The Week in Comments: Gun safety, pay freezes and slackers and whiners
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 Insourcing isn't the only ingredient of workforce rebalancing
I'm not convinced that the discussion inside the agencies is the same discussion that Congress is having. Congress seems interested in making sure that policies are not crafted by contractors. I think the agencies are more focused on the shortage of 1102 series workers - contracting specialists. In general, 1102's don't create policies. Project and program managers make the critical decisions on many acquisitions. Technical specialists (engineers and other specialists) oversee services to ensure the public is receiving what is needed. I think the title of this article really helps explain the focus of the discussion. Good job.
It is funny that I did not hear the contractors lamenting when A-76 was instituted and federal jobs were being outsourced without any rhyme or reason, to meet pre-determined quotas. Agencies' lack of planning or courage leads to outsourcing.
I don't understand everything about A-76 that I should. While it is true that even when the CS wont the competition, they were stuck with what they bid, but if the scope was wrong and the contractor won the bid, they were free to go back and justify more people. I find it hard to believe that a contractor for Ft. Bragg was correct in bidding two dozen HVAC mechanics for 3000 buildings....CS won, but that was the nuber they were forced into. There was something in the RFP that determined that...so what efficiency is in not being able to do the "real" job compared to the scope of what was in the A-76 document??
The CIA can put another notch in their belt. They have proven yet again that their first interest is their own self-protection, not the safety of the American people. Sorry America.
This is what happens when you don't read from the approved script and tow the party line that everything is okay, the system works as designed. Unvarnished truth is not welcomed by the Spin cyclists in any White House.
On Defense bill aims to beef up health care for military personnel
We need workers to do this. The medical staff have been cut to extinction. It's great to expand services, but who will provide the support to do so.
Who's paying, I'll tell you who will be paying all the Retirees who keep hearing they get such a good deal and DOD is going broke funding Tri-Care so their premiums have to be raised. We can have medical teams deployed all over the world giving away medical and dental care to third world countries and keep paying for lazy bum students from DOD budget; but can not keep our promise of free lifetime medical care for retirees.
The worst part is taht while they are throwing money out for over age dependents, they are sacrificing the health care of the soldier. Those of us responsible for preventing disease in soldier and dependent alike have seen our budgets slashed to the bone. Pretty soon were going to have to start worring about cholera again if this keeps up.
I seriously question the statement in the bill that says "Tricare is already such a good program..." In my 12 years since retirement from 21 years active duty, the number of providers in my area has dwindled to almost none. I have no choice now, I am lucky to find a clinic that accepts Tricare. I would be willing to pay a reasonable increase in fees if it meant I would have more choices in my providers.
I have heard the mantra that free health care for life was offered in exchange for military service, or so the recruiters were alleged to have said. But can anyone actually produce a government published document of retirement benefits which made this promise? Everyone else suffers from the affects of inflation in their cost of living, why is the military exempt? I have gotten a lot of verbal promises from employers over the years but was learned later that if its not in writing then it is not a legal commitment.
On Alaska senator urges restraint on spill reaction
It's amazing the senator from Alaska is willing to risk another Exxon Valdez. It has been 20 years and they're still seeing the effects. The residents that were impacted by that disaster are still feeling the effects of that oil spill and still have not recovered (and look at how Exxon weaseled out on reparations!)
You're so right Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. Let's not "overreact" to the greatest manmade disaster ever perpetrated against Mother Nature! Too bad Sarah Palin wasn't in the background shouting "drill baby drill" while you made your cautionary announcement! Keep up the good work you and the republicans are doing in making sure no legislation is passed that would hold the oil, mining, financial, banking, insurance or pharmaceutical interests accountable for any of their actions. Why should these companies pay anything when taxpayers can be relied on to foot the whole bill!
Gosh congressman why haven't you forced Barak, Joe NOAA, FEMA to come to the hill to testify about handing this. Where is barak?? Oooops he's playing golf shooting hoops and eating wings in buffalo. This is what happens when unqualified people hold positions of power
BP should be fined one million dollars a day retroactively for the problem they cannot contain. On top of that, they should be required to REDUCE the cost of gasoline to the individual by two cents a day (also retroactively), every day, until the problem is taken care of. They need to be hard "hit in the pocketbook" over this horrendous blow-out. BP should also be required to pay entirely for the clean-up. Plus, they cannot raise the price of gasoline at the pump for at least one year after it reaches its lowest level. If something similar had been done when Exxon had its "spill", maybe, just maybe, the oil companies would be more conscience of the environmental impacts their "mistakes" have and would have found better ways to be able to immediately "cap" a blown well or seal a leak in a ship.
