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Dissing Independent Contractors
(DAVE LINDORFF, Counterpunch, 5/28/04)
The Bush cabal has begun besmirching the good name of us independent contractors, and I'm pissed. ...don't tell me that the government of the United States, which makes welfare recipients agree to random drug tests, surprise home visits, and various other invasive surrenders of their rights, that makes employees in many agencies submit to lie-detector tests, etc., didn't make these "independent contractor" licensed torturers sign legally binding contracts governing their behavior. There's nothing about independent contractors that says they cannot be expected, and legally required, to behave in a responsible, legal way, or in accordance with the guidelines set by the agency that contracts with them. Now maybe the government was smart enough not to sign any contracts with its freelance torturers, but that doesn't sound like the way a government bureaucracy works-which is by maxiumum possible use of paper. My guess is that there are some interesting contracts filed away in triplicate at the Pentagon and the CIA that would allow them to hang these guys if they wanted to, but we probably will never see that paperwork.

******[COMMENT] Having personally worked as an independent contractor for the DOD, I can vouch for the voluminous paperwork required for access to DOD systems and the legal liability incurred for contract violations - unless, as is inferred above, the hiring authority waives it. And then you have to ask "Why?" But, that's just this old Curmudgeon's opinion.*******

posted by A Curmudgeon 6:18 AM