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Return to Article: Forward Observer: A Whistleblower's Lament

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  I wish I had this man's courage instead of fearing whether or not I'll have a job after Friday of each week with everything I see.

  GovExec.com reader Posted March 22, 2006 7:33 PM
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  Many truth tellers have suffered at the hands of the federal government. This is not only true about procurement, but also safety in federal work places. People are being hurt and even killed because of fraud in the government. The amount of waste, fraud and mismanagement cannot continue to climb indefinitely.

  There comes a point where the wheels will grind to a halt because of internal anarchy and graft. Then, people will revolt and demand blood for blood and pain for pain. That's what happens when a government and the related social systems break down. I don't think it will be much longer before it happens.

  There is evidence of the beginning of the end. Within the last few months, I have begun to see the rise of a new private legal trade. Legal groups are advertising on the TV specifically asking people to report government waste and fraud to them. They are going after fraud because there is big money to be made suing the government and bad contractors. The cherries are abundant and ripe for the picking.

  To that end, I advise everybody to protect themselves against a complete breakdown in services by putting some money away in safe investments. You want to make certain you can get some money if there is a sudden rush on financial institutions like there was at the start of the depression. The economy tends to go bust at the same time the government does.

  Robert M. Posted March 16, 2006 1:43 PM
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  How sad that Mr. Fitzgerald feels he's been defeated. While he may not have accomplished what he wanted to, it seems to me that he has a sense of duty to his country and the courage to stand up to the idiots who get up every morning and think that what they see reflected in their mirror represents the whole world. These are the real losers. Mr. Fitzgerald really didn't lose; no one loses when they speak the truth. He stayed the course and if anyone thinks that was easy, they need to think again. Looks like he's a winner to me.

  GovExec.com reader Posted March 14, 2006 2:50 PM
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  Well done, good and faithful steward! May there be young Ernies and Ernestines out there to take your place! I was an IG once, and I admire those who have the courage to step forward and speak out against fraud, waste and abuse!

  GovExec.com reader Posted March 14, 2006 1:09 PM
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  It appears that the most dangerous mindsets in government, from the White House to the lowest level of the bureaucracy, are that we as civil servants are not responsible and accountable for our actions. We often fail to remember that we are public servants, and that it is our responsibility to serve as stewards of the American tax dollars. I've served for thirty-three years, and am in awe of the increasingly poor senior federal government "leadership" and resulting waste of resources. Those of us who care are often coined as non-team player. We need to remember that our jobs are not an entitlement, and our responsibility is to serve the public, not rip it off in order to fill the pockets of contractors.

  Tim Posted March 14, 2006 6:55 AM