Aside from taking money away from the companies, what does the government have to fix the leak? Secretary of the Interior keeps saying they will push BP aside and take over if necessary, to what end? Is there some super secret military force ready to swim a mile deep and plug the hole? On the bight side, new regulations will be put into place to hopefully prevent a repeat but like so many laws, it takes a disaster to discover there are problems the think tank missed while playing "what if".
Why would an Alaskan senator seem to be forgetting the Exxon Valdez? Because Alaskans have become addicted to oil revenues. That's why folks in southern Louisiana don't want the EPA to crack down on oil and chemical company polluters. They are afraid of losing their jobs and tax revenues. However, when there is a disaster they expect the Feds to pay for the cleanup.
Why do we take risks? Because we (the market) demand so much oil. Here is the perfect opportunity to gain funds for research of alternate energies. Additional fine should be levied on BP and any other oil company that does not practice responsible business practice to create their competition. If they can't practice safe practices they should pay to find those that can.
On Judiciary chairman holds up Senate telework bill
The commenters are missing the point - if you do not telework, you must commute, right? Under telework, nobody is being asked to take a paycut to factor in the savings of not commuting. So why on earth would these employees, if they must commute occasionally to the office believe that they are entitled to reimbursement for mileage?
What some readers are missing is that there are some super-teleworkers who take the opportunity to move far away and then fly to their assigned office as needed. Reasons vary, including folks who move to where they want to retire, others move for medical reasons but keep their same job, and sometimes workers are stranded when the *office* relocates and they are so valuable that they're allowed to continue living/working where they had been. As I understand it, the PTO has an environment that supports "extreme" teleworkers and employees are permitted to work from "wherever." So the proposed amendment gets thorny - what is to be considered a commute? Yes, the PTO is supported from fees, but they also have a huge backlog. Is paying for plane flights the best use of PTO fee money, or should they hire more employees?
On TSA viewed as 'profiling' in new screening program
Profiling has gotten a bad reputation due to political correctness. It has been effective in the past, and still remains a valid law enforcement tool. Customs has used it for years, to focus enforcement efforts on those who are more likely to be smuggling contraband into or out of the United States (and no, race isn't one of the factors).
The Times Square bomber fit the profile for a terrorist, and should have been caught earlier, but wasn't, due to intelligence failures and political correctness.
Is a cashier racial profiling when they ask a 20 year old for ID when purchasing tobacco???? Or are they just being smart about their job and the safty of minors?
Political correctness is hampering our freedom of expresssion, being used as an excuse and a crutch by anyone that feels insulted or offended,and is dangerously tying the hands of law enforcement. In order to stop and catch terrorists, especially Islamic terrorists, we must forget about political correctness and use all necessary tools to include profiling and targeting. If some sensitive people feel offended in the process...so be it. The proper use of profiling will keep us all much more secure.
Behavior is not always the determinant for profiling a possible terrorist. People who are nervous about flying will always look jittery. Does that mean that person is a terrorist? How about the person who looks and acts as "cool as a cucumber"? That one could easily be the terrorist. I have flown a lot since 2001 and it angers me to see wheelchair-bound 80 and 90 year olds being physically pulled out of their chairs so that the chair can be "wanded". In the meantime, very Arabic men in Arabic clothing looking very smug are allowed to pass without a second look. "Political correctness" is one of the worst things that our government has foisted on the people of this country. Have I had my suitcases searched? You bet I have. I'm fair-skinned, a redhead, and a senior citizen - and my American ancestary goes back to before the American Revolution. I personally get upset when the searchers have broken items (or stolen them) in my suitcase such as a Christmas gift my grandchildren gave to me. Trying to file a claim was a joke.
I think that people need to stop mixing up 'profiling' with racial profiling. Like many here have said, looking for behavioral cues is not the same as harrassing all the brown people. Where are they coming from/going to, how are they acting, how are they dressed, how do they answer questions, is their story consistant, etc. That's profiling and none of it is based on race.
