The Week in Comments: Reorganization, mileage rates and a civics lesson
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 Obama proposes reorganizing trade agencies, giving SBA Cabinet status
Difficult to interest members of congress in how federal organizations are structured???! Perhaps they would be more interested if it meant they could keep their jobs. There are plenty of things that don't particularly interest me at my work but I can't do my job without them. Hmmmmmm---I see a pattern here.....
As an outsider, this sounds reasonable, but so did the creation of DHS and the combining of a number of agencies. That plan was poorly conceived and poorly implemented. It's easy to combine agencies on paper, but "the nuts and bolts" needed to get it done are more difficult. Three billion dollars is a lot of money, but it's not much in the "grand scheme" of things when it's spread over 10 years, $300 million per year by my ciphering. Again, it's "the nuts and bolts" that will determine whether it's a good idea or not.
Bravo! Cut down waste and non efficient departments. Folks will not lose their job but will be allowed to retire with dignity. Hmm! Seems old Mitt could take a lesson on this from his Bain days! Oh that's right he can bring it up and boast on his so called accomplishments but when the heat gets turned up no one else is supposed to talk about it! Yes Mitt... I am talking right now !!
Comparisons to DHS is apples to oranges. It had nothing to do with reducing cost. It was "supposed" to increase our ability to connect the dots. Historically conservatives applaud cost saving reorganization efforts. My, how times have changed.
On Unions wary of Obama's consolidation plans
What? John Gage now has a problem with the President he and his members helped to elect?
Let's start with a part-time Congress. Since these Congressmen repersent their States, let the States pick up there wages and benefits. Cut Obama's pay in 1/2 and cut Mrs. Obama's vacations by 2/3rds. That should balance the budget.
On Obama reorganization bid faces challenges on Capitol Hill
Smaller? Simpler? Streamlined? From the Administration that passed ObamaCare, Dodd-Frank, and more regulation than any other to date? Welcome to the 2012 campaign.
My, my - all this activity by Obama in an election year and with a new secretary position. This is predictable from anyone seeking reelection and this president inparticulat who firmly believes in his heart of hearts that big government is better and the US should look like Europe which, by the way, isn't working either. And I wonder how long it will take him to go around Congress and do it as he has done with many other issues by issuing Executive Orders. A $3B savings for a $1.2T increase in spending - hum? In Washington math, that works. Washington has been out of control for years and it started under previous presidents as far back as to the days of FDR. If anyone is interested, presidential candidates have been promising to reduce and reform government since Eisenhower.
This Congress would challenge anything from Obama; even if it was endorsed by God himself.
On OMB tasks 11 agencies with documenting duplication
This will be a good step at streamlining government. Hope other agencies are reviewed for duplication as well.
They should asked the employees instead of these high level executives who many don't have a clue as to what's going on at the front of their organizations. There is duplication, federal gov't wide in the form of IT, Training, Facilities and Personnel organizations. Does each fed gov't agency really need it's own traininig organization, manage by layers and layers of managers many of whom don't have any background in adult education? Someone needs to take a "big picture" "birdseye" view of the fed gov't management structure and make the hard choices of eliminating the duplicate management functions. You can easily make cuts at the top and middle management of these organizations and centralize the employees to perform the same duties with no impact to the taxpayer. The biggest cost savinings to fed gov't is to cut the layers of middle management who generally filter the messages from the top and their assistants who generally delegate their work down to the lower graded employees. None of these little studies are going to achieve much until the fed gov't acknowledges the elephant in the room. Let's face it! The fed gov't is top and middle heavy; however, they are never going to "downsize themselves."
We could easily eliminate 90% of these agencies by returning the functions and duties of these agencies to the states. The Federal Government has not been held to the confines of the Constitution in the last century and a half. This much need confinement becoming even more difficult after the passage the 16th Amendment, which allowed federal bribery to the states in return for power (and growth). Dig down to the root. Trimming the leaves will not contain the weeds growth.
On Education Department stresses civics
If we DO educate our citizens on the basis of our Constitutionally-defined government, these newly-educated citizens will realize the Constitution doesn't included "educating our citizens" as one of the roles of our federal government. So, I agree; let's educate our citizens... then eliminate this ridiculous, expensive and wasteful department.
The study of how this country was founded and the principals of the forefathers should be in every American's education. The forefathers were not all wealthy like today's Congress. They were not business oriented like today's Congress. They believed in the United States of America as a free republic and tried to set up a government to protect it. Sadly, greed and corruption in today's government is destroying what our country was built upon. The US Constitution was written about and for the PEOPLE, not banks and businesses.
On GSA declines to raise mileage reimbursement rate
If providing your auto is not a condition of employment then you cannot be compelled to provide your vehicle. Just because your employer reimburses does not mean that you have to provide your car. Most provide their cars for their convenience but if you are losing money then stop providing it. If enough people did this then OPM might take notice. Check with your agency's travel office for its policy.
You think this is bad? The IRS hasn't changed the mileage rate for using your vehicle for charitable work in decades. It remains at a measly 14 cents a mile, despite large increases in gas, insurance, maintenance and repairs, registration fees, and other driving related expenses over the years.
There is a simple and straight forward solution to this problem. Don't use your own vehicle in the service of Uncle Sam. Obviously, he doesn't appreciate it, so let him provide you a vehicle.
On Report: Apparent smoke bombs thrown over White House fence
What? Were Cubs fans in the crowd? The World Champion Cardinals were being honored by President & Mrs Obama about that time.
Hmmmmm, perhaps people are getting fed up with the yahoos in DC playing with our lives ... Their decisions affect our everyday lives, and perhaps they should consider that when they're "hitting back" at each other for some infraction, real or imagined, perpetrated within their little cloistered congressional or white house lives. Just say'en