Conservatism: Trashing Government on Its Way Out

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from OurFuture.org:



Conservatism: Trashing Government on It's Way Out
By Terrance Heath

November 21st, 2008 - 12:18pm ET



Reading the headlines over the past week, I'm beginning to wonder if there's a single agency in the United States government that conservatives haven't left in worse shape than they found it. I've been reading about demoralized government employees, under-resourced departments, and agencies left in shambles after eight years of Republican rule.

A few days after the election I participated in a telephone survey about the outcome. The surveyor, at one point, asked me how I felt about the Bush administration and the congressional Republicans. After a couple of tries at explaining conservative failure, I finally blurted out, "People hate government, and don't believe it can do any good, just can't govern effectively."

After this week, I think I'd probably amend that statement. Conservatives don't believe government doesn't work. They believe it shouldn't. And when they get elected they make damn sure it can't.

In the middle of a financial crisis, we find out that Homeland Security has failed to oversee billions of dollars in equipment purchases.

The Homeland Security Department has done a poor job overseeing the purchase of billions of dollars of equipment and technology since the agency was created five years ago, according to a federal report scheduled for release today.

Senior department officials have "not provided the oversight needed" to ensure that purchases "with important national security objectives" function properly and stay on budget, according to Congress' Government Accountability Office (GAO).

The GAO report is the latest to raise questions about the Homeland Security Department, which Congress has criticized for gaps in aviation security, a faltering response to Hurricane Katrina and slow progress in securing land borders.

The new report levels criticism at a complex process Homeland Security has used to beef up the nation's defenses by purchasing security equipment, including machines that scan suitcases for bombs.

In many cases, programs were delayed or went over budget, including planned improvements in Coast Guard rescues, luggage screening and the capture and removal of illegal migrants.

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The complete piece is at: http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2008114721/conservatism-trashing-government-its-way-out