Really? More Bureaucracy?

First and foremost, I don't think I will ever learn to spell bureaucracy. So, thank yous are in order to the inventor, proprietors, and purveyors of spell-checking technologies.

President Bush signed an executive order that said that all federal employees should use the same wireless access card, where the only difference is the logo of the department you work for. We are currently moving to that system. In order to get this new access card, all federal employees need a background check. Two days ago, I got my email saying that I needed to complete my application for the background check. I went to a special website, and put in my identifying information, and it presented me with a huge mess of forms to fill out.

I mentioned this to AB, who said that maybe I should contact the agency and tell them that I was only interning for a few months, and maybe its a waste of resources? I called them, and they told me that I should go ahead and fill it out. That they will initiate the background check and at whatever point it was left at when I leave they will leave it. I thought that this is a tremendous waste of resources, but there is plenty of waiting time during the day, so it will give me something to do.

It was really in depth. They wanted me to account for every place that I have lived in my life, and who (name, address, phone number) could account for my being there. Relatives don't count. Further, account for every job or period of unemployment since turning 16. Again, someone has to be able to account for my being there. What schools have I gone to? Finally, give three character references (again, no family), with adresses, phone numbers, and length of time that I've known them. They should be able to account for the last five years. It was really intense.

Now, they are going to waste your tax dollars in researching that information.