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Questions Lou Should Have Asked

Biased Article

Analyst
DOD
Fri May 18, 2007 8:28 AM

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Talk about your anti-union bias. The writer appears to be a management lackey who believes the CBP leadership can do no wrong. There is enough blame to go around, but border patrol morale can't be very good when agents are disciplined for trying to do their jobs. As for Mr. Bonner - that's his job - to protect the union members.

Unions for federal employes are problematic, but there needs to be some way to address wrongs and OPM certainly isn't it.

Re: Biased Article

Former Navy Employee
none
Fri May 18, 2007 9:03 AM
So which points presented in the article are incorrect or inaccurate?

Management lackey? What next, workers of the world unite? You guys need some new phrases--and ought to try focusing on whether something is factual, rather than whether the author is mumbling union-approved verbiage.

Re: Biased Article

Admin asst
dod
Fri May 18, 2007 9:58 AM
Analyst, pull your head out of the sand. Facts are facts regardless of whether or not you are capable of understanding them.

Re: Biased Article

Actual Border Patrol Agent
DHS
Fri May 18, 2007 6:58 PM
Facts are Facts? What fact was written here? This clown knows less about the Border Patrol than most of you do. The fact of the matter is that TJ Bonner didn't bring up this vote of No Confidence and he really didn't want to travel down this road, but the front line agents demanded it and brought it to a vote. That is a fact. It was introduced by actual working agents who could not believe that their leader was supporting amnesty. I haven't heard anyone else on here supporting it? Why not????? Because it is quite possibly the worst thing that could happen to this country, but our Boss, the guy who was charged with keeping these illegals out, or removing them when they were here, supports letting them all come in and stay.

That equals NO CONFIDENCE!

Questions Lou Should Have Asked

Manager
SSA
Fri May 18, 2007 8:34 AM

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Says the author: "Neither Dobbs nor Sylvester seemed to find it necessary to engage in anything resembling actual journalism." It is too bad that the author stopped with just one example of failed journalism that focused on a union. In fact, what passes for journalism these days is uniform in its failure to ask questions. Listen to the news and you hear every so-called reporter mouth the same unchallenged bullet points issued by administration sources. No hard questions are ever asked of public figures, be they corporate leaders, union leaders, or politcal leaders. Journalists these days are wealthy and more itnerested in being in the good graces of the powerful so they can go to the good parties than they are interested in representing the public interest of working America.

Re: Questions Lou Should Have Asked

Author
none
Fri May 18, 2007 9:16 AM
Sad, but true. Your characterization of most of what passes for journalism these days is all too accurate--and I would include much--if not most--of what appears on O'Reilly in the same category.

I have long liked Lou Dobbs, agree with him on most things--including his attacks on the dismantling of our industrial base, destruction of the middle class, and even, believe it or not, immigration policy.

But in researching this article and the one that preceded it, I was struck by what an unfair hatchet job is being carried out on Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar. For starters, he's not the author of immigration policies, current or proposed. And, I suspect, if asked I suspect he would agree in large part with what Dobbs has to say.

Consequently, I believe it was wrong in the first place to attempt to demonize him, and even more wrong to do so via the one-sided hatchet job relying on the (to me) suspect word of only the union president.

Re: Questions Lou Should Have Asked

Human Resources Specialist
Department of Treasury
Fri May 18, 2007 10:19 AM
The repeal of the Fairness Doctrine in the 1980s relieved news organizations of the obligation of having to present all views. It is no coincidence that the advent of opinion pieces passing for news followed shortly thereafter.

Border Patrol

DISABILITY PROCESSING SPECIALIST
SSA
Fri May 18, 2007 8:53 AM

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Why are you continuing to publish annonymous opinion pieces? Has the author requested that you not release his name? Is it your general policy to publish annonymous articles or have you made an exception in this case? Why have you allowed your periodical to become a promulgator of one saide of the issue instead of reporting the facts in an impartial manner?
It certainly would be helpful to know who the author of this article is? Do they work for Mr.Aguilar? Is it Mr. Aguilar himself?

