give public comment on government outsourcing like Blackwater mercenaries:

[yurbud]

CREDO action just sent me this email with a link to post a comment to the government agency formulating a policy letter on outsourcing:

We have an opportunity to change direction. The Obama administration is seeking public comments on the definition of "inherently governmental" functions, which sets the parameters government-wide for what can and cannot be outsourced.

http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=5569&id=9355-1017950-037iLsx&t=5">The comment period ends on Tuesday. So click here to submit a public comment to the Office of Federal Procurement Policy about "inherently governmental" functions today.

http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=5569&id=9355-1017950-037iLsx&t=5">It's vital that we speak out to make sure the federal government steps back from the Bush-era practice of dismantling our government and giving free rein to Blackwater and companies like it.

The role of Blackwater in Iraq and Afghanistan offers a clear picture of the rot that infects our government when we outsource important functions to private entities that only care about their own bottom lines.

http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=5569&id=9355-1017950-037iLsx&t=5">LINK TO SEND LETTER

My comment:

Because the contracting process has an inherently corrupting influence with contractors offering jobs to bureaucrats and campaign donations and later jobs to elected officials, the default should be to avoid outsourcing whenever possible.

This is especially true in military and intelligence matters where private armies and intel agents are aligned with one political party here rather than serving the country as a whole, or worse to protecting the financial interests of the wealthy few rather than the broad middle and working class.

The transfer of public money to private contractors also reduces accountability since the elected officials who helped them get the contract inevitably run interference for them.

This is most obvious in the case of security contractors in Iraq and elsewhere whose reckless use of violence without accountability has aggravated tensions in countries we are occupying and therefore made attacks on our troops more likely.

Other services necessary for survival and the functioning of our democracy should remain firmly in public hands, to prevent extortionate pricing for services as has happened in other countries when water is privatized and here in California with deregulated electricity. This is even more true with public education where vendors will be tempted to provide less product for the same money, skim profits rather than pay teachers fairly, and use partisan curriculum so future generations won't even have a common history or base of scientific knowledge to refer to.

Far from expanding outsourcing, our government should be reducing it to a minimum of food, durable goods, and software it would be cumbersome for the government to produce itself.

It is becoming increasing clear to the public that outsourcing and privatization of government functions is corruption.

[yurbud]

1. if you send a comment, post it here to keep the thread up.

[Mojeoux]

2. No More Blackwarter, No More Xe, No More Halliburton!

Privatization is flawed. Adverse incentive is built in.