This Needs Fixin'

You know what I find even more infuriating than the fact that the United States government’s core operations have fallen to History’s Stupidest Coup?

Just how easy it was.

These nutbars were able to just walk into government offices with no credentials, often not even giving their names, and gain absurd levels of access and control.

In some cases they had legitimately-appointed insiders helping, or credentials from other government offices, but in no cases that I’ve heard about did they actually have what should have been necessary to gain the access and control that they have.

The bureaucracy just rolled over.

Which is infuriating.

I’ve dealt with the federal bureaucracy; in my experience it’s like banging your head on a brick wall to get it to even do what it’s supposed to, much less to deviate in even trivial ways from its procedures.

But, since the coup is still under way and not fully settled in yet, it may still be possible for the bureaucracy to redeem itself. By just being itself.

Bureaucrats: just do your damn jobs.

Work to the rules:

• Don’t let unauthorized personnel into the facilities; call security and the local police on anyone already inside who doesn’t have correct credentials.
• Do not give systems access without proper approvals; do not grant any level of access above what is properly approved.
• Do not accept instructions or statements from anyone but your immediate supervisor(s).
• Do not allow any equipment to connect to your systems without the required testing and certifications.
• Do not accept verbal instructions. Everything must be written down, on the correct forms, signed by previously-designated approvers.

The procedures are there for a reason, and preventing exactly this situation is the reason.

You know how to do this; it’s how you’ve always treated anyone who’s not one of you anyway.

Use that impulse for good this time.

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