The Week in Comments: Is that a shutdown on the horizon?
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 Retirement plan board approves 9 percent budget increases
with the downsizing of all other federal agencies anticipated, was all this increase warranted? does the TSP board have any impact on how well the TSP does in terms of growth of contributor funds? . . . it's like the doctor I see a couple of times a year. the last time I was there, I remarked that every time I "visit" she has new equipment. didn't even provoke a response . . . a new definition of progress: finding new ways of spending other people's money, and convincing them it's for their benefit.
Well, let's see...federal employees make too much money and their benefits are too good. So let's cut/freeze their pay and require more out-of-pocket expenses for their health benefits. Next, their TSP administrative fees are too low. Let's increase those fees and thereby reduce their retirement plans, too. Everything is going swimmingly well...
I would like to remind everyone that Federal workers pay and benefits were always second to the private sector. Now that the private industries and wall street mismanaged the get rich quick schemes the hard working under appreciated federal worker is targeted for cuts. Made in America!
On Groups urge Obama not to target federal pay and benefits
Ok, so just one yeaar ago, we beefed up our workforce giving out GS14s and Step 9's and sign on bonuses like candy. Now we have to do a 360 (yet no acq folks have gotten an early out offer even though we are stuffed at the top). Now, you want to cut our bennies? Have you looked at the contractors and FFRDC employees making twice what govt makes in some cases and they get huge bonuses and we the taxpayers pay for it? Joey who works next to me is a contractor making about $50K more than me. He gets to stay and get a built in 10% raise while other govt employees are told to take a hike? What's up with that? the contractor workforce should be cut before even one govt person is let go. What is the matter with our govt? They support all the contractors because they are in bed with them - simple as that. We have so many contractors getting paid huge money to do inherently govt business and leadership turns their cheek - yet govt people get the shaft all the time.
I worked with the Feds. Most have no talent and are only interested in their next pay grade. They stab each other in the back for the next promotion. Managers value loyalty to them instead of loayalty to the US. They are overpaid and know they don't have to perform. They rarely get fired. Racism is alive and well. Their are gangs divided by race and political intersts that fight with each other. Let's see how well this bunch does in the private sector.
Remember, those lazy feds are marked as such because the leadership in office looks in the mirror and says "Look at me - I am getting paid for doing nothing; I can make a statement that gets everyone looking at something else; Arn't I great" A great lazy fed who doesn't need those peon feds beneath me. If I am making this kind of money, we can cut the budget by wacking those GS-14s and below.
On White House to buy office supplies in bulk to cut costs
It seems that some of the best new ideas are OLD ideas that we let slip away. Centralized and joint buying to save costs? That USED to be one of GSA's major roles.
DoD has been doing this for years - too bad it took this long for the white house to catch up.
Government buying in bulk. Isn't that exactly what GSA does? GSA provides those items from Staples and other vendors on a reduced price based on the bulk buying power of the federal government. If the White House and others go on their own, GSA's purchasing power will go down, increasing the costs for everyone. I think his staff need to know what's already available before they start reinventing the wheel.
On Feds would contribute more to pensions under Obama's deficit plan
Just as long as Congress has the exact same retirement plan EXACT and medical too! Since most of Congress and my retirement will be Social Security, I guess they will do something about fixing that. Oh yeah let us eliminate SES's. GS15 should be the highest pay grade!
I agree with the President proposal to Congress lets see what happens next 2012 is right around the corner.
Shared sacrifice, Mr. president? How about making changes to social security if you want shared sacrifice? then at least everyone is paying "their fair share". instead attack a miniscule portion of the population in us feds and get peanuts in return. In the grand scheme of things, 20 billion over ten years when we have a debt of over 14 trillion is like me forgoing a cup of coffee at dunkin donuts and instead getting it from McDonald's.
Screwed again. Dems dont give a crap about government employees any more than the Repubs do.
Look at the whole plan. If I read this right, he also proposes to cut the income tax rate in half for middle class workers. Also eliminates a lot of subsidies for oil & gas companies, insurance, and farm industries. It would take a miracle for this to pass as it is now. Actually looks good for America but lobbyists will be working overtime against this one.
On Obama jobs and deficit proposal targets contractor executive pay
An easy way to reduce the extrordinarily high salaries of government contractors and consultants is to institute a 3 year moratorium on government workers moving to the private sector and not allow them to work for Government Contractors. As it is now, they are encouraged to find outlandish salaries "fair and reasonable" so that they can get one of those when they retire!
