May 31, 2006 - 23:01 MDT

SEA TO SHINING SEA

It's late at night on Wednesday and I sit here shaking my head, wondering - - - which is my job description, see the above title of this diary. An article in this morning's Rocky Mountain News by Gina Holland of The Associated Press, is one of the things that makes me wonder what we are coming to. Quoted in full:

RULING DENTS SPEECH SHIELDS

Decision affects public employees

WASHINGTON -- "The Supreme Court scaled back protections for government workers who blow the whistle on official misconduct Tuesday, a 5-4 decision in which Justice Samuel Alito cast the deciding vote."

"In a victory for the Bush administration, justices said the 20 million public employees do not have free speech protections for what they say as part of their jobs."

"Critics predicted that the impact would be sweeping from silencing police officers who fear retribution for reporting department corruption, to subduing federal employees who want to reveal problems with government hurricane preparedness or terrorist-related security."

"Supporters said it will protect governments from lawsuits filed by disgruntled workers pretending to be whistle-blowers."

"The ruling was perhaps the clearest sign yet of the Supreme Court's shift with the departure of moderate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and the arrival of Alito."

"A year ago, O'Connor authored a 5-4 decision that encouraged whistle-blowers to report sex discrimination in schools."

"Alito joined the court's other conservatives in Tuesday's decision, which split along conservative-liberal lines."

"Exposing government misconduct is important, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote for the majority . "We reject, however, the notion that the First Amendment shields from discipline the expressions employees make pursuant to their professional duties," he said."

++++++++++++

Paranoia by the biggies, fear pehaps that the whole 20 million government workers are disgruntled, is that it ?

Little by little and sometimes by leaps and bounds we are being gagged by government. NOW a person can be disciplined for blowing a whistle on corruption or other actions that can harm us little people.

Strike up the band ! Gummint theme, named CYA now playing and being sung loudly, "And we shall rule in secrecy, from SEA TO SHINING SEA . . . . . . . . . . .

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