David Horsey: Right wing disdain of federal employees goes Neanderthal

[n2doc]

A caustic crusade of right wing bloggers is stalling legislation that would allow an American flag to be draped on the coffins of federal employees killed while performing their duties.

Latching on to the American Legion’s erroneous interpretation of the bill, the bloggers have been ranting against full military honors being given to pencil-pushing bureaucrats who drop dead in their office cubicles. In fact, the only benefit being considered is a single $60 flag. And the recipient must be killed, not merely deceased.

The outcry derives from a skewed belief that only members of the armed forces risk their lives and die for their country. In this view, FBI, CIA, ATF and Secret Service agents do not count. Nor do park rangers, federal marshals or members of our diplomatic corps.

Personally, I think if an EPA inspector or an IRS auditor is murdered while trying to make some polluter clean up a toxic mess or a tax cheat follow the law, he deserves to have Old Glory handed to his grieving family.

Many soldiers die defending the U.S. Constitution. In more rare instances, so do other government employees. They have earned our solemn gratitude, not knee-jerk vilification from Neanderthals.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/davidhorsey/2011/09/15/right-wing-disdain-of-federal-employees-goes-neanderthal/

[FSogol]

1. File under: Just when you think the Repubs can't get any more despicable...

:puke:

[Octafish]

4. +1

Inhumane, cruel and despicable is just the tip of their GOPinheads.

[SharonAnn]

2. What I don't understand is, why they want government jobs for themselves?

Around here, the strongest right-wing, religious-right, most conservative, war-mongering, anti-union, anti-government either hold government jobs or are trying to get one. It's well-known that to get a county or state job around here requires strong, conservative, GOP part connections.

What gives with this?

[n2doc]

3. That's where the money is

There aren't any other jobs. So they know enough to want those jobs, but fuck anyone else once they get one. They got theirs.

[GoCubsGo]

5. That's how it is around here, too.

I know many who have them. That includes people with federal jobs. (The DOE and its contractors are the biggest employer in my area. The federal government is South Carolina's biggest employer.) I don't get it, either. How they hell can they support a party that wants to kill their livelihood? They all seem to have this "My shit don't stink" mentality, and I guess that's what keeps them going.

[tsuki]

6. Because. according to a study done by UWFl

The University of West Florida Haas Center for Business Research released a
Florida Defense Industry Economic Impact Analysis in January 2008 and provided these statistics.

*

About 35% of Northwest Florida regional output is driven by defense spending; 18% for NE Florida, 5% for Central Florida, and 3% for South Florida.
*

Average earnings per military job in Florida are at 175% of average earnings across all Florida jobs.
*

In 2005, average military earnings per job were $68,540 compared to an average of $39,990 for all Florida jobs.
*

In Okaloosa County defense-related spending accounts for 73% of economic activity.

http://www.florida-edc.org/Military.htm