measures would help to protect liberal-leaning whistleblowers from conservative-leaning leaders, and conservative employees from liberal-leaning leadership. It would protect all FBI employees from terrible, vindictive leaders. Protecting employees who make disclosures should be a bi-partisan issue. Because of a legislative "carve out," the FBI operates far outside of the basic protections guaranteed to nearly every other employee of the federal government.
In most cases, the FBI or the DOJ investigates itself or investigates each other’s agency. The FBI is an agency operating under the umbrella of the DOJ, which means that the Attorney General is ultimately in charge of both the DOJ and the FBI. Common sense and work experience tell us that efficiency in any organization, private or public, begins with collaborative leadership that welcomes a variety of viewpoints. Efficient, effective leadership certainly go hand in hand with ethical leadership.
Quality decisions are made in well-run organizations inside and outside of government only after all aspects of a decision are considered. Pre-decision meetings include managers and subject matter experts in discussions. This style of leadership doesn’t intimidate employees into supporting “group think.” Rather, quality, effective leadership demands that employees feel empowered to raise concerns and to share their opinions respectfully without repercussions or reprisals.
Apparently, this is not occurring in agencies of the federal government. Inefficiency and even misconduct are seemingly condoned and even rewarded. “Group think” is the only way employees are apparently even allowed to think in at least a few federal government agencies. Don’t believe this is occurring? Here are just a few examples. An employee who raised concerns about ethics at the FBI was suspended without pay for 27 months with no evidence whatsoever of doing anything wrong. https://sharylattkisson.com/2023/11/read-watchdog-files-appeal-for-reinstatement-of-fbi-whistleblower-marcus-allen/…
https://empowr.us/fbi-whistleblowers-security-clearance-reinstated-in-full/…
But this employee is one of several similarly-treated employees who were suspended without pay. What occurred to FBI employees like Marcus Allen, and Garret O’Boyle, (and Steve Friend among others) is clearly unethical. These were not low-performing employees for the FBI. One was literally selected as Employee of the Year at his office, and the others have received various accolades for their hard work, dedication and service during their careers. To date, though, no one at the FBI has apparently been held accountable for their retaliatory actions against these employees. In fact, one of the key managers involved in the blatant retaliation against whistleblowers was promoted to lead the Miami field office. https://aclj.org/government-corruption/acljs-appeal-of-fbi-special-agent-garret-oboyle-to-proceed-to-the-merits… https://justthenews.com/accountability/whistleblowers/monagent-investigating-trump-assassination-attempt-center-fbi…
Even the Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, found that the FBI was not following the letter or intent of whistleblower protection laws and regulations, wasn’t providing employees with timely due process appeal rights (or any appeal rights at all), and was seemingly doing everything possible to destroy employees’ lives and livelihoods for raising concerns. Despite these findings that were a scathing indictment of processes and ethics within the FBI’s Security Division, nothing has likely changed at the Bureau, and FBI agent Garret O'Boyle has been suspended without pay for over two years now. https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/24-067.pdf… https://aclj.org/government-corruption/aclj-wins-victory-for-whistleblower-marcus-allen-fbi-reinstates-his-security-clearance-in-full…
The problems within the FBI run much deeper than just retaliation, though. From inappropriate relationships to sexual misconduct, favoritism and a division of the FBI allegedly being run like an Assistant Director's own “personal fiefdom," the mounting evidence of potential misconduct points to an environment within the FBI that has devolved. https://empowr.us/whistleblowers-cjis-run-like-a-personal-fiefdom-for-assistant-director/…
https://newsweek.com/fbi-compared-sodom-gomorrah-louie-gohmert-house-bill-debate-1747726…
Employees have reportedly filed numerous complaints against FBI leaders for misconduct, but these issues are apparently rarely if ever thoroughly investigated. The DOJ and the FBI appear to be more intent on covering up internal wrongdoing than investigating it. Employees are often allowed to retire or resign in order to avoid thorough investigations or repercussions for alleged wrongdoing. https://headlineusa.com/9-months-after-headline-usa-investigation-senator-finally-questions-departure-of-fbis-3rd-in-charge/…
As yet another example, an award-winning, long-time manager who reported a potential waste of millions of taxpayer dollars, an alleged misuse of a Congressional appropriation and changes purportedly endangering the American public was retaliated against by the FBI. Were her allegations correct? The FBI later essentially admitted that its original decision to move the work was wrong by citing the exact same reasons pointed out by the whistleblower in her original complaint when informing FBI employees that it was moving the work back. Despite this, she was retaliated against by the FBI. https://empowr.us/fbi-retaliation-against-employee-highlighted-in-new-filing-by-empower-oversight-to-opr-ig/…
If an experienced and very knowledgeable employee approached Elon Musk and informed him that a decision made by management working under him would waste millions, endanger Americans and broke laws, do you think he would listen and investigate thoroughly? If his trusted and experienced engineers raised concerns about processes, would he welcome their input? Of course he would. Ill-informed decisions could waste Musk’s and his investors’ money, put Americans in danger and literally end his businesses.
