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 Americans disagree on government role in wealth distribution
Of course roughly 70 % of Republicans don't believe the rich should pay more in taxes because they have been brain washed into believing that the trickle down effect works. I don't even know why 70% of Republicans even care if the rich are taxed becuase 69% of Republicans will never make enough money to qualify for the tax cuts anyway.
Class warfare again.. America was great because it allowed a guy like me who came poor family living in a 3 room house, to work my way through college (with no aid & graduating at 25) and to achieve an income of $100k through hard work & sacrifice. These entitlement mentalities of "you have so much, I have so little, give me yours" are destroying America. I say if you want a better life, work hard, pay taxes and be prepared to sacrifice.
Money plays, society pays. The rich control everything and there is no way the average person can do anything about it. We don't even have anyone close to normal running for office, they are all rich and want to keep it that way. That is what will ultimately ruin this country, unrestrained capitalism. The older name for this is greed
On Republicans challenge Obama guidance on labor agreements in contracts
It continually astounds me how blantant the GOP is willing to be about bashing American working families. In the Republican worldview, any arrangement that secures good pay and benefits for American citizens is cause for "partisan fireworks". When will the GOP realize Americans do NOT want to join in a "race to te bottom"?
They need to do away with this union gabbage it is unfair and just payback from Obama to his Union friends so when he is no longer in charge he has a job waiting for him. I don't belong to one never will since they have no use except to run honest working business's out of business and taking money from the people who do work hard and stuffing their pockets. How many times do you see the big shot's on the picket line and not getting paid when they say strike never you see the people who need the money walking the line and their familes doing without because some big shot in a suit says strike
I guess this administration needs more companies with unions so that he can make them exempt from obamacare.
On GOP report says private airport screeners can do more for less
It just so happens that the company that will provide the private screeners is in Mica's district and donates a hefty amount to his election campaign. DUH !
Taxpayers should be curious about how much Congressman Mica recieves from Wackinhut and other private security firms. The very profitable relationship these firms used to possess allowed airport security to be handled largely by low-waged non-citizens. Do we really want to return our airport security to a lower standard?
For all those nitwits posting here about 9-11, the problem was NOT the sector from where the guards came. It was oversight and contract compliance that was the problem. And gee, who would have been responsible for that ?? Gov't employees.
On GOP lawmakers unveil bill to reduce government workforce
Well, private contractor dollars used lobbying Darrell Issa and crew was money well-spent. With large profits at stake, was there any way that private industry would NOT try to grab tax dollars back from our brief period of "in-sourcing"? This is how it starts.
Soooo...it's better to cut people with absolutely no consideration of the work to be done or not done? So which congressional inquiry does an agency not respond to since it doesn't have the staff? What law does an agency just ignore as it doesn't have the staff to respond? Oh, now that it's summer, lets cut TSA staff and air traffic controllers during the busy travel/vacation season. Absolutely amazing!
SO is Congress reducing their staff's in DC and in their home districts? Is the President, Vice-President and First Lady cutting their staffs. Because that is where the cutting needs to start at the very top not in the workforce
What possible savings are gained with such a short-sighted, across the board sweep? Not everyone does the same job yet we are all being placed in the same "government employee" barrel. What efforts will be made simultaneously to absorb the would-have-been civil servants into the private workforce? I, too, am tired of being the Congress' "whipping girl"! I am tired of taking it on the chin while Congress continues to provide huge tax breaks and subsidies to the largest and wealthiest in the country. Contractors will give you less for more $$$. Look at our IT contractors and tell me this move was beneficial to the American people.
I believe this type of legislation illustrates the old saying "penny-wise, pound foolish." Everybody like the service the Federal Government provides, but this GOP-run legislative body doesn't want to pay for it. They will then complain when the Federal Government can't provide the services as well and efficiently as we do today.
On Report: Contractor waste in war zones could grow
This is where Congress needs to focus its efforts on cutting costs, not on reducing the Federal workforce. Quit funding construction in Afghanistan & Iraq, especially those that benefit no one except the construction contractor & the thieves that scavenge whatever they can from projects the local governments can't maintain.
They should fire everyone involved with this power plant. Once again politicians make clear they are the problem with America since it is they who had to vote on the funding for projects like this. I'm tired of politicians reaching in my pocket for money then spending it without expecting anything useful or good in return.
We don't need any more contractor waste overseas; we've got enough of it right here already.
On GOP targets automatic deductions of union dues
No one without need to know should have access to who and what I have paid electronically. So much for limited government. The GOP is such a joke, except that it is becoming scary. Big Brother is watching!! And the claim that this prohibition increases? our rights? is so Orwellian.
While it is true that "No employee can pay union dues without proactively approaching the union and submitting a form to their agency expressing their will to do so . . ." Mr. Dougan fails to also state that there is a very narrow window that unions allow their members to 'opt out' of the automatic dues withholding, and then only under certain conditions!
Good plan, now what about automatic deductions of health insurance?
On Nearly all agencies meet initial telework policy deadline
I don't know how it went at other agencies, but where I work it was not a problem meeting the deadline because they decide practically no one was eligible for telework #pleasesignhere
My manager said I and other federal support staff are not eligible based on we "Must be seen by staff". In fact, everything we do is web-based which can be accomplished from an alternate work-site, and we have web-cams set-up if we need to see staff face to face including transferring telephones. I think it is bias to federal employees when contractors are allowed to telework and their position is classified as support staff.
Until managers get on board and realize that telework does not create performance problems, it just reveals them, we will NEVER be able to telework. Most of the administrative/IT positions in DOI, BOR, BLM, etc are perfect for telework but NO you are not allowed.
This is only on paper and lip service, in the field Telework is not encourged and can even hurt one's perfromance review.
Got my 'no you can't' letter, actually two. First letter said my position couldn't be done from home then was amended to state that my job requires contact with the public, co-workers, and on and on. 90% of my day is spent in my office alone working on the computer. I use NetMeeting to help employees with computer or HR software problems and field trouble calls or inquiries even from my Service staff by telephone. I guess the first letter wouldn't stand up to a challenge/administrative appeal. National conference call yesterday stressed how to 'not' allow teleworking.
On Troop withdrawal could trigger economic depression in Afghanistan
10 years of expansive nation building in other countries has caused economic depression in America.
We're worried about a recession in Afghanistan? Are you kidding me? What was it like under the Taliban? What about the recession HERE?
Amazing, people that proclaim that the US Government cannot manage things in this country right, don't seem to have any problem nation building overseas. But since it is wrapped in military expenditures, I guess it is OK. Everybody in this country has to pay their own way, except war expenditures which are nicely funded through tax cuts. Nice to know that the cuts in federal pay and benefits, social security, and medicare are going to a help Afghanistan become a country just like us. Someday they will become wealthy and can afford tax cuts just like us.
Why is it would be necessary for the United States to stablize the ecomony of Afghanistan when we can't stabilize our own economy? Just leave for goodness sakes!
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