The Week in Comments: Long-term care, stormy weather and earmarks
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 OPM to launch long-term care insurance open season
Is this long term health care insurance through OPM a better deal than through other insurance companies?
Am I being discriminated against because I am no homosexual? I have had a 20+ year live in partner of the other sex, why can't I buy coverage for him?
Between the pay freeze, proposed furloughs, and increased health insurance and living expenses, how can anyone afford the additional expense of long-term insurance premiums now? I've already cut back my family budget, but there's no more "fat" to trim!
On Winner of cost-cutting contest meets Obama
I hate to be cynical, but what a joke.
I agree her idea saves money, but what about the other ideas submitted, you would think the top ten or more ideas would all be ways the government could save money. Why not implement the top ten ideas. To run such a big contest and only use one idea is a great waste of money and time.
How much money did the winner's suggestion save the taxpayers? Considering the size of the deficit, it probably won't make much of an impact, although it has symbolic value.
On Personnel agency tries to get out ahead of winter weather
This was a smart move on OPM's part. Luckily DC did not get hit so bad on 1 Feb 11, but it is expected to get bad on 2 Feb 11. Let's hope they also think of the employees on this date as well.
Is that the Global Warming Weather, Global Climate Change Weather or it's Winter dummy, it snows and rains in the winter.
It's unfortunate that those implementing the OPM telework option, interpret the language to mean that the employees must be certified as permanent rather than temporary teleworkers. So the action by OPM does not address the irregular storm telework, absent further guidance from OPM.
On Unions praise end of airport privatization program
Once again, TSA puts itself above the law. This is not a voluntary program on TSA's part, the privatization option is a core requirement of its authorizing legislation. TSA would not exist but for this provision.
Good for the TSA union! Now can we get "the big federal union" or somebody to at least lobby against the furlough for us?
Wow, going union means instant genius, who knew!
On Senators aim to stave off 3 percent tax withholding for contractors
Amazing a working private citizens we are required to provide withholding up from for federal and state income taxes, plus social security employment taxes, and FICA. These with holdings can exceed 30% of take home pay. But this is found to be acceptable, but task businesses to withhold 3% for business taxes is unacceptable?
If they don't want to prepay their tax like I do as a citizen then Congress should pass a law that government contracts are not awarded to any company that is not 100% current on their tax payments and immediately file tax liens on all companies that have not paid just like they would do to me as a citizen.
I think everyone on here is missing the point. This provision will cost more to implement than will be recovered in taxes. DoD says it will cost $17 billion just to implement this withholding. This is like spending a dollar to collect a dime. The most boneheaded provision I've seen in a long time.
This is not a new tax. This is an attempt to collect deliquent taxes. These businesses have already run up a bill of deliquent taxes. Most likely they owe payroll taxes. So they want the contracts but they can't figure out how to keep current with the taxes. Give the taxpayers a break. Make these busineeses pay what they owe, or let the IRS put them out of businesss. What did the business due with the tax money they collected from their employees? Why didn't they pay it over? In 2005 times were good they knew they owed, here it is 6 years later and they haven't paid up yet? Cut'em off until thay pay up! Do these Senators want to be identified supporting tax cheats? It is no wonder we can't get a balanced budget.
On Inouye: No earmarks for the next two years
Want to bet they just start calling their pork projects something other than earmarks?
This is political grandstanding at its best...not all earmarks are "bad" or a waste of Federal dollars. Many go to improving flood control projects for local communities, improving water and wastewater treatment plants, roadways, etc. Unfortunately, those who call for large reductions in Federal spending on infrastructure projects will finally see the fallout when their bridges/roads crumble (they already are), levees degenerate and water/wastewater treatment plants start going off line.
Based on my 33 years of federal service here is the only definition I can think of on what an earmark is: it is a project in someone else's Congressional District.
On For-profit college group sues GAO for 'professional malpractice'
As an educator, I once thought I'd like to teach part-time with some of these coalition member schools, but each time I went to talk to a dean or senior person there that had a Ph.D, they could bearly speake English to be understood. Maybe GAO is correct.
Why can't a single educational institution in America put a degree program's worth of classes on streaming video, couple this with qualified online tutoring and allow people to get a top-notch education for under $1000 per semester? If this is to ever occur, it would have to be done in the private sector. too bad they mostly seem interested in profit margins instead of sales volume. Wal-mart, where are you?
NEXT STORY: Punxsutawney Phil vs. NOAA