The Week in Comments: The near-shutdown, training and drug cartels
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 Done deal: Congress, White House keep government open
It would be wonderful for me and my family. I am not one of those Government employees that make 100,000.00 + like so many I know. I live from paycheck to paycheck and a furlough would cause me to get so far behind, I would never see the surface again. I pray that our Government comes to an agreement...or...maybe our President can pay my bills?????
Aw man, I wanted a week off. When election time comes, federal employees everywhere will remember. Republicans & Tea Party watch out, we the federal employees will vote you OUT! Boehner your time is near, you are out!!!! It wasn't Obama, it was YOU!!
To balance the federal budget, lawmakers attacked federal workers and women. I don't see that as something attractive to my vote or something that will make any real dents in the federal budget.
On Legislation would reorganize Federal Acquisition Institute
Can't dictate policy if you don't have the direct line to do so, that's how the Department of Education works.
As an acquisition professional, I think this is a good thing. Acquisition is tricky - you can go to jail if you do something wrong. Standardization of training and increased scrutiny is a good thing.
On Drug cartels seek to exploit corrupt federal agents
Corruption is the symptom of a falling nation: when loyalty is not to one's nation, nor to God, but only to self.
Maybe the way to curb this type of activity is to do what they do in Mexico. Put them in front of a firing squad. Why should we pay for their keep for the rest of their lives? make the punishment severe and maybe they would think twice about being caught.
All the more reason to step up training and keep it up throughout the career of border agents. Money talks and this administration wants open borders. As long as this happens, federal agents will continue to offerred bribes.
On Lawmaker proposes extending probation for new federal employees
The current system gives them three years to fire you without cause, are we going to make it 6 years now?
I agree with increasing the probationary period for new employees and employees hired in new positions. One year is not sufficient to assess the employee or to properly train an employee in a new position.
I'd like to see Congress put on the Pay for Performance because they cannot pass a budget on time every year!
On White House launches major effort to support military families
The timing of this 'major effort', less than a week after the announcement of the start of Obama's re-election campaign, leads one to believe that it will quietly die soon after November 2012.
Glad to see the White House looking out for the troops.
On Federal performance officers stretched too thin, study says
32 years of government serive, including military time and I have never once met a PIO within DoD.
PIOs just set up useless measures that don't have anything to do with improving processes. It's a lot of nonsense.
If somebody would just monitor, discipline and remove the bad MANAGERS, huge progress would be made.
On Bill would boost federal manager training
More manager training? Right now they are the only people getting any training at all in my agency! What about staff training - anyone remember us?
This will only work if it causes bad managers to shake in their boots. There must be consequences for bad management, including losing management assignments.
New supervisors are already learning from experienced managers.
On Bill to force firing of seriously tax delinquent feds and contractors advances
So Congress can get away with not paying taxes for 10 years and not be fired but other federal employees can be fired. Sounds like a double standard to me. Also a one year probation is already too long. Most corporations have a 90 days policy then you are permanent.
This should apply to members of Congress as well - rest assured, it WON'T!
hoorah! this is a "no brainer" to me. It IS a privilege, honor and responsibility to work for the United States' government.
On President issues call for 'leaner' government
How about bringing all that foreign manufactoring back home. Seems free trade is when many of our problems started.
I am a government employee and i certainly appreciate the president and this administration making federal employee benefits and pay a target for reducing the nations debt. Why not just eliminate the suspense and eliminate federal employees all together and contract it out. Its more effective, right....
Before you cut jobs you need to determine what service you are going to provide and the actual number of people needed to provide it. More with less just makes those who are left to do the work overburdened, underappreciated, and ready to call it quits!
Instead of looking at the federal employee salaries for a cut in the budget or any other small hanging fruit, start asking us and giving us protection so we can tell you the waste we see. Federal employees can tell you, but our management of politicians would not like it exposed for their own selfish reasons. I am a federal employee and a tax payer and it kills me to see it.
So... does this mean that they will look into why American taxpayers are responsible for funding the defense of all NATO countries?
NEXT STORY: President of the Civil Service