Wednesday, February 13, 2008

That Unethical Bush Administration


The White House says it wants to crack down on fraud and corruption on government contracts, but its plans provide a semi-tractor trailer rig sized loophole. Overseas contractors are exempt from Bush's proposal.

The proposed rules, which are in the final approval stages, specifically exempt "contracts to be performed outside the United States," according to a notice published last month in the Federal Register. A spokeswoman for the White House Office of Management and Budget, which oversees federal procurement policy, declined to answer questions about the planned exemption of overseas contractors from the beefed-up requirements for reporting fraud.

Recall the last time new Bush rules hit the final stretch? That would be the FCC's broadening of media ownership, widely panned in public meetings across America. The Bush team proved it could care less about public comment. My guess is this will be another round of Bush blocking for his corporate buddies. So much for that ethical White House promised in 2001...