By now you've probably heard that the FDA conducts illegal surveillance of its whistleblowers' emails, and has fired whistleblowers who complained about defective medical devices. Sen. Grassley (R-IA) even said the FDA's wiretapping was something out of a George Orwell novel, which is kind of refreshing -- who wants to wager that, say, Ron Johnson even knows who George Orwell is? (Wait, don't tell me -- Mr. Johnson is more of a Kafka fan!) Anyway, if our government workers serve us by trying to keep defective medical devices away from us, then our government shouldn't make their lives miserable. I would think anyone, liberal or conservative, would agree with that -- only a nihilist would feel joy at the FDA's shenanigans because it "proves" all government is evil. (And if said nihilist thinks the private sector is so awesome, he should try being Matthew Weidner for a day.) The National Whistleblowers Center helps you demand that the FDA stop harassing, intimidating, and abusing its employees.
Meanwhile, the Republicans filibustered the DISCLOSE Act earlier this week, though no less than six current Republican Senators (including Messrs. McCain and McConnell) have publicly supported disclosure in the past, and Sen. Murkowski (AK) actually called the Citizens United v. FEC ruling "corrosive" on the Senate floor this past Tuesday. Now, I've long believed that Republicans only care about moving the goalposts -- they support disclosure so we can't have campaign finance reform, and then hate on disclosure once Citizens United slays most campaign finance reform. But according to Sen. Whitehouse (D-RI), many Republican Senators privately oppose Mr. McConnell's position against disclosure, and think Mr. McConnell's leading them "off a cliff." Of course I'd rather believe Republicans act out of cowardice than malice -- cowardice, at least, gives us an opening. So Public Citizen helps you sign up to meet with your Congressfolk, face-to-face, to discuss campaign finance disclosure. Politicians' fear of saying "no" to our faces might be our last, best hope.
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