The Week in Comments: Cheney v. Powell, wartime waste and FEMA's value
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 White House, Boehner face off on cost of regulations
The last recession and market crash was the cost of not regulating. Which do you prefer?
Oh, please. Anyone who believes this Administration is not the most regulation-happy crowd to arrive in DC is ready to buy the bridge I'm selling.
On Powell says Cheney book full of 'cheap shots'
Cheney is Cheney. He's not going to start playing nice after all these years.
A bitter old man, who wants to clear up his name by throwing everyone under the bus. It's laugphable to think that Cheney was not behind Bush all the way on the war in Iraq. Now seeing the legacy left behind by him, Bush and all of the former administration people he tries to distance himself. He messed up, that is it.
Dick Cheney is the one that drove me away from the republican party after 30 years. And actions like this only confirms my decision.
I can't believe some of these posts against Cheney. They are absolutely laughable. I can't wait to read the book, just as I have read Bush's latest, Obama's biography, etc. On Powell, who voted Democrat, this man is no Republican. He voted against a man that has served his country, as Powell did, and was captured (POW), and Senator McCain deserved to serve the Presidency at least for four years. Believe me, seeing what I see now, we would have been better off. For all of you Cheney bashers, shame on you. Read the book.
On Pentagon contracting policy faulted in two reports
Where was this committee when we were plunged into two unfunded wars?
I am certain there has been waste. I am equally certain we have not been given all relevant facts. You have a politician and a former director of an agency that cannot find its' mission with two hands. Be wary of their conclusions.
It's very easy for a Comission sitting in their comfy chairs to evaluate what the military did while they were under pressure in a war zone. Put them out in the field so they can experience the reality of the situation and see what they think.
Ron Paul is right, take care of yourself during a storm. An easy feat if you are wealthy (you can cover your tax deductible cleanup costs), just as long as your multi-million dollar beach condo has flood and wind insurance that is subsidized by the thousands of poorer neighbors extending 50-100 miles inland. Little people don't deserve to have FEMA to look after themselves. The big guys know how to manipulate the government to get what they want and pass the buck down to us little fish to pick up the tab. Right now Wall Street is waiting to see what the FED (code word for taxpayer) is going to do to rescue the market. Long live Ron Paul and crony capitalism.
It's a little late to say this - immediately after Katrina I can understand it, not now. They have undergone a lot of change for the better. There is no need to abolish it.
FEMA, or any other government assistance, breeds dependance. Americans in the past have been proud of their independence and their ability to do things themselves. It is painful now to see citizens on every hand running to the government for help. Don't think that assistance comes for free. We have given up our independence and we have a whopping national debt because of it.
There is much more to why Ron Paul want's to do away with Fema Camps, and I hope people do a little research into this subject. There are good reasons why he is against them. They have not been used for diasters. Instead people were put into toxic trailors.
On Groups urge super committee to protect federal pay and benefits
We are at war financially in this country and now we all have to help in resolving the problem. It does not matter who started the war, but that all have to participate. Rather than fighting at the workers level we need to be changing the rules for the 545 that govern this wonderful country by setting term limits, no retirement, and anything else that will help remove the the sludge from congress, the supreme court and the presidency.
You can't get the economy back on track, by taking more money from the spenders. I am now making do with what I have and will not be spending my money at home depot, Lowes or anywhere else for that matter. I will run my current paid for car until the wheels drop off, then I will retire and take public transit when I need to go out.
I'm not sure where this idea comes from that federal employees are paid more and enjoy better benefits than those in the private sector. Perhaps Congress is talking about themselves?
On Employee incentive payments increase in 2009
In these economic times, it really shouldn't be necessary to make such widespread use of the 3Rs. Most of us Federal employees just want to keep our jobs and be treated fairly.
I think these incentives are over used and unnecessary in most cases. If agencies ran like a business and were spending their own money instead of taxpayers, I wonder if they would still think these incentives were necessary.
When people make comments about the mass exodus of talent from governement service, I have to ask them....just where are these folks going? They may feel thay are making some big statement by leaving government but likely will end up wishing they stayed with those great pay and benefits that most other citizens would kill for.
On OPM drops time limit to boost military spouse hiring
Another pandering policy from Obama. Federal employment is not an entitlement program. All this spousal and diversity hiring rhetoric is rediculous. The best qualified should get the job period.
I am all for giving them a preference, like the veterans, but a bank check? Next the public will complain that the Government has a bunch of unqualified overpaid employees who sit around and BS all day. Wait, don't we already have that?
Just sign them up for welfare and call it even. Why should people who earned their way have to stumble over idiots at the work place because someone is married to a military person.
On Acting head of ATF reassigned
And another spear in the chest of Gov folks, he caused people to die and he gets transfered, and we wonder why they think evil thoughts about us. God Save the USA
They can't fire him. If they fired him they'd also have to fire Mr. Holter and that ain't gonna happen.
Another cover-up. These people put guns into the hands of bad people that killed our own. These bad people are sitting back and laughing at us just how stupid we can be. Yet, we have these same people being moved to other great positions. Are they going to screw that new position up as well? Probably will. The problem here lies with the buddy system that is played out everyday in the business world.
On Fight brewing over replenishing FEMA's emergency funds after Hurricane Irene
FEMA should not provide any financial assistance to any republican state until that state can match the funds by raising revenue from it's taxpayers. They call it sharing the pain.
According to the republicans we're broke so no disaster funding for the people in NJ, NY, CN, and VT. You elected republicans in 2010 and now you will reap what you sowed. Maybe next time people will vote with brains and not with anger, ignorance, or racism.
Let's see. $7B. Hmm, pocket change for some of the 2%, yet a burden for rest. Imagine that.
Perfect timing. 2012 budget will be released, thousands will get RIFd and no one will be able to apply for the first two weeks. Guess it doesn't matter, hiring freeze will be in place anyhow.
Unfortunately, improvment means less access, more confusion, glitches and complications. The federal hiring process is cumbersome. Fix that process and spend less time improving systems that work.
On War-related contracting wasted up to $60 billion, commission reports
How much richer are the prior White House occupants & "cronies" as well as many in congress.
The culter of no bit contracts, sweet heart deals, and good ole boy economics from the Bush team and then carried over by the Obama team is a good incentive to put all those people in jail until they come up with the money. Stop this insane war in AF and IQ, bring the troops and money back home where we need it.
Deficit? Federal Employees are harassed every day, for the few pennies we are paid for the stressful jobs we do. President Obama, freezing our cola's for two years, as Iraq and Afghanstan are receiving money, that should be retained in the US. Citizens/children in he
Simple. Take that $60 billion and move it into the social security trust fund. Do that by getting out of Afghan and Iraq now. Any unrest over there, do what Israel does, fix it in one flight. Solves several problems in one go.
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