I've been running across information that frankly scares the hell out of me lately. A lot of it is older news but I'm playing catch-up with politics right now. So what do you guys think of this: The Koch brothers want to get rid of the CIA, something that, as an activist, I would ordinarily be in favor of. But of course it got me thinking, why would the ultra-rich right-wingers want to dismantle the agencies that have served corporate interests so well? I'm thinking that despite all the work the CIA and similar agencies have done making the world safe for corporate domination, it's still not enough for the likes of the Koch Brothers. These guys want total control and total opaqueness. They want to finish off the privatization of what is called intelligence and what also encompasses shadowy violence and terror. No doubt many people join agencies like the CIA out of nationalism, the desire to defend a specific society. The wealthy of the world have for decades manipulated the people controlling and working for those organizations to kill activists and create a world friendly only to corporate interests. Increasingly these corporations control private armies of agents and paramilitaries, and they are now ready to finish off the last vestiges of power that could rival their own. Once intelligence agencies controlled by governments are gone there will be no more loyalty owed to populations. All agents will be employees beholden to their employers. This will decrease the whistle-blower threat. There will also be no more threat of being outed by government controlled agencies. As it stands now, a FOIA document or leak might reveal, not just a government agency's actions, but the actions of those it gathers intelligence on. Through intelligence agencies it is possible for private misdeeds to become public knowledge. With over %70 of intelligence work now privatized this becomes much less likely. When all intelligence agents work for the corporations we will almost never know what the corporations are doing. So as much as I loathe these agencies, we must fight to reverse this privatization. What little hope we have of remaining citizens of nations and not merely disposable employees of international corporations depends upon it. Agree? Disagree? Or are my fears of a world full of private armies and private intelligence agencies overblown?
Reference: On May 14, at an industry conference in Colorado sponsored by the Defense Intelligence Agency, the U.S. government revealed for the first time how much of its classified intelligence budget is spent on private contracts: a whopping 70 percent. http://www.salon.com/2007/06/01/intel_contractors/ The Washington Post also has an article: * Some 1,271 government organizations and 1,931 private companies work on programs related to counterterrorism, homeland security and intelligence in about 10,000 locations across the United States. http://projects.washingtonpost.com/...ticles/a-hidden-world-growing-beyond-control/
Well David Koch did. It seems he used to be a Libertarian, although now he's claiming to be Republican, so who knows what he'll say about it now. He does seem fine with Americans continuing to pay taxes to keep our military huge, he just doesn't want us paying for pesky things like education or healthcare. He doesn't care if you're gay, though. Isn't that progressive of him? Just don't ever bother him by being poor and sickly. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80483.html
Excuse me, your reference is an article from Salon, that is over 6 years old? Sorry, but that entire article is nothing but coprolite, pure and simple. And yes, I read through it. "Computer Sciences Corporation" does not do spying, it runs computer networks and provides services for them. I have friends that work for that company, and have worked for them myself in the past. They run the infrastructure that keeps computer systems operating, nothing more. And yea, a lot of the staff of every Government department is contractors, is this surprising? Or do you think all of the custodial staff, security, maintenance, food services, and every other department that keeps them running should be Government Employees? Please come back when you have some "proof" other then a 6 year old article by a hack pushing a new book who is obsessed with the "Military Industrial Complex".
It is old, I'm playing catchup. However, you ignored the Washington Post article. And while I don't think the cafeteria workers necessarily need to be government employees (although I'm fine if they are) those who manage the databases certainly better be. As should all operatives and those who manage the operatives, especially those working within the US, otherwise there is even less transparency than if they were government employees.
OK that has nothing to do with Koch trying to get rid of the CIA. Could you document that, or at the very least, explain in a logical way how he would do that?
*smacks forehead with palm of hand* Do you even know what "managing databases" is? How familiar are you with SQL? How familiar are you with SQL servers (or any servers for that matter)? Please return when you actually know what that means.
The Libertarian Party platform is online with their details of how they want to privatize everything except possibly the military. And many Libertarians wish to privatize even law enforcement. I've returned, I know what it means. It means a serious security issue when private companies take over because part of database management is security. Hm, on second thought, we need more leaks since our government doesn't tell us what they're really up to. I changed my mind, privatize the hell out of it. Then I hope it all gets the hell hacked out of it.
In other words, you have absolutely no idea what it means. Sure, you try to sound like you do, but in reality you do not have a clue what it means, or what is involved. So please return when you know what SQL and databases are. I doubt you know the difference between Structured Query Language and a Structured Settlement. But this brings me right back to a point again, what kind of experience do you have in this field? Any? It is obvious that you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about, you are just screaming because you like to scream. Oh, and before you even try to say that I do not, I have a Secret Clearance, an a 25B in the Army (Information Systems Specialist), and have been involved in the industry for almost a quarter of a century. This is the kind of thing all branches of Government "contract out", because there are few to no such specialists directly employed by the Government. Why? Well, mostly because we would burst the government payroll. Do you have any idea what even a "part time" SQL manager is paid by the Government? Starting pay, entry level is around $70,000 a year, plus benefits, COLA, and a lot more. All said and done, I bet direct hiring would cost the Government over $100,000 a year for each one. I bet it costs a lot less then that for contractors, because all such benefits are paid by the contracting company, and spread out through thousands of different contracts. And since they are contractors, many are simply brought on for projects then let go again, something the Government can't do. In the open market, SQL experts bring in $150,000 a year and up. So how many do you think are really willing to work for the Government at half that rate? And without all the "perks" that come with working in the IT field. Such as free beer, espresso, bagels in the morning, catered lunches, and a ton of other perks ranging from afternoon naps and "company outings" to baseball games to $300+ office chairs.
OK, that has zero to do with Koch wanting to get rid of the CIA. Show me the link where Koch says, "I want to get rid of the CIA."
Look at the info on my signature if you want something that is very personal and scary. The CIA is not 'in some galaxy far, far away!'
