political appointee woes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:(former fed): i am team tip off the media.

Not OP- So hypothetically speaking how would someone go about tipping the media without being found out? Are there still web cafes out there.

Why can't you do this on your phone using a burner email? Assuming nothing you're saying is classified, I don't see the issue. You can also type out a letter and mail it to a favorite reporter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread really bugs me. I think a lot of liberals have this "burn the house down" mentality. They don't care what our work is, the impact we make on society or anything else, they just keep calling feds traitors for not quitting. Reporters also think this way. The vast majority of Americans are more moderate however, in my experience.

I work on a heavily impacted program (environmental regulation) and have even had run ins with strangers when I mention where I work. They think we should be striking or quitting or standing up to our bosses. The vast majority of feds are apolitical and care deeply for public service and our work. We aren't willing to burn it all down just because it's been a rough 3 years, we will wait it out and then see our programs work again after.

I am liberal and a former career attorney as well as a former Dem Presidential political appointee. I think it is better to stay put and try to manipulate the political into doing the least amount of damage possible. If you leave they will either not fill the position or fill it with someone who graduated from like Liberty law school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey all, my agency is releasing a new policy this week. The policy makes a bunch of changes to a humanitarian program- some good/helpful, some practical, and some pretty egregious. The most egregious item is the brain child of our very “connected” political appointee. However, he seems to have gotten cold feet or something and in the public affairs materials he’s asked us to OMIT any reference to the egregious item (although it will still be a robust part of the new policy). I feel this lacks integrity, and as the career GS who authored the policy at his direction I cannot believe he’s not willing to absorb the bad press it will bring. I also think it’s idiotic bc eventually people will actually read the policy and realize it’s much more expansive than what our agency has briefed to the press. I did express my concerns directly to the political appointee. I said “I’m not from the public affairs division, but can we really omit the most significant portion of this policy from our press release?” The public affairs person agreed with me. Nevertheless in the final version of the materials, this provision was eliminated. At this point, I should just let this go right? What else can I do?

"If you like your health care plan, you can keep it". People eventually get found out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:(former fed): i am team tip off the media.

I do believe this is a protected right of federal employees (current fed)

Not exactly. Yes, reporting something that you reasonably believe is illegal can be protected. But "leaking" about a policy decision you disagree with, or even think is harmful, likely does not qualify.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:(former fed): i am team tip off the media.

Not OP- So hypothetically speaking how would someone go about tipping the media without being found out? Are there still web cafes out there.

Why can't you do this on your phone using a burner email? Assuming nothing you're saying is classified, I don't see the issue. You can also type out a letter and mail it to a favorite reporter

+1 (assuming that nothing is classified)

I'm no tech expert, but maybe a tor browser and VPN?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:(former fed): i am team tip off the media.

Not OP- So hypothetically speaking how would someone go about tipping the media without being found out? Are there still web cafes out there.

Why can't you do this on your phone using a burner email? Assuming nothing you're saying is classified, I don't see the issue. You can also type out a letter and mail it to a favorite reporter

+1 (assuming that nothing is classified)

I'm no tech expert, but maybe a tor browser and VPN?

I don't think I would want to use my own devices at all. Maybe a typed letter mailed from a downtown mailbox. There are too many digital fingerprints being collected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is you who lacks integrity, supporting this farce. How do you sleep at night?

I sleep great and you should sleep better knowing people like me are feds. My agency’s career staff are experts at what they do. We are the last line of defense, literally the only thing standing in the way of political ideologues and the federal policies and regulations they are trying to unravel.

You're all right with me, pp! Thanks for what you do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is you who lacks integrity, supporting this farce. How do you sleep at night?

I sleep great and you should sleep better knowing people like me are feds. My agency’s career staff are experts at what they do. We are the last line of defense, literally the only thing standing in the way of political ideologues and the federal policies and regulations they are trying to unravel.

You drafted a policy that, by your own admission, harms vulnerable groups (you used the word "egregious", remember?). If you all had the balls to quit we'd be in much better shape. But no, you cling to your GS14 salary and illusion of moral high ground over the appointees, when you're actually much worse.

Ridiculous. We would have no civil servants with any brains or conscience left if people followed this policy.

OP, send an anonymous tip to a WaPo reporter who focuses on your agency.

[Anonymous]

All the good investigative reporters have signal or encrpyted ways to get ahold of them listed in their twitter bio.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is you who lacks integrity, supporting this farce. How do you sleep at night?

I sleep great and you should sleep better knowing people like me are feds. My agency’s career staff are experts at what they do. We are the last line of defense, literally the only thing standing in the way of political ideologues and the federal policies and regulations they are trying to unravel.

You’re not defending us very well.