FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Here we go again... Five Transportation Security Administration employees are now on "administrative leave" after a sensitive airport security manual was posted on the Internet.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/12/10/art.tsa.gi.jpg caption=""]
Here's some of what was revealed:
- Who is exempt from certain additional screening measures
- Examples of identification documents that screeners accept
- And details of the screening process and the limitations of x-ray machines.
This comes weeks after three Secret Service officers were put on leave while that agency investigates how it allowed those two morons to crash a White House State Dinner.
Government employees who are found compromising national security are placed on "administrative leave." Gee... give me some of that. They sit home and do nothing while they continue to collect their paychecks. That's some "punishment." We have 10-percent unemployment in this country - yet try firing a government employee for anything short of a felony conviction. Can't be done.
They're protected, they know it, and as a result sometimes they just don't try very hard. Look anywhere from your local city hall to Washington, DC: Government is rife with complacency, inefficiency, and in some cases - downright arrogance.
I bet some of the 16-million unemployed would jump at the chance to get one of those jobs and would approach it with a little more enthusiasm and professionalism.
Here’s my question to you: Are government workers at every level accountable enough?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Doug from Dallas writes:
No they're not, unless you count contempt as a virtue. They tend to treat the average American, their boss, as idiots and act like they can do no wrong – and if they do, it's no big deal. I guess that comes from knowing you can't be fired. There is no accountability so they just thumb their noses at us while we continue to pay them.
Chip from Celina, Ohio writes:
Jack, The saying, "Close enough for government work", exists for a reason. You've hit the nail on the head. You're right on the money as far as firing someone too. Not all employees are lazy and inefficient, but a large enough percentage are… My dad worked in the government and was trying to fire someone he supervised. After about a year of paperwork and trying to build a "federal" case, he just decided it would be easier to let it go three more years until the guy retired. Sad.
Paul writes:
My father worked for the government for 35 years. He and his colleagues were competent, dedicated and enterprising. Jack, think how you worded your careless statement about government workers, full of generalities and attacks.
Bill from Atlanta writes:
As we head more and more toward socialism, just keep in mind what great service you currently receive from all of the government institutions and programs and think how wonderful it will be when the government gets more involved in your life.
Marber writes:
As one who worked for government for 25+ years and saw the incompetence and lack of work ethic in too many of the employees who I worked along side of, I can attest to the fact that they are overprotected from discipline and firing. They have more job protection that do union members.
Dave writes:
Jack, Your TSA story illustrates exactly why we do not need a government run health care system. It would just be filled with more unaccountable bureaucrats!