On Report: Gun accidentally fired in Energy Department training session
There is NEVER a reason for accidental discharge of a firearm by "professionals". They are making excuses for dereliction of duty. He just got lucky that nobody was hurt of worse.
There is no excuse for not knowing whether a gun is loaded or not. First, you have to assume that all guns are loaded which means you NEVER put your finger on the trigger unless you are sighted in on your intended target and are ready to destroy that target. As a side note, the gun did NOT "accidently fire". It did exactly what it was intented to do - discharge when the trigger is pulled. The gun makes no value judgement on the mental capacity of the person holding the weapon!
Perhaps the selection of a Dept. of Energy classroom was not the wisest decision. If yo are contracting the class. why not contract the facility as well and conduct the class in a safer environment, oh say, a gun range. What a concept.
The GUN accidentaly fired? Blaming the discharge of the weapon is like blaming our energy crisis on the oil wells.
True there is no place for stupidity during weapons training however, would this incident have carried the same inpact if the instructor had allowed the student to use his/her personnal vehicle, the student crashed the car but noboby was injured? Weapons and cars are not in themselves dangerous, only the operators can be.
On President pushes for new authority to nix unnecessary spending
Funny how Obama voted against the line item veto as Senator. Pure politics. Thats why you cant trust politicians. They say one thing, do another, and say something opposite the next day and spin spin spin. How's that hope and change working for you? Especially that 10% that cant find a job anywhere!
This is nothing new, it's just the line item veto under a different name.
I totally support such authority. It would place authority and accountability in one person who could be held accountable.
Why should teh President be required to approved 10 million in spending to study the mating habits of white rats in order to get our troops adequate equipment?
If this would require only a simple majority of The Senate to approve spending deletions, rather than the the 60 votes required to end debate on the original appropriation bill, it won't pass Constitutional muster. Even if that's not the case, it will only make Congress look (more) ridiculous...like they got their collective hand caught in the cookie jar.
It's still a line item veto, which has always been sought by the Executive Branch but ruled by the Judicial Branch to be an infringement of the powers given to the Legislative Branch. Of course the current Executive Branch couldn't care less what the Constitution says.
On Burning Question: Does pot help PTSD?
As soon as Phiser can turn a buck selling POT it will be avalible till then the crooks and cronies in Washington will keep one of the natural wonder drugs under wraps. This could replace all mild pain relievers thats a few million dollars removed from industrial profit. We need to re-look this stuff the days of brainwashing the public (1950) against this so called (EVIL) is long behind us. This has been around for millions of years found in ancient animals stomachs and used by thousands of tribal folks all over the world from medicine to recreational even today. We do really need to look at this and keep the greedy phamacutical industry out of the picture while you do your work FDA.
I would think anything that numbs the senses would help PTSD, isn't that the point of prescribing anti-depression medications? My burning question is how much have we wasted in criminilizing a plant since the Reagan era. That's when I remember it becoming an issue in the military and federal employees.
Like, wow dude. It never helped me. Just made me snack more, get fat and drink more because of the depression of being fat. Get a grip.
I don't know if pot helps PTSD but it sure can't hurt.
If the claims were true all pot smokers would be the walking picture of health!
On White House and Pentagon clear way for repeal of military ban on gays
This isn't about protecting the United States of America which is the entire reason for the DoD's existence. This is about politic's, social agenda's, and the continued assualt on decency by the liberal left who want everyone in America to be legislated into accepting thier unacceptable choices. This is about the erosion of leadership at the national level that fear taking a stand for what one can only hope they know is right and decent, just so they don't lose some votes and become unpopular enough to have to give up their silver spoons and prestige of being Senator so-and-so or Representative Muckity Muck.
I would advise the so-called leaders in D.C. to study their scriptures (Genesis 19 and Leviticus 18).
I'm not sure what my good pal Dan K. would say but this fella is on to something; "I would advise the so-called leaders in D.C. to study their scriptures (Genesis 19 and Leviticus 18)." Let's not forget Leviticus 11 - No more bacon or lobster for you. Locusts are ok though. Or Lev. 19 - no gossiping or selling your daughter. Or Lev. 20 - death to all adulterers ... by stoning no less. Or Lev. 21 - no disabled in the temple thank you very much. Or Lev. 24 - No blaspeming the Lord or, you guessed it, stoning! Or Lev. 26 - If you don't like what I'm saying your life will be a living hell.