Re: Border Patrol

HR Professional
DHS
Fri May 18, 2007 9:19 AM
It may have something to do with deeming it prudent to withhold one's name from the gaze of a large number of people who seem to find it perfectly permissible to shoot unarmed folks in the back and then, in their world view, remain immune to any legal consequences. You think?

Re: Border Patrol

HR Specialist
DOD
Fri May 18, 2007 9:28 AM
This IS the other side---at least on this one issue. Dobbs and Bonner did a tag-team match that presented NOTHING BUT the union's view. Which, I believe, is the entire point of this article. Duh!

Re: Border Patrol

retired LR specialist
DoD
Fri May 18, 2007 9:34 AM
Kudos to fedsmith for having the audacity or courage to publish a well-written, satirical article from an author who seems to know what he is talking about. Most of the articles we see in the DC area parrot union press releases and the agencies never speak up. My guess: The author has information from working somewhere in DOJ or DHS and was sick of seeing only one side popping up on Lou Dobbs and various other outlets. My agency would not allow us to speak to the press on controversial issues--only one side would ever be disclosed and the "facts" of a case were written by union PR offices. Unfortunately, lies become a "fact" when that is all people see.

Some reading the article will undoubtedly be shocked at the satire and strong views as they are not used to seeing a defense of federal agencies. I have seen the union perspective on articles on this site--but only complaints about one-sided articles such as this one. Keep up the good work and congrats to a good writer--whoever he/she may be and I hope the person is able to avoid the knives that will be out to cut the throat of the person who dared to speak up on behalf of an agency and a political appointee.

'Biased' article

HR specialist
retired
Fri May 18, 2007 9:36 AM

Post Reply

I thought it was smart, clever, and entertaining. So what if it's biased? Bonner's comments certainly were. And why does it matter who wrote this - the questions are on the mark, and the reporters should have asked them. The SSA Manager is right about the state of "news" reporting today - most news broadcasts are 30 minutes of editorials, no real facts!

Re: 'Biased' article

Federal Employee
Retired
Fri May 18, 2007 10:39 AM
At least Mr. Bonner is willing to identify himself, and since he works for the Agency, knows what is going on.

Re: 'Biased' article

HR
Navy
Fri May 18, 2007 11:14 AM
Retired Fed and others, what difference does it make who wrote the article? Is it a personal attack you're chomping at the bit to engage in? Just speak to the article, nothing else.

Re: 'Biased' article

LER Specialist
Army
Fri May 18, 2007 12:49 PM
Federal Employee-Retired: Apparently it has been a long, long time since Bonner "worked for" the agency. I gather he has been collecting a paycheck from the agency, but has done nothing but represent the union in bashing it for a couple decades. A case, I would suggest, of pulling one's snout out of the trough just long enough to bite the hand that's been feeding him.

Union Leaders views

Mil Pers Tech
DOD
Fri May 18, 2007 9:53 AM

Post Reply

Union Leaders when speaking about a particular topic such as Border agent moral are speaking for a collective bargaining unit representing it's complete membership. So, When interviewed and statements are made by these representatives, they ar speaking for the majority of its union membership and expressing their feelings on the issue. So, it isn't just a few Union officials speaking. This should give some credence as to what Lou Dobbs is trying to get across. Logically how could any border patrol agent continue to have faith in a leader who won't back up their actions when in the performance their job (reference the two agents sentenced for shooting an illegal, drug smuggler for crossing our boarders illegally and getting shot in the a-- for attempting to escape being caught). Further more, what good are our National guard members doing on the boarders if they have no arrest authority or authority to protect themselves. Seems to be a poor use of tax payer dollars to me.

Re: Union Leaders views

LR Specialist
DOD
Fri May 18, 2007 12:41 PM
I believe you will have a hard time finding any agency head who will "back up" an employee who commits a felony in the course of performing his/her duties.

Apparently neither the Justice Dept., which prosecuted the agents, nor the jury that heard the evidence presented by both sides and rendered a verdict, agreed that they were "just carrying out their duties." What's the boss supposed to do, refuse to surrender them, break them out of jail, what?