But there’s more – a lot more to learn. The FBI apparently believes it does not need to follow laws pertaining to spying on American citizens. The FBI clearly misused the narrow privileges granted to this agency under Section 702, infringing on the privacy rights of Americans on not just a few occasions, but thousands. https://nytimes.com/2023/05/19/us/politics/fbi-violated-surveillance-program-rules.html…
This vast number of instances of breaking the law isn’t because of simple, honest mistakes or a couple of employees not following the rules. The overwhelming number of Section 702 violations points to a clear pattern of misconduct. Again, no one has apparently been held accountable. No one has apparently been charged for any crimes. If anything, based on previous Bureau actions to address misconduct, it’s more likely that those who broke laws have been promoted.
If you talk to recent FBI retirees, as I have over the past several years, you will learn quite a bit. You will hear similar statements as these: “This is not the same FBI I joined years ago.” “The worst leaders are routinely promoted over more qualified, more experienced and even better managers.” “It’s not what you know or how well you do it that determines your career trajectory at the FBI. It’s who you know and how well you know them.” “I raised concerns about a misuse of funds, and I was immediately moved from my position.” “After leaving, it took me weeks to recover from the constant stress and abuse at the FBI.”
Again, these are just two federal agencies that need immediate attention. If you take the time to research or to communicate with employees or retirees from the IRS, the Securities and Exchange Commission, Secret Service, Homeland Security and other federal agencies, you will learn about additional but analogous issues of inefficiency and unethical behavior being condoned and even rewarded.
Clearly, our federal government is not being managed efficiently, effectively and in many instances, ethically.
https://empowr.us/sec-foia-update-communications-about-empower-oversights-ig-referral-2/…
Our federal government has become too big, too powerful and too corrupt to serve the American people well in its current configuration. Our federal government spends money like the proverbial drunken sailor because more taxpayer dollars will be appropriated by Congress as our government grows ever larger with each passing year.
Money must be expended from each annual budget so even more can be secured the next year in a series of last-minute continuing resolutions, not well-planned budgets. The Attorney General in the next administration should focus on instilling ethics back into the DOJ, the FBI and our entire federal government. A new Attorney General should make it perfectly clear on day one of a new administration that bad behavior, whether it’s politicization, retaliation, intimidation, a waste of resources, law-breaking or sexual misconduct, will no longer be tolerated and will be thoroughly investigated throughout the DOJ, the FBI and our entire federal government.
Will this needed change occur or will our government grow even more wasteful, corrupt and inept after the inauguration in January? I strongly believe that the leadership of “outsiders” in our federal government -- such as Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Nicole Shanahan and Tulsi Gabbard -- is the only way we can make our federal government operate more efficiently. For too long, insiders – those beholding to a government paycheck their entire lives – have led our nation in key positions. For too long, these leaders have enriched themselves instead of working every day to make their constituents more affluent and safer.
The number of millionaires working in government, either as elected officials or as high-level bureaucrats accumulating vast riches through their “public service,” is a strong indication for whom they really serve. If you’re a student of history as I am, you know that our nation’s Founders never envisioned public service as an elected official becoming a lifetime appointment. They believed in dedicated citizens and community leaders serving their states and nation, then returning home to their lives outside of government. And our Founders never envisioned our federal government as big, inefficient or inept as it is today.
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Hard hitting and much needed exposure to the truth. Please keep it coming and share far and wide. Thank you and God bless.
What’s happening to former FBI Special Agents like the Suspendables and people who simply pray at abortion clinics going yo prison is a disgrace and immoral. It’s just WRONG! But the Leftists think we are the “far right radicals” for believing abortion or telling the truth is wrong. 😕