The Week in Comments: Small businesses, health care 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 USPS ends year with $6 billion loss
There comes a time in everything we do when you just simply need to give up the ghost. I think the USPS has reached that point.
Every year it is reported that the postal service loses money - if this is the case, why are 800 postal service executives allowed to pay absolutely nothing for their health care premiums? We are not getting our money's worth.
you know, we are advancing ourselves right out of the workforce. Yes advancement is good to a certain extent, but when you keep putting people out of work and go more automated, of course they have to put prices up, to make up for their losses. Uh, people using the computer to pay bills,etc. Personally, I pay my bills by mail. The government better find ways for those that no longer have jobs, to be able to draw "permanent" unemployment.
On SBA finalizes women's small business contracting program
Whatever happened to the principle of "equal" opportunity and the standard of "All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex or national origin"? Reverse discrimination and anything other than merit-based rewards are bad and wrong for ANY organization - especially the government. That is why highly politicized lies such as the wage gap and glass-ceiling myths are especially nefarious.
If you are not running a small business, you may not realize that this may be the ONLY way to have some equality in Federal contracting for woman-owned small businesses. If you are not a large contracting agency, practically the only way to get a contract with the government is to grab the coattails of a larger agency. This allows those of us who are qualified but small to land some of these contracts. Small does not mean incapable. In fact, sometimes we are significantly more capable than the large firms, but cannot get recognized. This allows us visibility. It's a good thing.
Very pleased to read about this program and excited that this may be a way for my (very) small, women-owned, veteran-owned business to finally break into govt contracting! Many of the other posts seem to be written by people who are in the majority and simply have NO idea of the automatic privileges that go along with that group (and frustrating DISadvantages that go along with being in the minority group!). My business is NOT looking for a handout, just a hand up, and I hope this program will give us more access.
On Solar panels to be installed at White House
If solar energy were economically viable, Congress wouldn't need to "incentivize" it. Citizens would already be spending their own money free of gov't subsidy to obtain solar energy.
Has anyone priced these things? I would have to live in my house for 30 years to make my money back.
Solar panels don't take 30 years to pay for themselves, right now they take 12, six years with incentives. And they can last more than 40 years, thats 34 years of free electricity. Why incentives? Because there is a gap in the market drivers for solar panels. We don't pay for electricity the same way we pay for solar panels. A new electric plant doesn't pay for itself in 12 years.
If the sun were in its red giant stage, the installed solar panels would actually produce enough energy to make it a wise economic decision. But that won't be for at least 3 billion years and space warming wouldn't be high on anyone's agenda then.
On FEHBP database raises privacy concerns
The government is relying alot on computers and maybe some risky employees.
Hey! Way to go! Just like the Government to create a database with all employees PII on it and make it available to anyone with a computer to access! Doesn't anyone have any good sense anymore?
No way, stop this, don't let it happen.
Just what we need, another data base for criminals to hack in to. Count me out ! I am sure congress members, the president etc. won't have their data exposed to crooks.
On Unions to managers: Give employees a bigger voice in decisions
The unions don't want the employees to engage in pre-decisional involvement. They have collective bargaining authority for the employees. I tried to get worker buy-in and inputs for better decision making once, paid for it with a ULP and arbitration. The unions want to have more authority on shaping the managerial decisions ahead of time that is all. Bottom line: another power grab attempt by the unionites.
As a supervisor, I'm all about asking for input from employees on appropriate matters/issues. Unfortunately, those above me don't necessarily feel the same way. I'm thinking they don't have time to ask for input, as they're too busy micro-managing everything. Speed of Trust!
Interesting concept, but it seems to me the managers are the real benefactors of this process. In a democracy we can hold the elected leaders responsible for failures, but managers are not elected - failure in these circumstances would seem to fall to the workforce making the decisions.
On Clapper: Obama has 'great angst' about leaks
As long as we have politicians that spend more time worrying about how things are percieved, rather than what needs to be done, information is going to be provided to people with no real need to know other than to evaluate the political consequences of any action. People that leak need to be punished severely and security, taken seriously.
Security is often a joke. As long as the government classifies things that could make a joke out of a policy or an official people will leak. If security is not worthwhile it will not be taken seriously. It impossible to cover up a screw up. Sunshine is great for corruption.
President is very much in his right show and express "angst." Simple solution...identify those that have violated and compromised our nations security and fire them! Then they won't have the opportunity to blabbbb!
On ICE sets record for deporting illegal immigrants
Alright! About time we started working on better securing our borders. Now let's get the illegal aliens off of the streets, too. Not just out of our jails. The police, local communities and others that are trying to block ICE need to but out and take the same steps AZ has. yeah AZ for stepping up and working harder at securing their border.
Most immigrants (especially illegals) from any country come to the U.S. because economic opportunities are not available in their countries. Even a number of Americans go abroad to work for the same reason. Creating jobs deep inside Mexico and Central America, not just on the border, would be a step in the right direction. As for the policy in AZ, the President has rightly stated that illegal immigration enforcement is under the juridiction of the federal government, not the states; this is why he's opposed to the AZ law, not because of what it's trying to accomplish.
This is really great news! Way to go ICE!! I know just a few years ago a local sheriff would call immigration authorities when he caught illegals. Authorities never came to get them, so he had no recourse but to eventually let them loose. I am so glad to see ICE getting the funding and manpower needed to protect our country from this illegal activity...one of the biggest current threats to our culture, our resources and our citizens.
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