Good ol' Leviticus - he was such a thoughtful fella. Just like my pal Dan K.
Our government is treating this as just another occupation being prejudice of homosexuals but the reality is that this has nothing to do with being prejudice. Here are the facts; most people would not like showering with the same sex who finds them sexually appealing. I don't doubt that homosexuals are unable to perform their duties in the military, however what our government needs to look at is how this affects the rest, 99.5% of Soldiers' who are not homosexual.
On Report finds interagency contracts rife with inefficiencies
This report is just one of a litany of reports finding inefficiencies with inter-agency contracting. Until contracting professionals are incentivezed differently than they are today, though, this situation will continue. If you're promoted and receives awards for putting in new contracts, this is outcome you get. Beefing up OMB's ability to winnow out duplicative programs is important, but secondary, to this point. GAO should have taken the opportunity to comment on the need to drive different CO behaviors. It is disappointing that they gave us only more of the same.
Good article! Myself and several others here at the GSA have been saying this stuff for the past 4 years but told to keep our mouths shut!
And this will only get better with the increase in the number of new offices created by each President to manage some goofy program already receiving oversite by an existing entity. Expanding the government is going to expand the problems.
On MMS employees in Louisiana admit accepting gifts from oil and gas companies
Seems like the ethics of this country has gone to "pot." The unethical behavior of these employees is disgusting, but even more disturbing is the fact that all employees have supervisors, where are these supervisors and managers? I just can't believe that the government is full of so many inept supervisors. I say fire the employees and their supervisors without any benefits. Why should the taxpayers of this country support these criminals any further?
This is so freakin' ugly it makes me sick. Eleven (11) people lost their lives when the BP leased rig went up in smoke. The environmental impact appears to be catastrophic. These MMS imbeciles need to be held accountable for their actions. Resigning? Not good enough. Ramp up the investigation with the goal of put some fannies in jail. Their violation of the public trust has literally killed people and compromised a fragile ecosystem. The Chosen One better come down hard on these jokers. They have destroyed peoples lives and justice needs to be served. We can all agree on that. End of story.
Were these employees worker bees or managers? Civil servants or political hires? What were their grades?
I don't understand what difference it makes if these individuals were "worker" bees or managers. They should be fired!!
On Senate passes telework bill
Meaningless. The text of the bill makes no substantive change to the existing telework direction from Congress. Unless/until telework is mandatory, things will never change.
I have a fairly long commute to work each day so the opportunity to telework at least part-time has been and remains much anticipated. If this bill does become law, I have serious doubts that it will be implemented at the rank and file level at my agency before I retire in the year 2020.
Will this new law make every single employee able to work in a telework/flexiplace manner? Or will it be a "privilege" that management can give out and take away? If you can perform the duties in a cubicle, you can perform them at home. We have the technology to allow it. It should NOT be something that you can dangle in front of people, then take away from them. Either permit or don't. We are not children.
Telework is a great step forward. However, if I still have to rent space for you while you are working at home I'm not saving much money. I need to be able to tell frequent teleworkers they will share desks while in the ofice or work from mobile stations. Then we can really reduce the federal footprint and get serious about savings.
This is ridiculous. Employers in the private sector don't allow this. Neither do their government customers. When there's a blizzard, hurricane, or sewage leak the contractors are the only ones working on the entire base! We have kids too you know.
On Senator questions cost of senior executives' education
It costs a lot, and then, after we pay to train them, they leave the agency "to go somewhere better." It is a real dilemma. Another thought to consider: "If you can take four straight weeks out of the office for training, then your job is probably unnecessary . . . "
Sure it seems outragious... and it probably is, but if they receive 12 credit for this 4 week course, that must mean it's a pretty intensive course. 12 credits of graduate education can pretty easily cost you 18k, if not more. I'm not saying it's necessarily worth the money, but you can't just look at it as if it's "one month at a university." If that were the case than summer semesters would surely be a lot cheaper!
