No whistleblowers

[FarmerD]

An even worse problem lies in the widespread corruption throughout government at all levels rather than than the lack of whistleblowers in the private sector. Goverment emplyees who are whistleblowers are routinely punished while the people committing the wrongdoing get off scot free or worse, promoted.  I've seen it myself many times.  That's why smart govt emplyees just close their eyes and pretend to not notice what going on around them. 

[FarmerD]

An even worse problem lies in the widespread corruption throughout government at all levels rather than than the lack of whistleblowers in the private sector. Goverment emplyees who are whistleblowers are routinely punished while the people committing the wrongdoing get off scot free or worse, promoted.  I've seen it myself many times.  That's why smart govt emplyees just close their eyes and pretend to not notice what going on around them.  

A general problem that has gotten worse over time, or particularly worse under Obama?

FWIW, I have read that the Obama administration is particularly hard on whistleblowers on security-related matters.

See, for example, Dark Days for Government Whistleblowers

It's always been a problem in DoD and I think it's getting worse.  Since DoD is about the largest bureaucracy in the federal govt I assume corruption of this type is epidemic in the rest of the govt as well.  There is zero accountabilty in government bureaucracies at all levels.  Even the most corrupt, useless, good for nothing screwup escapes punishment.  Nobody ever gets fired for incompetence or illegal behavior.