The Week in Comments: Costs of war, same-sex couples and immigration
The best in reader reaction to recent articles.
A roundup of some of the comments received this week in the GovExec.com Mailbag. All comments are presented in their original, unedited form.
On President seeks to rekindle Sept. 11 unity
He is getting close, 68% of Americans think he is doing a cruddy job in the Oval Office.
Obama wants unity ONLY when it suits his agenda.
Obama is such a divider...all he talks about is freedom to practice one's religious rights, helping others not as fortunate, protecting the environment and other such things. Doesn't he get it, we republicans only love ourselves and our own...and things we're already familiar with. Obama could unite us if he would just start listening to "faux news" and thinking like the rest of us "true Americans"!
On Postal Service consolidation uproots workers
The Postal Service should either go into bankruptcy so all union contracts will be voided and renegotiated, or it needs to be sold to UPS, or another corporation that knows how to make money in spite of unions.
Oh please! What's so special about these employees that they can't bite the bullet like the rest of us have? This sounds like the actions taken in a BRAC - take a new job or lose yours.
On Forward Observer: The True Cost Of Assassinations
The Forward Observer has gone blind. Did he miss the part about how we are not fighting conventional wars anymore? You would think he would have seen the precursor of that in his Vietnam reporting days. Islamic terrorism is by nature clandestine and violent -- and therefore fighting it requires methods that are clandestine and violent. Frankly, I would hope we are conducting it as the Forward Observer speculates. I would hope we would pull back from nation-building and redirect resources to this needed response in the new warfare. To the media pundits who have a problem with that: Sorry that the new war is distasteful to you. We didn't ask for it -- but we sure as hell should respond to it with overwhelming force in the manner that it must be fought. Sorry, FO - you aren't a FAC for this war.
Proponent of Irregular Warfare
I am in shock. How can George C. Wilson even be an American? He is blaming the war on Obama? George must be crazy. We didn't start the war, but as Americans we must finish it. Regardless if we are republicans or democrats. Let's put politics assign and support the President whoever he is or from whatever political party he or she is affiliated. Once we can do this, we can truly call ourselves Americans.
It would appear the Congress agrees that "Obama's authorized assassinations are indeed helping the common defense" because they continue to fund the wars.
The actions described don't sound like assassinations; they sound like military actions against enemies of our nation. How ironic that the most radical liberal President of all time should be blamed by other radical liberals for doiong the right thing. The leftie loonies must be in a real panic. Good.
On OPM extends federal leave without pay to same-sex couples
There is going to have to come to a time where we are going to have to stay focused on more important issues. Like better health care.
What has happened to the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act? After clearing committee votes in both the house and senate, no votes have been scheduled in either chamber.
We will pay for this someday and in not in a good way.
I'd like to learn how the heck extension of benefits to same-sex domestic partners is going to be policed? Does one or both people just sign an affidavit? And what about platonic same-sex roommates just wanting to share benefits?? Hard to prove fraud unless there are cameras in the bedroom. Go figure.
Legalize gay marriage and then this is a non-issue.
On Political and corporate influence threatens public health
This is no surprise. The purpose of regulatory agencies is to promote the businesses in the field that they are supposed to "regulate". If you look at all the cabinet head staff of the agencies you will find that all the major political appointees come directly from the alledgedly regulated industries. Once they complete their government sabbatical they will be returning to their true business careers.
I can't think of a more fundamentally important function of good government than to STRICTLY monitor the food supply. Ex-corporate food executives shouldn't be allowed to become federal managers for the FDA or USDA. A chicken in every pot and a federal inspector for every chicken, I say.
On Hiring reform makes headway
I'll stick with my question -- how is gathering less information on candidates going to help get higher quality candidates? Right now, we have to prove a preference eligible candidate isn't suitable. Using this system we won't have enough information to do so.
Double talk...agencies are making knee-jerk selections. They are not required to interview anyone on the BQ list. If their guy is on the list they can select him w/ out interviewing anyone. If there is a BQ list the agency should be required to interview everyone on the list in person.
On New rules aim to rein in Defense spending
Good luck on this one, "reduce bureaucracy."
Affordability is not a new contracting parameter for government (defense) purschasing. Cost as an Independent Variable (CAIV) was a widely used cost estimating equation factor in the mid-nineties.
On Senator will introduce immigration overhaul before election
I and my family are very much against letting illegal immigrants stay in the United States unless they come through legal channels. There should be no legislation to allow the illegal immigrants legal status. They are already illegal and so they have already broken the law at least once. We have the meqans for them to come legally, use that and that only!
Just a correction - the DREAM Act would NOT give citizenship to the undocumented students in this country. The process to obtain citizenship under the DREAM Act would take about 10 years or so. They have to go through temporary then permanent residency. Besides, why would you NOT want students with a degree to work in this country and therefore pay higher taxes? These are professionals ready to work and give back to the community.
While I agree that these HUMAN BEINGS are breaking the law, they are using our programs and all. However, think about it. If we give them the right to work legally then they will get off of these programs!!! They will also be paying taxes and paying into Social Security etc.
How about telling Mexico that we will allow zero (0) legal immigrants into our country until we make up for the 11 million who are here illegally. Only then will we again allow legal immigration from Mexico. Think that will get them to help close the border? (Mexico's army mans their southern border to keep the illegal aliens out of Mexico.)
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