The Week in Comments: Retirement, the deficit and COLAs hit feds
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 FEHBP pharmacy changes stir up controversy
This is really getting scary. OPM can not even get annuity checks done from what I have been reading. Please, oh please, do not mess with our insurance. Are you just trying to kill all fed workers and put us on the street? Look at yourself. You caused this mess in our country.
Now I know OPM is on drugs. OPM can't manager security clearances. How in the world would they be expected to manage a large prescription contract? There is too big of a possibility of fraud here.
Not fair. What if my Dr. orders some kind of drug that is not on the list? How do I pay for it.? I can barely afford to pay for my drugs now. Generics do not work on me for some reason. What if I am alergic to the drug the plan says I can have? Not fair at all. I am paying my benefit price. I should be able to get what I need.
It is inevitable. The more gov't gets involved the less choice - freedom of choice - you have. I can handle the personal responsibility. Let me make my own choices.
On Obama: 'America's war in Iraq is over'
Don't celebrate yet. He hasn't said they won't be in Iran, Libya or some other place in January.
Now that the war is done, let's hope we put as much effort in helping the vets as we put into terminating the terrorists!
Here's the first Trillion $$$ in budget cuts over a 10 year period; also made good on a campaign promise before hitting the re-election trail.
On Repeal of 3 percent contractor tax withholding gathers steam
For all you contractors who find it too burdensome to meet the federal government's requirements for doing business with it, there's a simple solution: stop doing business with the government and go make your money in the private sector. That way, you won't ever have to deal with 'burdensome' government contracting requirements. Wasn't that simple?
I'm glad to see this in the repeal process. This was bad policy to begin with.
Could we have a roll call of those members of Congress who put in the 3% rule in 2005? Those still in office, who now wish to flip-flop their position should be voted out in 2012. Legislators who pass bad legislation do not deserve to be re-elected. And it would help us in booting them, if the media did just a little ground work, and named names.
On Senate approves COLA hike for disabled vets
So somehow the increases in food, gas, water, electricity won't impact currently employed people (fed or private sector). Do I contact my local gas station, grocery store and let them know I'm "exempt" from price increases since I am currently employed? Hum...
Wow, I cannot believe how many free loaders are on here crying because my buddy who lost both his legs and his right arm is going to get a 3.4% raise. Everyone wants a handout, when it is really only the disabled vet that should get one. Too bad they have more integrity than this new handout generation and would never expect anything. If you all spent half as much time working as you do whining then this would be a mute subject.
On Procurement chief defends Obama's commitment to small business
Anything less than the lowest price is an affront to the taxpayers. The government spends a small fortune jumping through all the hoops to award to small businesses, woman-owned businesses, etc., etc. Enough with the special interests already! Buy the lowest price equipment or service and help reduce the deficit.
This whole policy area is an anachronism and irrelevant in today's world. With the economy in the toilet in general and government agency budgets on the chopping block, business viability cannot be guaranteed or underwritten by socioeconomic programs originating in former times of largesse.
On Justice employees fight proposed office closings
The government offices that need closed is Congress they are they ones over spending. If Congress was closed the debt would be paid off much quicker and trillions of dollars would be saved.
"People here have dedicated their lives to public service, and they're simply shunted aside" Come on, we are talking about what is best for the country and trying to solve a financial crisis. If closing offices will help put this country back on its feet go for it. People in private sector have had their companies closed when the company decided to take their business to Mexico or China, who stepped in and told those companies they had to stay put so their workers would continue to work??? Just because these are government workers should make no difference on closings and we should stop wasting time and money with all the arguements to try and keep the dead weight open.
On HHS joins White House initiative to put veterans to work
Ironic since HHS has just about the lowest percentage of veterans in their workforce of any major agency.
HHS has 8000 community health centers? where? why?
So which is it, freeze federal hiring or hire more, but only if they are veterans? Sounds like a political ploy to me.
On Defense officials downplay panel's role in revamping military retirement
Perhaps the "panel" can start the cost saving measure by cutting their own retirement benefits. Serve 20+ years before YOU are eligible for benefits and then cut it to 50%. The cost savings there could make a huge dent in the budget. While you are at it, grandfather that requirement into action.
Another alternative is to go back to conscription. Then the cost would be very low, since family benefits would be eliminated.
Here we go again, there's an old saying nothing's too good for the boys & girls in the service- AND that's what they get NOTHING.
On Deficit panel holds public session on budget cuts
With Patty Murray on the committee, there is no chance anything coming out of it will not include more taxes. She is a die-hard tax, tax, tax and spend ultra-left liberal loyal to the party, never siding with anything conservative. That is why she was picked for this committee. She is uncompromising and intent, as is her boss, to run our economy into the ground.
Before you stand for no tax increases on the uber rich, look at th stats of the dwindling middle class. The top 5% has increased wealth considerably while the majority of us, are worth less.
Congress has no problem gripeing about entitlements but can waste trillions on useless wars and rebuilding programs and frurthermore can't even account for some of the money spent.
What clearly needs to happen is the 47% of people filing income tax returns and pay absolutely nothing in taexs need to start paying their "fair share". If we want corporations to pay more, shouldn't we ask the deadbeats that pay nothing and get money back from somewhere)to start paying something. That is the real problem here. Everybody wants something free and nobody wants to pay for it. Just like "Occupy Wall Street".
Leave federal employees alone already. Cut discretionary funding and freeze hiring all you like, but no new programs and initiatives can be launched during lean times. There is no such thing as doing more with less, only half-assed.
NEXT STORY: At TSA, 'Get Your Freak On,' Get Punished