The Week in Comments: Disaster preparation and paying for performance
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 Is D.C. prepared for a tsunami?
In short. No. Modern society lives at the edge of the margin and puts off the cost of vital things until it's too late and way more expensive.
We are not prepared for snow showers, home ball game or even rush hour.
It is hard to understand how a city that is some distance removed from the ocean would have much to worry about from a tsunami. New York City, okay. The Jersey coast, absolutely. Washington, huh?
On White House officially begins government reorganization
Just reorganize into a parliamentary system so we can vote the entire bunch out.
What was the purpose of creating the Department Homeland Security? Since it's birth, I have seen no results, but there are billions of dollars being put into the Office. The department of Homeland Security needs to be the first on the chopping block, and then all thos redudant offices and positions within the Congress.
Lester, you are fortunate to not live in an area where you can see the good that Homeland Security does. Watch the news, there is a war going on in Mexico with the drug cartels and we are losing border patrol agents.
On Lawmaker seeks 10 percent pay cut for Congress, White House
I have a idea! Why don't we just freeze their pay until they get a budget signed? I am really getting tired of the CR to have a CR.
Why wait 2 years? Do it now. And also cut the travel costs. Why should the taxpayers pay for these folks to fly around the country and compaign. Stay in DC and do your job.
Have you people lost your mind? Please don't forget when discussing this "slash and burn" that federal employees salaries will, by law, be reduced as well. What did Federal employees do to get us into this mess? Nothing! And also please don't forget that members of Congress are all but two, millionaires. Their pay is but a token. Don't throw out the baby with the bath water when discussing massive, sweeping pay reforms - federal employees follow the policymakers. If we don't, we're out!
Really? Everyone is complaining about how the President makes less than actors and athletes? When did we lose sight of the fact that Congress and the President are elected to do a job, which is to support and protect our country and its people. Why are we making excuses for them when they are not doing the job that we elected them to do????
On Federal mentors dispense wisdom on YouTube
I'm sure they're great, if only my agency didn't block YouTube. I guess no personal improvement will be happening here.
I was with the Feds for 28 years (I've been retired for over 2 years)and found that being both a mentor and mentee were highly rewarding. The candor associated with both roles helped immensely with career growth.
On Defense outlines furlough policy
really? just have some military person do my job? i work with them - most have NO idea how to work in an office. hey, maybe if we have a shortage of military force you can just give me a gun and i'll work with the trained military in the field. same thing.
Members of Congress should be made to report to fill in during the furlough instead... I mean, since they are obviously not qualified to do their jobs in the legislature by passing the Budget. Let's give them something that CAN accomplish.
I say that Congress and the President should go without pay until further notice. As well as kickbacks and job benefits. No lunch accounts, trips on taxpayer dollars et cetera.
On House passes government funding bill for three more weeks
The budgetary process is broken, and needs a constitutional fix.
The behavior of these representatives is irresponsible and they should lose their job. Not only are the American citizens at stake, the world is watching. They obviously are inexperienced.
Why are we constantly getting extenstions? What has Congress been doing with OUR money? We should be compensated for all the stress we are constantly going through since after last year's elections. This is ridiculous. We go through this every year!
On Government would save billions by capping pay, CBO says
Gee, the federal government could save billions more if they fired half the civilians and military. But then, who would write all those silly reports that Congress keeps asking for. Maybe, if Congress made a thoughtful evaluatuion of what requirements and public laws are no longer necessary and revoked them, the federal government would naturally need fewer employees of both military and civilians.
Pay caps will save the Federal Government much more than estimated. The resulting mass exodus should prove that.
It will be interesting to see if the political parties take this CBO report into action when in fact they did not/won't believe that the health care bill saves $$ over a similar ten year period. We will see if they have selective memory and if the american public notices.
How about cutting military bases in and around the world? How about before sending money to foreign dictators (Egypt, Pakistan) we make sure our own house is in order? Lots of savings to be had there without hurting the Fed employee who puts his/her labor into the government.
The freeze in pay doesn't make much sense when you compare the costs associated with it, e.g., lower productivity from affected workers, to the benefit. The savings for the decade are 0.32857% of the deficit. Does anyone really think that saving 3/10 of 1 percent by freezing pay is worth it?
One more time. The way to cut billions is through better procurement. Why is this not being considered???
On OPM chief calls for new performance review system
Didn't we here all this before about NSPS? Why doesn't OPM work on making the current system work. Mandating that performance appraisals be rendered on time would be a good start.
When everything else you introduce fails, it's time to re-visit the performance appraisal process.
If Mr. Berry would remember that OPM is supposed to have a role as a regulator, he might also remember that OPM is the agency that encouraged every other agency to go off on the strange tangents they currently pursue. OPM has always had the authority to bring this under control.
On Labor leaders demand answers on agency shutdown plans
Labor leaders should not be demanding anything right now. They have no right to demand. Labor organizations is what got the federal government into the mess it's in in the first place. One only has to compare this mess with the mess GM was in for years. The unions ran up benefits for it's workers for decades until it all came crashing down. Unions don't care about anything buy greed.
When the Agency makes the rules doesn't follow the rules, how do you expect other Agency's to follow. OPM has provided any guidance to it's own employees. I asked a month ago and still have not been told a single thing regarding, what happens if there is a Government shutdown.
This is just another example of the union "sticking the needle in" just because they can. Everyone knows the government is not going to shut down, but they want to get their jabs in.
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