[stephengillie]

Plot twist: Elected officials are realistically unable to exert power or influence over our federal agencies. These quasi-judicial, quasi-executive governmental machines are largely autonomous, developing their own policies to execute their mission. And they process offenders of their own policies, instead of reaching out to other government agencies to enforce law compliance.

If senators or representatives don't vote to fund agencies, it's career suicide. There are so many of these causes that martyrs would be burned up too quickly -- it would be dumb to sacrifice yourself for one of these causes, when there are hundreds up for vote each year. You'd just be replaced by someone with fewer morals.

On one side, it's the same issue as dealing with paid restaurant reviews on review sites; you have to wait for a large enough critical mass of comments/information outlets for true snippets to slip out.

On the other side, it's not like people are being killed. When they come for the Socialists, and these people start disappearing from our society, I will speak out. But this is not happening yet. So many Chickens Little, so few Eggheads Jr.