The Week in Comments: Budget cuts, earthquake and other disasters
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 Feds could run for political office in Virginia county, under proposed rule
OPM really! your spending time and resources on exemptions from restrictions on political activity. How about taking all those resources working on this and clear the backlog of retirees annuities calculations so federal employees, don't get shortchanged for 8-16 months on their full retirement benefits.
I've lived around or spent a good deal of time in many of the "cities" which have exemptions. I all cases the biggest employer is the federal government and so many of the residents are federal employees that you wouldn't have a school board or local governing boards without allowing feds to run. One shouldn't have to sacrifice local goveranance just because everyone works for the federal government.
Out here in California most of those local offices are Non-partisan so the Hatch act is not an issue with the local school board. Maybe that is a better solution than exemptions. Either do away with the Hatch Act or apply it to everybody.
On OMB details agency obligations under Government Performance Act
We are asked to do more with less it seems everyday. Reducing the cost of our operation is easy. Just tell me which tasks to no longer perform.
Does anyone else find it ironic that the Government Accountability Office is exempt from this budget-cutting measure?
I think it's ironic that OMB et al created CFOs, COOs, PIOs, CPOs, COOs, CIOs and the bureaucracy to go with them, and then this bloated structure to cut waste! Unbelievable yet typical of our Kafkaesque world.
On Observers are leery of Postal Service plan to opt out of federal health and retirement programs
Let's just opt out of the Postal Service and put the whole thing up for auction. I'm sure UPS or FedEx could do a much better job at a much cheaper cost.
How about instead of opting out of health and retirement that USPS at least come down to an equality with rest of Federal employees with respect to benefits and premiums paid. That would be a start to USPS savings.
If it was as simple to save money as the USPS claims, I'm pretty sure it would have been done for all Federal workers already. Just as freezing govie pay won't eliminate the deficit, squeezing postal workers is not going to put the USPS back in the black.
Has anyone ever thought that the reason the post office is in the red is because they charge only .44 cents to send a letter from Miami to Wasilla, Alaska? Just sayin. Quit attacking the workers!!!!
On OPM chief discusses new diversity initiative
Diversity is fine as long as everybody is kept to the same standard. No one should be selected for SES without the proper qualifications and education.
Since Blacks only make up 12.6% of the general population, are they not already over represented in the Federal workforceand the SES? What about selecting the most qualified candidate?
Sure. Education, nor qualifications matter. I can burn my 2 Masters degrees. They are not necessary.
The new initiative to increase diversity in the Federal workplace is quite laudable. I caution those with high expectations for this new directive to temper their enthusiasm with the reality of the current political climate driven by the teabagger dogma that all government is bad and should be downsized. Those of us in the public sector must strive to overcome the negative energy that is stoked by the propaganda arm (Fox-so-called-News) of the orthodox, knee-jerk, Ayn Rand loving right-wing minority of America. We can and shall implement President Obama's directive to achieve a public sector workforce that is more representative of this great nation.
50% of current presidents are black. Isn't that diverse enough?
Diversity is not a term that implies the hiring of unqualified black employees. It means the creation of a balanced workplace. That may require less hiring of unqualified white females and white males for senior management jobs. I have seen white senior managers rule in some agencies for over 40 years; so don't make this E.O. into some unnecessary policy. Don't forget inbreeding is illegal in most states for obvious reasons.
How 'bout focusing on a process & system that is imbued with equal opportunity not equal outcomes.
On OMB seeks to clarify 2013 budget guidance
Well we do know OPM has not be given any direction to cut down on their bloated services.
All agencies are equal but some are more equal than others.
On Quake's aftermath: From the conference room to the streets
The military guys jumped onto the table? Was there mouse on the floor? What kind of training says get on "TOP" of the table during an earth quake? I was taught to get "UNDER" the table for protection from falling objects during an earth quake! Does the military have some special training for earth quake events?
I'm hoping that was just a misquote... I don't think an earthquake is an appropriate time to be dancing on tables.
You had to have been in the Pentagon on 9-11 to understand this reaction. Please don't joke about this unless you lived the disaster of the attack. Also, the building was evacuated due to possibly damage. I don't think you would want to have been ther either times.
On Washington-area federal agencies granted early dismissal
That was my first thought too, but DC isn't used to having earthquakes so they are not prepared (securing bookcases to wall, etc..) and they are not trained on what to do (stand in doorways). I spoke to my sister whose first comment was "I thought I left that behind in Cali", followed by "They were looking at me like I was an idiot for standing in the doorway, when the after-shock hit I had alot of company".
I was in the Navy Yard when it happened and was impressed that everyone I saw treated the event like a fire drill.
On Earthquake aftermath draws mixed reaction from feds
Earthquakes are certainly "unsettling" emotionally, but they are hardly unusual occurrences on our planet. While it was prudent to inspect structures, the overreaction by many Easterners, most especially by the media, was embarrassing and did not do our image as a world power any good. If there are serious problems with a significant number of buildings and monuments in DC and nearby states, it would seem that new building codes and a major infrastructure overhaul would be a good first step toward creating badly needed jobs in this country.
I get so tired of the people that aren't from here criticizing the way we handle snow, or earthquakes, or whatever else they feel superior about. If you don't like it, then go back to where you came from. We are what we are here, and we do the best that we can. Get over it.
Things that aren't immediately obvious like gas lines breaking happen in quakes. It's best, I think, to calmly evacuate personnel once the immediate danger is over, so that the building engineers can inspect the properties and ensure everyone's safety. In this age of telework and smart phones, do we all need to be in the office? Times are changing.
I don't get why the West coast keeps even comparing the East to that side. Earthquakes are common on the West, but because of that buildings are probably made with that expectation. On the EAST side it's not expected so our buildings are not made for that. So obviously it would be a surprise to everyone and obviously more precaution is taken in ensuring the stability of the foundations in these buildings.
Everything gets exaggerated in the DC and New York areas. A few inches of snow, a regular occurrence throughout much of the nation, seems to cripple DC every year
On TSA seeks authority to offer early outs to employees
Given the age of TSA I'm guessing this will apply primarily to management, who else could qualify?
Really? Since the TSA stood up in Aug 2002, how many TSA employees do you think meet the 20 year criteria? Bright idea!
I've never understood buyouts. Just lay them off.
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