Should contractors do national security work?

[struggle4progress]

By Joe Davidson
Tuesday, June 11, 12:43 PM

... Should contractors do sensitive government work? If government surveillance is not inherently governmental, then what is? ...

Federal employee unions have long argued too many contractors are doing work meeting that definition.

Snowden’s case “is yet another example of why outsourcing our national security to mercenary rent-a-cops is a bad idea,” said Lee Stone, a vice president of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers. It represents many federal employees with security clearances, including some in the Defense Department.

“Contract personnel by definition are not employed by the federal government but rather by a company,” he added, “generally a for-profit corporation that answers primarily to its shareholders” ...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/should-contractors-do-national-security-work/2013/06/11/c7b5ad9a-d1f7-11e2-8cbe-1bcbee06f8f8_story.html

[DURHAM D]

1. No. They don't take an oath.

Plus, I am getting ready to call one of my senators to ask if vetting for a security clearance is still being done by the FBI or if it has been jobbed out to a private corporation.

[atreides1]

3. Like an Oath means anything

Bradely Manning took an oath, so did the Walker spy family...Robert Haas formerly of the FBI took an oath too...guess what it didn't stop any of them from doing what they did!

And clearances for contractors are still being done by the government!

[DURHAM D]

4. Define "government".

[atreides1]

2. Why not?

Pollard worked for the US Navy, Robert Haas was an FBI agent, and didn't the CIA have a few people sell information to a foreign power, and what about Daniel Ellsberg...all were federal employees!

And let's not forget those in uniform like the the Walker family or Bradley Manning.

I would say that we've had more leaks from federal government employees then from contractors doing national security work!

Snowden is about as representative of all contractors as the Walker family is of all US military personnel!!!

[bluedeathray]

5. Why not indeed.

In many cases they're the same people. After a stint in the Armed Forces. Security clearances in place.

And WTF! Wal Mart and Chevrolet are collecting data on you right now. As you read this!

[pscot]

6. No