Re: Union Leaders views

Chris Allsworth
Private Citizen
Fri May 18, 2007 1:08 PM
Clearly, union leaders can say lots of things about their views when it comes to the employees they represent. Of course they can say that morale sucks, management sucks, or maybe the head of the agency is a jerk. But did anyone notice Bonner's comments about Border Patrol Agents not doing their job because of their disagreement with their Chief - and that as a result, illegals were piling across the border because the workforce doesn't agree with their Chief? In addition to being an offensive shot in the a** to front-line agents, it is a blantant display of disloyalty to the employer and the employee oath. It would be like a beverage maker employee announcing to the public that its drinks contained deadly poison (when it was not). No-one should tolerate this behavior. Why hasn't this guy been fired? Why haven't the union members voted him out of office? Why hasn't John Gage stepped in to cut this guy off at the knees?

Re: Union Leaders views

Another BP Agent
Border Patrol
Fri May 18, 2007 7:07 PM
Mr. Allsworth you are terribly mistaken with your recollection of Mr. Bonner's comments. Our disagreement is because our leaders won't let us do our job and catch the aliens. The union has never advocated not doing our job, we fight to do it every day. That was the reason we took this no confidence vote. Could one of you take a freaking minute and talk to an actual Border Patrol Agent before popping off at the mouth. The union believes our hard working agents are being misused and our policies are wasting tax payers money and do nothing but support the Amnesty they have been trying to pass for the last six plus years.

Dissing the Chief

Finance Mgr.
FAA
Fri May 18, 2007 9:58 AM

Post Reply

There are supposedly 10 million illegal aliens in this Nation. Anyone who supports the policies that allowed them here, or keeps them here is a mere Traitor. You can babble all you want, YOU are a traitor. You can't diss a traitor, aight? The amount of fools in the country is starting to surpass the ammo, now that scares me. Time to practice knife fighting skills. Peace out.

Re: Dissing the Chief

HR Specialist
DOD
Fri May 18, 2007 12:21 PM
So now the Chief of the Border Patrol is a "traitor?!" And you're advocating sharpening up your knives because there's too little ammunition to deal with those who have the temerity to disagree with you?

Good Lord, I've never seen a better argument for psychological testing before being hired as a federal employee--particularly if it might involve access to a gun!

What a surpise

Federal Employee
Retired
Fri May 18, 2007 10:38 AM

Post Reply

Your column more than ever shows your management slanted attitude. You obviously got your "good" information from the management of DHS. Did YOU try to get Mr. Bonner's side of this? I didn't think so.

Re: What a surpise

HR spec
gov
Fri May 18, 2007 11:26 AM
Mr. Bonner presented his side on national media and was reported in the Fedsmith's previous article on this subject. Presenting all the available information over two articles is NOT slanted. Fed Employee, if anything the fact that your comment ignored the previously reported information shows YOUR union slanted attitude.

Re: What a surpise

Analyst
DoD
Fri May 18, 2007 11:48 AM
Open your eyes Retired Federal Employee, the questions were slanted to begin with and this article exposed that. Exposing bias is not management slant, it's called uncovering the whole truth.

Re: What a surpise

LR Specialist
DOD
Fri May 18, 2007 12:25 PM
Unions seem to enjoy dishing it out (e.g., calling a man a "bobble head doll" on national TV), but aren't so good at taking it, huh? Sort of like classic schoolyard bullies, the kind who like to band together to launch attacks, rather than having the courage to deal with issues one-on-one.

Re: What a surpise

Another BP Agent
Border Patrol
Fri May 18, 2007 7:10 PM
If you remember correctly, Mr. Aguilar has been invited several times on to Lou Dobbs show and almost every news outlet has submitted questions about our No Confidence Vote to him. He has not answered, making it kind of hard to get another point of view. You will also find very few agents willing to speak up for him on this one. Most take pride in their job and amnesty is a slap in their face. And Yes HR hack, he is a traitor.
Total Comments: 45
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