The Week in Comments: Playing favorites, and FAA furloughs
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 Senator moves to end minting of largely ignored presidential coins
Good idea. Please add the lowly penny to the bill as another coin to be discontinued. Since the half penny was discontinued about 110 years ago, the value of the penny has dropped to about 4% of what it was worth then. Thirty years ago on an overseas military base we had a penny shortage for a number of weeks and just rounded the sale total to the nearest five cents. It worked just fine.
They should just stop printing the $1 bill so the coins actually go into circulation.
Next stop making $100 bills and start printing $5000 ones . With barak;s deficit you'll need them to buy a loaf of bread
On Merit board wants to know if favoritism is fading
An accurate answer can be found in the perrsonel records database. Search and compare pay plan/grade/step to education level, training, length of service in the selected career field, sick leave balance/length of service ratio, military service length/rank/MOS, age, sex, and ethnicity, military veteran. This qurey will show "just the facts mma'am" not just clouded perceptions.
As a former supervisor, did I practice favoritism? You bet. I favored those employees who worked hard, met their suspenses and did quality work. I suspect that many people who claim their supervisors practice favoritism do not fit this profile.
Its not what you know in getting a job its who you know. No one can tell me anything different. We are treated like robots. When you mention about wanting to learn something else within the agency its overlooked. When you have leave on the books they don't want you take it. Everything that was a perk wanting to work for the government is not all that perky anymore.
MSPB could get a much better understanding of this issue by simply implementing a true 360 degree evaluation system. Make 5 to 10% of all supervisory and management evaluations dependent on input from employees who serve under them. Collecting the information would at least provide indicators for problem supervisors organizations.
I don't know if favoritism is widespread. I think it's like poor performers. There may not be a lot of it, but everybody knows who's getting away with it.
It happens everyday at almost every level. I most definitely will agree with most of those that posted here. The question is when will it change? What will it take? How much longer?
On Obama certifies 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal won't harm readiness
How would he know? He has been anti-military all of his career and continues to be so. That is why Leon Panetta is the SECDEF instead of Patraeus.
Long ago the younger generations came to terms with straight and gay; this is only an issue for the older generations. The young men and women in our armed services will serve as a shining model of "integration," while politicians continue to point to statements of aging commanders about "combat readiness." Did they learn nothing from the integration of blacks and women into the armed services when we heard the same baseless arguments about the effect on "combat readiness."
On GSA announces employees will pay for parking
It's about time. They control all the buildings, get the choice parking spots, and it's all free to boot. For years, we've had an almost empty parking lot at our federal building, and despite this, GSA refused to let any employees outside of GSA park there unless they forked over $$$$. So the parking spaces sit empty while we all park on the street. Maybe now they know how it feels.
I love it, the Liberal way to reduce the carbon footprint. Charge the employees to park so they can do their job. They already pay to have the job, taxes. Why not charge them a fee just to retain the job, say x number of dollars per hours on the job.
170 of 14,000 employess will be affected and this make a major story?
On Federal pay and benefits spared -- for now
No cuts but the next question is, will we have a job?
so six more months of living on the edge, not knowing what our financial future will be. no new carpet, the old car will have to do, and shoving every penny into the bank (don't they come out good in all this?). I know, i could always quit and get a REAL job.
I agree that we will know when these people are seriously trying to help America and that is when they look at their own salaries and benefits for reduction. Until then don't tread on me!
Spared for now eh?? Be afraid be very afraid
On House Democrats propose clean extension of FAA funding
So now we get down to the brass tacks. The repubs are holding the FAA funding up because they want to make it harder for middle class working stiffs to join a union. Meanwhile, besides the 4,000 FAA employees being furloughed, 100,000 construction workers have been laid off. I guess this is just one more "job creation" effort the repubs have been talking about!! What a bunch of jerks.
This is a prime example of why an agency should not be permitted to collect tax revenues when tax assessment is solely dependent upon collection, which is dependent upon employees paid by collections. If stupidity on the Hill occurs, which is often the case, it impacts the federal fisc. Toilet bowls are less circular than that logic.
Congress is "working it". I am sure that will make the 4,000 FAA employees furloughed and thrown off the roles feel so much better.
On Workers' comp reform bill would hurt injured feds, witnesses say
Another republican attack on the Federal workers. Vote the bums out!
To the liberals, any and all reform that reduces spending and especially entitlements (more like welfare) hurts. Just keep on spending is what they want. The fundamental transformation is almost complete.
Seems like situation could be resolved, being those that get more than they should, by setting a "mandatory retirement" age.
If someone is truly disabled for life wouldn't they be eligible for Social Security Disability? Same for losing FEHB - wouldn't they then be eligible for MEDICARE? I don't see why people would be hurt by this unless they are scamming the system.
On Debt-ceiling deadline might not really be Aug. 2
Wow, an extra 8 days, what a big difference that is. NOT! Let's see, congress has had months to get this budget worked out. Eight days just gives them more time to bicker, argue, and come up with more bad ideas on how they will beat up on the federal employees. Enough already!
The administration will take extrodinary actions on 2 Aug if the debt ceiling is not raised. They will shut down most government functions, the national parks, the FBI, the CDC, etc. all shut down. Some people don't understand the dates the adminstration has given, so they say the administration has lied. They have exaggerated, but the different dates have meaning. In May, the ceiling could have been raised without consequences and without risk. Each of the dates thereafter has had incresing consequences and increasing risk.
Congress should only approve 1 year to the budget cap. That way the president can run on his record of accomplishments
On TSP contributions will decline if debt deal cuts fed benefits, Congress told
But this is the whole point. US national and business policy is to have a disposable workforce. Why should anyone retire at all, the goal is to work until you die. Life is only to be enjoyed by those at the top, as for the rest of us, get back to work.
Ebeneezer Scrooge would be proud
ok, and it took how many rocket scientists to figure this out? of course it will effect TSP contributions, you cut their pay by the amounts they are talking and most of us would have no choice but to lower our contributions so we can support our families. Once again we are the scapegoats to cover the fiscal irresponsibility of our so called leaders and they think we wont notice we can't pay our bills or buy groceries? I am wondering how many will end up on the food stamp roles now?
I read the title and thought, "Duhhhh".
Sound more and more like the rest of us will be eating cat food while Mr. Boehner dines on filet mignon. Come on people we need to start the recall elections NOW and remove the corrupt Republicans from office. The Republicans do not want to create job. They want a two class society, the poor low paid servant class who will serve the wealthy few. We are running out of time, the Republicans, w ant to turn the Unite States into a one party dictatorship that Hitler would be proud of.
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