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 Feds collect 32,000 pounds of food in June for donation
Is this just in the DC area? I am sure those of us in other parts of the country would like to help!
32,000 pounds -- from all of the feds in the area? That is like one ounce each -- that is truly pathetic -- and certainly not something to brag about.
On Contractors caught gaming the system avoid punishment
I've been saying this on this site for years. The Feds didn't do anything to stop other set asides, e.g. minority owned, women owned so why would anyone think that they would do anything about it now. Much about nothing. It's not about right, it's about smoke and mirrors and politics as usual. Gaming/abuse is rampant.
Perhaps a performance review system such as NSPS needs to be devised for contractors. All the well deserved interest on requirements to make employees preform seems to have omitted the largest source of government labor today. . . . contractors and the companies the hold the contracts. Current contractor bonus evaluation processes are ridiculously lax.
This is just another example of regulatory processes relying too heavily on trusting businesses to do the right thing and too little on oversight of the process by the government.
On National Guard border deployment begins Aug. 1
What about the Posse Commitus Rules when deploying National Guard Troops - they only have State Powers that have been specifically granted to them by the Governor of the State they are supporting and not Federal powers?
I agree there is a real need for help along the southern border but I am confused. The National Guard is helpful and CBP needs help so why is it that the United States Federal Government is suing the state of Arizona for passing a law to help with the issues of illegal immigrants after they have by passed into the United States. Why should the tax payers spend funds suing a state that clearly is trying to help with the illegal people in the country that is causing our country to falter to a third world country if we continue to move in the directions that we are going. Stand up Americans and fight for what our forefathers gave us.
We need a Korean DMZ type of border. Fences and mine fields covered by armed police and the military.
On Polling Station: Workplace Safety
Until 'violence in the workplace' is forced to be discontinued, the workplace will never be a 'safe' environment. There are some people who 'think' they have the 'right' to intentionally 'hit' someone because they did not get their way. Very childish!!! and this continues in the workplace.
Lets see the Unions will want seat belts on all the chairs to prevent people from falling off as they sleep
On USDA official resigns over racial comments
I listened to this tape twice and the decision to let her go just like anyone else should be let go.
We have to be mature enough to allow people who have done things out of prejudice in the past to be able to learn from their mistakes. Regardless of race, overt prejudice still exists and we need leaders who are willing to say they were wrong and want others to learn from their mistakes. We watched South Africa with their truth and reconcillation councils, are we unwilling to allow people of good will, regardless of race, to do any less?
Why in the world would an executive in the federal or private sectors ever, ever discuss issues such as this in a public forum? How stupid! Was it a confession which begged for forgiveness or action -- like removal?
A perfect example of the "speed of politics" where they rush to react NOT based on "the whole truth" but based on "how does this make us look on the evening news?" With a little bit of editing, anyone can produce a short clip that will make your neighborhood Rabbi sound much worse than Hitler. The sad part is that the NAACP slammed one of their own - a person who has probably done more for equality and civil rights than all of its current "leaders" put together...based on a short clip edited out of a speech that lasted more than a half hour. Makes one wonder how these people (the so called leaders) got to where they are when they lack the most basic skills to lead
Since she was making $113K, that was a pretty expensive blunder. Plus, she had just become a GS-15.
On Feds ordered to cut pollution from travel, commuting
What could this possibly mean other than cutting travel budgets? But why not just say so?
The current administration should be ordering all executive agencies, if the capacity exits, to allow your employees to telecomute. I was just told today, you are a servicing agency you need to be here. I can transfer my phone, I can access all systems via VPN. Sr. Leadership, let's get up to date on todays technology. This will help reduce emissions.
We at old, rural offices have repeatedly requested and would absolutely love to have our offices renovated to be heat efficient, so the heatpumps don't run constantly in winter and summer, or icecicles 10 feet long aren't hanging off the roof in the winter. But, where's the money coming from?
On Burning Question: What do you wish your boss did?
Retire.
Burning Answer: Quit and move far away.
On USDA offers Sherrod civil rights job
Oh well. I guess being a racist is OK for some.
I hope Ms. Sherrod is offered a GS-15 Step 10 position in GEORGIA. My advice to her is to stay away from the Washington D.C. area. Georgia is so much nicer. Good luck to her.
What was wrong with giving her her old job back? Its only been vacant for two days. She still has 43 days left to decide whether to file an EEO complaint. I hope that's the first thing she does when she comes back.
What a great lesson! Ms. Sherrod learned more about herself during the situation with the Spooners and ultimately overcame her prejudice. Shouldn't we all be growing in understanding and forgiveness?
On Supervisor training bill clears House subcommittee
No amount of training could help the idiot I call my supervisor. He's clueless about what needs to be done, plays favorites with the "suck ups" and yells at those who don't "suck up" that aren't appropriately sycophantic enough. As a long time fed, I'm embarrassed to say we have idiots like this that we pay tax dollars to pay 6 figure plus salaries. Now we're going to waste money trying to "train" these unsuitable monsters.
From the managers I've personally worked for at USDA, this would be a waste of money. The managers here seem to think they're little gods.
Wonderful idea. Something that many Federal agencies used to do--until the budget cuts got nasty. Any bets about whether our funding authority, Congress, bothers to fund the program?
Finally, Government managers will be something more than a recipient of a spoil within the feudal system. They will potentially need to attend a class that those they supervise will not be permitted to attend.
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