Just when you thought the federal government couldn’t get any scarier we have this – the wonks in the Office of Management and Budget are going union. So what, you’re thinking, aren’t the majority of non-political appointees working for the federal government already unionized? How much damage could another union contract do? Plenty. We can start with the mission of the Office of Management and Budget — to “serve the President of the United States in implementing his vision across the Executive Branch.” (In other words, make up numbers that make the President look good.) Now let’s add to the mix Obama’s Executive Order 13522 that gives Federal employee unions the right to “pre-decisional involvement” over government decisions, like (gulp) the federal budget. Key here is the notion of “pre-decisional involvement” which translates to “before anything gets to the point where it could be subject to a FOIA request.” Now what’s odd is the OMB employees don’t really seem to have any beefs with their employer – they love their jobs, their boss is swell — they just suddenly, inexplicably, were overcome with the desire to “have more of a voice” over decisions that effect them. Hm. And of course the Administration couldn’t declare fast enough that they are just plain flat-out tickled to stay neutral as can be while OMB workers exercise their right to become fully empowered all-American workers by joining an awesome union like the AFGE. (This election should be a real nail biter.)
