White House Strong Arms Government Employees - SPAMS Government Inboxes

[Patranus]

The White House Office of Health Reform Director Nancy-Ann DeParle has been feverishly sending out unsolicited email messages to federal employees in an effort to build support for President Barack Obama’s health reform package over the last several weeks.

DeParle’s unsolicited emails have been regularly coming to some federal employees’ official government email inboxes for weeks without permission or request, causing some federal employees to feel threatened by the overt political language.

The Department of State employees, who receive hundreds of official government emails every day, have complained about the annoying and partisan emails but are nervous to go public for fear of retribution. The emails are addressed to the federal employees by name and use the official .gov address.

The unsolicited emails also request that the federal employees take action in order to ensure that Obama’s health reform package is passed and the federal budget isn’t at risk for bankruptcy. One federal employee was so concerned about DeParle’s language in one email that he questioned whether his department’s budget would be cut or eliminated without passage of Obama’s bill. DeParle uses scare tactics that some assume are meant as threats:

“No ifs, ands or buts about it -- if we do nothing to reform our broken health care system, costs will continue to skyrocket and break the budgets of American families, small businesses and the Federal Government,” read the March 12th email from DeParle.

But should federal employees be subjected to partisan propaganda? What precedent does it send for the White House to use the federal work force for their partisan agenda? And shouldn’t we let State Department federal workers concentrate on pressing issues like the Israeli-Palestinian issue or the Iranian nuclear weapons issue? Why would Department of Transportation employees have to worry about forwarding The White House’s partisan emails to their address books?

Federal employees are public servants not partisan foot soldiers for President Obama and shouldn’t have to decide whether a partisan White House request can be ignored without consequences.

DeParle’s solicitation requests federal employees act on behalf of the President’s agenda by making this directive: “You can help raise awareness by sharing this email with your friends, family and online networks,” read the March 11th email from DeParle.

But what would happen if the federal employee doesn’t act in the way The White House is suggesting? Would there be retribution? Has The White House requested that another federal agency monitor who is acting on behalf of Obama’s health reform bill and who is not?

Turning the President’s partisan agenda into White House directives to the federal workforce has crossed the line and should be stopped immediately.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/03/19/opinion/main6313300.shtml

Hope and Change...Transparency!
(maybe if I repeat them enough they will become true)

 

[cubby1223]

Stop citing Faux News as your source!


...oh wait


anyways, all this health care "business" is just too bizarre for anyone to comprehend. Probably only gonna get worse from here

 

[Jhhnn]

“No ifs, ands or buts about it -- if we do nothing to reform our broken health care system, costs will continue to skyrocket and break the budgets of American families, small businesses and the Federal Government,” read the March 12th email from DeParle.

So, uhh, you're claiming that's not true, or what?

Or just spamming this and other forums as usual?

How would anybody know whether or not the federal employees in question actually did anything at all wrt the emails? And how can this possibly be deemed to be a "threat" by any other than the usual right wing fearmongering suspects?

OMG! It's all so scary! Healthcare! and Socialists! and Gay marriage! and emails and Big Brother! Big Brother! AAIIEEEE!!!

 

[marvdmartian]

Whoever is sending these e-mails is breaking the law, period. There's certain things you can and cannot do as a federal government employee, and one of them is campaigning on government time. Elected officials, of course, do not apply!

Not sure what agencies outside of DoD have, but in DoD it would simply take an anonymous report to the IG (inspector general) to put a kabosh on this.

 

[Craig234]

Next up: White House spams citizens of United States with unsolicited television speech!

 

[Moonbeam]

I think Patranus must hold the world's record for being butt raped by liberals. I guess that's what happens when you walk around necked of body and mind and also have a mile long ass.

 

[Lemon law]

Well said Moonbeam. Maybe its also time to point out the Patranus shows no guilt at spamming this forum with his unsolicited and poorly reasoned political opinions.

We have to think of health care as a cost the American people owe to the American people. All we are arguing about is who will bear the burden of that cost at a time when those costs are exponentially rising at unprecedented rates.

Therefore we have to compare our old system to a possibly reformed system, not on the basis that either system will be perfect and without problems, but rather on which system will better contain costs and be more fair.