This is ridiculous spending. Employees at the lower level of the ladder should be getting training dollars to better themselves and their service to their country. Executive Leaders should already have those skills, otherwise why are they in the positions they have? And the classes indicated in this article sounds like it is a 'good ole boy's club reunion.'
This is so very true. I got all my degrees going to school at nights and weekends at my own expense. Started at a GS-2 and know money for me. That did not stop me; however when I applied for an SES position, the comments made was "no education from OPM executive schools". Can you imagine. I was HQ but that kept me down. The bottom line is that get your basic education, get all the boxes checked and then have the gov't educate you. Instead I was working in a office that I was bringing up and could not attend the executive schools. That went against me. It is all about who you know and who wants to educate you to get that job!! They make it work to their advantage.
While I was at the IRS, our top managers spent around 90% to 95% of the training dollars on themselves then lamented on no money when the rank and file employees couldn't get any job related training. They had spent it all on themselves for their promotions. I had all 5's on my evaluations but was considered unpromotable but the managers couldn't tell me why.
On Senators suggest a federal pay freeze to help fund wars
Maybe they should start by collecting back taxes that congressman sentors owe first government employees pay theirs and get nasty letters threating their jobs and congressman and sentors for some reason don't get letters and claim they didn't know they owed money
I remember a federal pay freeze during the Reagan Administration in the 1980s, in which federal employees received no COLA one year, to help reduce the federal deficit. As a patriotic American, I'm all for helping my country, but feel that everyone should help out, not just federal employees. Everything in the federal budget should be reviewed to identify waste and find savings, and they should start with Congressional pork, and foreign aid.
I am Ok with the freeze as long as they add one zero(0) to the $100 million figure they expect to save from the members of Congress or $1 billion! There are around 537 members of Congress, a $100 million is less than $200,000 each - that might cover their franking priviledges; but $1 billion would mean $2 million each..."now we are talking real money."
I guess this makes sense to the millionare club on the Hill. Doesn't hit their bottom line. Ever since unemployment went ballistic due to this admin's mishandling of the economy, the feds have been attacked as "do nothing" loads. Well as an Engineer Scientist in R&D, I find this insulting and business as usual by these idiots, so I really believe in voting out both sides of the aisle and starting over.
This does not hurt the fatcats in DC but it would hurt those of us with average pay. This notion that federal workers are overpaid is contrived to further erode our benefits. The good senator can take a little hit on his pay, his sugar mama has all the dough. Go tax the deca-millionaires.
I'm all for cutting govt expenditures, inlcuding the never ending wars. Bring all of our troops home from all around the globe. Total waste of lives & money.
John McCain cannot do the math to arrive at the number of houses he owns. What makes him think he can calculate billions of dollars worth of budget savings?
i tend to agree with a lot of what our good old GOP says/does. as a federal employee, i find i am in the minority in my support of them. however, i disagree with the need for a federal salary freeze. obviously, that is selfish of me, but i have said it before and will say it again: the financial crisis is not our fault and when billions are flushed down the drain to help the selfish that put us in this position, i don't feel the need to "do my part". i spoke out vehemently on this board last year when we got our paltry increase from obama, and i will be just as vocal now. what i better not see is all of those people who came ot obama's defense and said they would gladly give up any increase to do their part. let's see if you were supporting the cause or supporting the man. now the GOP is suggesting essentially what obama wanted. will everyone be just as supportive of this initiative?
How "to help pay for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq"? Two words: WAR BONDS.
I would not mind you freezing my pay if you could also freeze my expenses. As an Americian citizen I do not understand why we're in these wars. I thought the President stated troops were going to be downsized and withdrawn from Iraq. We can't save the world, Viet Nam prooved that and now Iraq. How many more service people have to die before you Congressmen get your thumb out of your hiney??
On Burning Question: What are the worst types of co-workers?
Slacker, no contest.
None of the above. Control freaks are the worst.
Congressmen & senators?
Whiners...are one of the worst, they do nothing but snivel, complain and tell you what/why they can't do. Just what the hell do they think they're being for...their good looks?!! If this were the case, their salaries would then be commensurate on their meanly selfish, self-seeking, and mercenary behavorial patterns.
NEXT STORY: Senator on MMS: Don't Split It, Abolish It