The Week in Comments: Hiring veterans, hiring announcements and a possible hiring freeze
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 GOP senators vow to block consumer bureau nominee
Given as both Houses of Congress were owned by the Democratic party prior to November 2010, I can understand the change of heart about how this program is operated. I think the Republicans better err on the side of the consumer rather than banks if they want to keep their jobs in 2012.
So - there's a hiring freeze but now the Prez wants to hire more "czars" - guess we all have to "do more with less"; "do more without more" just so the government can afford these czars. What is the sense in this?
I am a conservative and generally favor Republican positions. However, the Republicans need to get on the right side of this issue, the people's side. "Protect the people" with an advisory board my rear end. There needs to be more 'consumer protection" that- will protect the people. There is too much big bank and special interest lobbist influence now. Lier loans, credit default instruments, etc. Do they think the people are stupid. These people with their crony capitalism hose us (we the people) all the time and we have few effective remedies to pursue. The Courts are only open to those with large checkbooks not to the average consumer. If there are flaws in the legislation fix them but don't sell out to special interest.
On Senators seek cost-of-living raise for disabled vets
How about the rest of us vets. Stop playing politics with the veterans! Just because I was fortunate enough to not be classified as disabled, doesn't mean that I don't deserve COLA as well. Also there are ALOT of vets out there that have a disability rating that don't deserve it at all. It's terrible that vets will take disability benifits from others who deserve it. I refused to play that game and NOT take disability from our government.
I hope this passes. The disability compensation, even at 80-100%, really doesn't cover the basic needs for our disabled veterans. They deserve better than this.
The vitriol directed at our veterans here is illuminating. If America doesn't want to take care of it's veterans, stop making so many of them. I'm a disabled vet getting by on less than $1,000 per month. I'm unable to work due to my injuries even if jobs were available. The impression I get is "A grateful nation thanks you for your faithful service. Now crawl behind a dumpster and die". When the price of boats and Beemers go down it offsets the increase in the price of gas and groceries, hence no cost of living increase. And yes, I do get lousy medical care "free" if you discount the price I paid while serving my country.
On Lawmaker proposes federal hiring freeze
Just another ploy to increase the contractor pool.
Because productivity will absolutely be jump-started by communicating to Federal employees and managers that efforts to clear out poor or marginal performers will be rewarded with: nothing?
God forbid the government should be allowed to hire people when unemployment is 9%.
Oh how horrible! This is truly tragic! Now how are managers going to be able to hire their family and friends into government positions above truly qualified candidates? How can they continue to run our govermnet agencies like family businesses?
On Fear that U.S. can grab nuclear arsenal heightens Pakistani anger
It is clear to most people that the Pakistani government activily helped and hid Bin Laden for years. I say cut off their aid!
If America was after the arms, we would've gone after both targets at the same time. This is posturing because they were either supporting Bin Laden or neglecting the issue. America needs to reinforce its policy on terrorism and quite frankly Pakistan is violating it by harboring so many terrorists. While Americans are tired of these wars, if its not over then its not over.
On Federal job announcements need to be shorter and sweeter
Why worry about this at all. If the right has their way we won't EVER be hiring again.
The system, ASSESS, is in the pilot phase...PLEASE tell me they couldn't have come up with a better acronym! This will surly be the butt of many jokes!
The hiring procss is still a mess. It's not about how long it takes to hire (so much), as it is about the volumes of paperwork & terrible software packages used for hiring. Ridiculous.
I may be alone in this, but I've never read a job posting and thought, "Boy I wish they gave me LESS information about the job." Organization is a different matter. Most federal openings are simply poorly organized. What would be nice is if they were more clear about prefering internal candidates.
On House speaker calls for spending cuts equal to rise in debt limit
So, it's irresponsible to reduce the debt ceiling by paying down the principle? Boy has my bank got it all wrong.
Boehner can have his wish if we raise taxes (import taxes included) to equal the increase in the debt ceiling. Everyone with a little common sense realizes by now that a dollar not earned is the same as a dollar spent.
On TRICARE fee hike likely for military retirees, say former Pentagon officials
After 20 years of service...(supposed to have FREE health care, dental, optical)....have 0.0 FREE anything. Billary took lots of it, so now the new talking heads in DC want to make us pay more. It is so nice knowing our Federal government cares so much about it's military.
Why don't you just say it like it is...the DoD doesn't appreciate the sacrifices of its Veterans enough to keep its promises. The DoD only cares about what it can acquire down the road and its Veterans, well, out of sight, out of mind. Pathetic, truly pathetic! If the Feds really cared about cost savings, they'd fix the damn borders and curb this illegal immigration issue once and for all!!!
This is a timely disussion which needs to occur if the country will survive. I note that the military is not being criticized nearly as much as how federal workers were, prior to taking away resources form them. I suppose the politicians required more robust cognitive dissonance when it comes to non-military. However, in the end, the same outcome prevails.
On Senators seek to ease hiring of veterans
A key phrase here is "the jobs that match their skill sets." Vets deserve the jobs, but taxpayers deserve someone who actually knows the job as well.
I am all for hiring top caliber Vets (qualified not brother-in-lawed or good-ole-boys). However, to more or less guarentee a job for these Vets is questionable. While we hear complaints about the government is too big and an aging workforce - we turn around and want to offer priorty placement to an equally aging workforce(?)
I am a disabled veteran - there are already procedures (and have been for years) in place to give veterans priority. This is just "eye candy" for senate lawmakers - they obviously do not know about the already in place procedures or worse - they DO know and just want the unknowing public to think they are doing something new and innovative. Shame!