People Punished by the Bush Administration
During the course of his administration, Bush has seen fit to punish those who say things that are contrary to administration positions, even when it is their job to do so. While Bush weaves a web of deceit, people who actually take their responsibilities seriously and try to fulfill their obligations to the American public are punished. This may be a common behavior within corporations (so I guess it's no surprise that Bush behaves this way), but it is not only completely inappropriate in government, it is subversive. Punishing people who try to do their work to the best of their abilities undermines the strength of any organization, including the government of the United States. Here is a list of people who have been punished in one way or another by this administration:
Larry Lindsay, former Economic Adivser. Fired because he tried to provide figures more representative of the cost of Bush's dirty war in Iraq. Lindsay's estimate: $200 billion; Bush's estimate: $10-$100 billion (Wolfowitz's numbers); cost as of 4/3/2004: about $110 billion and growing. (Past Comments About How Much Iraq Would Cost)
Teresa Chambers, U.S. Park Police Chief. Suspended and treated like a criminal (stripped of her gun and badge, then escorted out of Park Service headquarters) for reporting that safety in the park areas around Washington, D.C. would suffer because of inadequate funding levels for Park Police (GAP Urges Congress to Stand Up for Teresa Chambers). Read more about Chief Chambers at www.honestchief.com.
Valerie Plame, wife of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson and CIA operative. By all accounts, the Bush administration leaked to the press that Ambassador Wilson's wife was a CIA operative, thus endangering her life. This was apparently in retaliation for then Ambassodor Wilson's public views that the Bush administration manipulated intelligence about Iraq's WMD capabilities (Former ambassador blames White House for leak). Of course, leaking such information is illegal; and while Bush said he welcomed an investigation, I remember him saying at the time that it would be difficult to find out who leaked the information. This from a man who said he'd track down Osama Bin Laden (not doing too well there, either).
Richard Foster, chief actuary of the Medicare program. Mr. Foster reportedly had his job threatened if he released what he believed to be the true cost of the recent Medicare bill. Mr. Foster's estimate was about $550 billion; the Bush administration estimate was "no more than $400 billion". After the bill was signed, the White House announced that the cost would be $534 billion. (Medicare bill coverup? Democrats want inquiry)
Paul O'Neill, former Secretary of the Treasury. Fired because he questioned Bush's tax cuts. Subsequently he released a book ("The Price of Loyalty") in which he said that Bush was looking for ways to invade Iraq as soon as he took office. After the book was published, the White House investigated to see if O'Neill had released secret information to the public; no wrong-doing was found on the part of O'Neill. (How's the investigation into the Valerie Plame leak going?)
Elizabeth Blackburn, former member of the Council on Bioethics. Removed from the council for disapproving of Bush's restrictive position on stem cell research (Scientists rally around stem cell advocate fired by Bush).
Jack Spadaro, former head of the National Mine Health and Safety Academy (MSHA), a branch of the Department of Labor. Demoted with a $35,000 pay decrease and moved from an office in West Virginia (his home) to Pittsburgh, PA (A Toxic Cover-up?). Mr. Spadaro says: "I've been in government since Richard Nixon. I've been through the Reagan administration, Carter and Clinton. I've never seen anything like this." And further: "I had never seen anything so corrupt and lawless in my entire career, what I saw regarding interference with a federal investigation of the most serious environmental disaster in the history of the Eastern United States." Mr. Spadaro is referring to a mining disaster, in which 300 million gallons of coal slurry broke from its retaining pit, poured through the vacated mines, and into the surrounding rivers. (By contrast, the Exxon Valdez dumped 11 million gallons of crude oil.) Does anybody remember Bush talking about allowing companies to "self-regulate?"