Today, Representative Henry Waxman, Chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government reform introduced the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2007 that would 1) significantly expand the scope of disclosures that federal civil servants can make; and 2) provide new procedural remedies to federal whistleblowers, including access to federal court.

“The tide may be finally turning for whistleblowers after a very long siege,” Ruch added, noting that the Office of Special Counsel is also scheduled for re-authorization during this session of Congress. “One remaining task for Congress is either fixing or abolishing the utterly dysfunctional Office of Special Counsel.”
http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=823

About time that this type of legislation comes up and with dems in control might possibly pass. Now before all you anti-whistleblowing rightwingers get your panties in a bunch remember this means that they can whistleblow on crooked dems as well....who knows with enough protections we might actually get some sunshine on both parties.

Alright now that I tried to alleviate the hysterical fear of whistleblowers from you all....lay it on me. Tell me why we need to gag those who want to tell us when our gvt is doing wrong?

The only reason why I can think that people would want to lay siege on whistleblowers is if they are the ones which are doing something illegal. That, or the government could have gotten annoyed at certain points by the whistleblowers making a huge fuss about tiny things, or which made illegitimate assumptions, such as who might be a terrorist.

Another reason may be ligitimacy. When a government is constantly ridiculed by a group over how it has been disobeying its own rules, people tend to lose faith in these laws themselves (such as the abolition of alchohol in the 1920's, where even the US president was known to drink some whiskey when he thought no one was looking). Governments tend to want to keep the support of the people through any means necessary, for if it doesn't then anarchy and/or rebellion may erupt.

If the latter was the US government's main motivations, then it may be understandable. However, if it was one of the former reasons, then may Allah, God, Buddha, and any other deities I missed treat them in the way they see fit in the afterlife. Or, if you are atheist or not that zealous, then these lawbreakers deserve whatever dirt the whistleblowers get on them.

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When mankind has a question, nature usually has an answer.

I'm glad...


I'm conservative/libertarian....and the Bush Administrations lack of oversight is just APPALLING...

WHY...for the love of the lord, do we still do business with Halliburton..

I know their capeable, but jeez, they have 21 pending suits against them from the US...and yet..

there our best friend?

We should all do our best to end the corruption that continues to undermine a truly free market.

Good points. I totally agree. See my thread on that very subject here:

http://www.politicalforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=22889

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"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." - Schopenhauer

Color me impressed the usual suspects did not lambaste this as bad legislation...I guess they agree that we need more whistleblowers and more protections for them. YEAH WE FINALLY FOUND A BIPARISAN ISSUE!