There is always that desire to say, don't tax you and don't tax me, tax that man behind the tree. But going back to the fact health care is a cost the American people owe the American people, that man behind the tree is an American also. Sadly American private insurance companies have shown they are incapable of containing costs and have a disincentive to do so. In my humble opinion, for profit and health care are incomparable ideas, and its long past time to do what ever major industrialed nation has already done, namely get rid of those huge and unneeded rascals.

 

[her209]

Whoever is sending these e-mails is breaking the law, period. There's certain things you can and cannot do as a federal government employee, and one of them is campaigning on government time. Elected officials, of course, do not apply!

If its not breaking the law, it should be for the simple fact that its not work-related.

 

[Vette73]

I have worked at 2 different offices at State Dept and never got any e-mails like this.

Sounds like it is maybe a rouge emplyee doing it/forwarding it to people they know.

 

[XZeroII]

Not exactly surprising. The Obama admin promised change and we got it. Our gov't now uses it's own employees to push it's agenda.

Remember when Bush sent out an email to gov't employees saying that if they didn't support the war that Saddam would come to their houses and rape their spouses?

 

[Lemon law]

Maybe its time to end free franking privileges for all US legislative branch members, they get to advertise their agenda to all constituents while the tax payer gets raped along with the US postal service who delivers such messages for free.

But no, we can't discuss such issues rationally, as we are sold the message that Obama is the first and only administration that ever abused the privilege.

At the end of the day, its partly the job of any US President to advocate needed changes, but only the legislative branch can enact the laws to implement those changes into law, its part of the bully pulpit any President has, but no President can force the congress to follow their lead.

Somehow this thread confuses the President's right to advocate their own agenda, with dishonest debate.

Right now the GOP is the hands down winner of dishonest debate, they use any tactic to get their message out, and now they want to say Obama can't get his message out.

If you believe that bullshit, you will believe any bullshit.

Sadly US history is littered with Presidents who were right and had their agenda frustrated, and with US Presidents who were wrong in their agenda.

The latest total Jerk President was GWB&co, who got far too much of his agenda passed into law, we elected Obama to change things, and if we do not allow Obama to change things, we default to existing GWB&co policy. How crazy is that? And no, I don't miss GWB&co in any way. Who is crazy enough to wish that GWB&co policy ever returns? Well maybe a few, if you like economic meltdowns and happen to think Al-Quida should melt down the Us economy.

But we are in an odd election situation, for the last two election cycles, the GOP has been punished by the American voter for its stupidity, will the general election of 11/2010 see the GOP rewarded for advocating the same stupidity?

 

[dammitgibs]

6 months ago this would have boggled my mind, now I'm just like "meh"

 

[Danube]

Obama's governing "philosophy" is summed up as a bums rush. Jam as many things as you can and wear out the opposition (and CBO) out. Break 14 rules and maybe get called on 2 or 3 of them - which everyone forgets about when the next 14 rules get broken. Thuglife is just aiight.

 

[Danube]

6 months ago this would have boggled my mind, now I'm just like "meh"

That's their plan - just desensitize people to things. They intentionally act like the crazy wife who can't be reasoned with so people go and sit quiet in the corner like a whipped dad. Dont let the bastards grind you down.

 

[Lemon law]

That's their plan - just desensitize people to things. They intentionally act like the crazy wife who can't be reasoned with so people go and sit quiet in the corner like a whipped dad. Dont let the bastards grind you down.

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The question is and remains, who is the crazy fisherman's wife? I happen to think its the GOP and teabaggers who are grinding us down with proven failed policies.

 

[Zorba]

I don't get the outrage, even if true, every company I've ever worked for has sent out spam asking its employees to fight for the company's agenda. My current company has on many occasions asked us to send letters to congress for one reason or the other. My previous employer "strongly encouraged" us to go to a rally to show support for the Airbus tanker. If you don't like the spam from your employer, just make an auto delete rule in Outlook.

 

[Jhhnn]

Righties are addicted to outrage, Zorba. Without it, their minds would wander, probably engage in actual thought rather than knee-jerk emotionalism, and their leadership certainly doesn't want that...