Columbia Tribune's Tony Messenger Favors State Employees Campaigning On State Time

Regarding the memo discussed here yesterday, the Columbia Tribune's Tony Messenger differs:

Temple uncovered a memo sent by a Department of Social Services executive to caseworkers throughout the state telling them, basically, to shut the hell up. Apparently, various folks throughout the state worried about the fact that their Medicaid benefits have been cut complained to their caseworkers.

They don't know where to turn. Benefits are going away, and for some, the kinds of decisions they face are drastic. Frustrated and angry, they turn to caseworkers, who are there to help.

The caseworkers are equally frustrated in that there isn't much they can do. Some of them have suggested that their clients call legislators. It seems reasonable enough. Legislators cut the benefits. Why shouldn't frustrated residents call them?

Undoubtedly, Mr. Messenger would be less eager for merit-based state employees to promote policies that he does not support, such as any limitation of government largesse. But he strikes me as the sort of fellow who thinks it's a foolish consistency that state employees should not lobby their "clients" to call their legislators or vote for the party that will increase the state employees' budget.