Is there too much redundancy in government?
In a time like the present when the government's fiscal matters are in Sequestration;
As it has been since the Obama Administration took office in September 2008 (no pun intended here), the U.S. Federal Government is again at an impasse:
Congress and the Administration are squabbling over whether to increase taxes or not, and I see plenty of pork that can be trimmed instead of increasing taxes.
In my opinion one such redundant bureaucracy is the U.S. Intelligence Community.
Seventeen Agencies and Organizations United Under One Goal
The U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) is a coalition of 17 agencies and organizations within the executive branch that work both independently and collaboratively to gather the intelligence necessary to conduct foreign relations and national security activities. Our primary mission is to collect and convey the essential information the President and members of the policymaking, law enforcement, and military communities require to execute their appointed duties.
The 17 IC member agencies are:
Air Force Intelligence
Army Intelligence
Central Intelligence Agency
Coast Guard Intelligence
Defense Intelligence Agency
Department of Energy
Department of Homeland Security
Department of State
Department of the Treasury
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Marine Corps Intelligence
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
National Reconnaissance Office
National Security Agency
Navy Intelligence
Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Members of the IC collect and assess information regarding international terrorist and narcotic activities; other hostile activities by foreign powers, organizations, persons, and their agents; and foreign intelligence activities directed against the United States (U.S.). As needed, the President may also direct the IC to carry out special activities in order to protect U.S. security interests against foreign threats.1
Intelligence Budget Data
On October 30, 2012, the Director of National Intelligence disclosed that the National Intelligence Program (NIP) budget for FY 2012 was $53.9 billion. The Military Intelligence Program (MIP) budget for FY 2012 was reported to be $21.5 billion.
FISCAL YEAR NIP BUDGET MIP BUDGET TOTAL
2012 53.9 billion 21.5 billion 75.4 billion2011 54.6 billion 24 billion 78.6 billion2010 53.1 billion 27 billion 80.1 billion2009 49.8 billion 26.4 billion 76.2 billion2008 47.5 billion 22.9 billion 70.4 billion2007 43.5 billion 20 billion 63.5 billion2006 40.9 billion .............................2
Why would a central command clearing house or an administrative nerve center, an additional bureaucracy be required to oversee 17 Intelligence Agencies? Isn't that done at the Pentagon?
Can't these police bodies police themselves and submit their respective findings individually?
The Washington Post has reported that there are 1,271 government organizations and 1,931 private companies in 10,000 locations in the United States that are working on counterterrorism, homeland security, and intelligence, and that the intelligence community as a whole includes 854,000 people who hold top-secret clearances.[2] According to a 2008 study by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, private contractors make up 29% of the workforce in the US intelligence community and cost the equivalent of 49% of their personnel budgets.[3] 3
As stated above by the Washington Post ....10,000 locations in the United States that are working on counter terrorism, homeland security, and intelligence, and that the intelligence community...
Why is Homeland Security being worked on by the U.S. Intelligence Community?
Homeland Security has its own organization to address it, DHS, aka Department of Homeland Security, another behemoth ripe for trimming; rather than improving things it has become another ivory tower, another bureaucracy.
In conclusion, I don't see the reason for all the fuss over having to cut $85,000,000,000 from Fiscal Year 2013?
I see plenty of fat than can be hacked off without having to look to far.
Government is chock full of boondoggles that anyone with a rudimentary education can see without having to ask Timothy Geithner or Ben Bernanke.
Here's a nice politically correct joke:
Question: How many Gmen does it take to change a light bulb? Answer: At least 2,000. A Bulb Changing Director, a Deputy Director, a Lieutenant Deputy Director, Regional Director, Area Supervisor, Administrators, Secretaries, etc...
It's as easy as 1, 2, 3.
There's no need for all the shenanigans?
Please stop insulting our intelligence! There is too much redundancy, too much cross footing.
Speaking of boondoggles remember FEMA? Remember Katrina? Remember Hurricane Sandy?
Resources:
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