OK - so let me get this straight. On the one hand we have private industry groups and representatives crying about how unrealistically generous the compensation is for coddled federal workers. But now when the government says "OK, if it is so great, you can get the same pay" what do these same malcontents say? That the the proposal "is not reflective of the realities of the commercial marketplace". Maybe federal compensation is not really all that generous after all.
The Republicans don't want the government 'competing' with private industry -- so, move more jobs to contract. The contractor companies, and indeed the contractors themselves, get paid more. The money to pay this is tax money. Conclusion: the Republicans want the fair market to raise your taxes, and in turn the deficit and debt.
Obama can't run the US gov't right so now he is going to tell the private sector how to run their businesses. Too funny! Cost is cost. Besides, most of these executives don't charge time to contracts - maybe a couple of hours max. Another STUPID intrusion in business. obama needs to focus on the fed gov't.
On Deficit reduction pain for federal employees could be worse, some say
We now see the difference between White House democrats and the republicans , Republican would never say to the oil companies or the Wall Street brokers, " it could have been worse" Republicans fight to the last breathe for their supporters. As with the 2 year pay freeze, guess I should be thankful it was not a five year pay freeze. Mr. President stand up for what you believe in, that is if you believe in fair pay for hard working federal employees.
Awe how nice! "it could be worse". Meaning Obama is still for us little people. Anything to make this total failure look anything but.
tea is better than for you than koolaid
So the option is to reduce the number of employees through attrition and retirement with no adverse action on anyone coming going or staying or have everyone take a recurring salary hit in order to preserve membership. Easy choice.
As federal employees, we need to get behind the Obama proposal or we will be submarined by the Coburn proposal. Pick your poison because you're going to have to drink one or the other.
Always the Feds. Why not make a real reduction in the deficit by requiring the House and Senate members to be "vested," that is, serve enough time to "Earn retirement benefits."
I wish the GOP would fight for our additional contribution as strongly as the fight against a 3% millionaire contribution.
What else imaginable could we, employees and Military Veterans alike, loose in this process? Reduction in pay, benefits, entitlements and compensations. Isn't that enough?! God, help our loved ones who are hopelessly awaiting treatment in a hospital bed and no one shows up on-time or at all to treat their problem because there were no funds to pay for the specialist to come in.
On White House orders agencies to review conference spending
Look no futher than NDIA conferences for DoD. Expensive conference after conference in only the BEST locations and which are nothing more than venues for the good'ole'boy contractors to back-slap, market, and cut deals with senior DoD managers and senior officers. I'm tired of paying for this crap as a taxpayer.
Why do you need to instruct these agencies? Find the one that requested these items and fire them. There must be documents showing who requested these services. Don't fire the lowly worker that bought them, as they are often ordered to perform the financial transaction by a superior.
I'm not totally defending the Justice Department, but the hotels are equally culpable. The $16.00 muffins are standard charges with these hotels. The Justice Dept. wasn't paying more than the hotel would charge any other group. As a federal employee I've gone to conferences where we received no refreshments, not even a cup of coffee, while in a meeting room next door a corporate group had a full spread of fruit, muffins, cookies, coffee, etc. And many of these corporations receive federal contracts, so in essence they are spending taxpayer dollars too.
On Shutdown looms as federal funding bill dies in House
Here we go again; let's go to the brink yet again and shut us down. Maybe this time Obama will call your bluff, or maybe he'll waffle again. I don't know. But This is just plain ridiculous
Does what they pass even matter this year? Isn't the super-committee of 12 going to decide everything for the country in november? Pass a CR and lets quit the drama.
Did anyone notice any detailed news reports of the bigger picture? Remember before Republicans took over the house in 2010 and they ridiculed the pace of action on the budget? Actual budgets for each federal agencies are supposed to be in place on October 1. However, the Republican House has yet to pass half the agency funding bills and send it to the Senate and 3 department budgets haven't even got out of committee. Where is the efficiency and budgets the Republicans promised us during the campaign? It is the same old crapola from both Dems and Reps with neither party interested in running a government, just running for election.
Recess, why would they need a recess !?? Congress just returned from a month long August vacation!! The country might be better off if they took a permanent recess without pay and benefits. That would at least save the taxpayers money, since nothing gets done anyway.
It would be wise to keep a month or two of cash assets available for the foreseeable future. When they do pass a CRA (next week or in Oct) it will be a short-term CRA and the threat of a government shutdown will come around again.
Anybody know where they're issuing the torches and pitchforks?