Here's Your Chance to Fix the Budget

[CRedskinsRule]

So I wonder if the NYT will publish a compilation of these self fixes.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Angry

1. Goverrnment employees should be compensated well. Trust me they still won't become rich.

2. Most of them live in high cost living areas. So while on average they make more than private counterparts they are actually compensated properly for the type of work that they do in the area that they live in.

3. Contractors still eat up more tax dollars than the federal employees do.

Ok so I guess that every one of those articles are wrong and your right. Thats why I have a 100's of customers who are now retired federal workers and in their 50's. Now they get their federal retirement and are working a second career. How many in the private sector can do that?

Your thinking of your area. We have thousands and thousands of federal workers in our area and our cost of living is not that high.

[Slingin Sammy 33]

Originally Posted by Angry

3. Contractors still eat up more tax dollars than the federal employees do.

Short term, yes. Long term, no bacause their contracts can simply not be renewed or terminated for the "convenience of the Gov't".

As the federal workforce is cut back, contractors also can and should be eliminated where possible.

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by Angry

So you cut Federal Employee pay and reduce the federal workfoce but don't cut federal contractors? The Gov't pays the contractors more than it pays it's own employees. I would just cut the contractors out and leave the rest of it alone.

I would argue contractors largely do a better job. And sometimes cheaper.

edit: as many others have.

it's a simple math equation if we could find some solid data. I've worked in the contracting field. We did the job better and cheaper. We had to..we were a for profit industry. In gov't no one is for profit. They have intrinsically less motivation to do their job "well".

[KLHJ2]

I want to know where all of these lazy ass government employees are. I don't see very many of them. They get annual evaluations and if they are not making the cut then it reflects on their eval.

Yes, in the long term a government employee can make more money. Considering that the majority of these people are privy to information that can be sensitive to national security I am all for keeping them happy. The number one motivator for espionage is money. By taking care of their own the government in a small way is detering the vast majority from even thinking about it.

BTW you cannot retire from the Gov't until you have put in 20 years of Federal Service and are age 55 or older. That is only 7 years earlier than the average in the US. Not everyone in the government retires right at age 55 though. Oh and do not confuse a military retirement after 20 years as the same thing because they are not.

Yes, some government retirees may opt to pick up an additional job for 5-10 years after retirement that is their choice. Don't hate the player, hate the game. You should have thought about it in your grand scheme.

What Is the Average Retirement Age in America? | eHow.com

I will not see eye to eye with you guys on this topic. Ever

[CRedskinsRule]

Originally Posted by Angry

I want to know where all of these lazy ass government employees are. I don't see very many of them. They get annual evaluations and if they are not making the cut then it reflects on their eval.

Yes, in the long term a government employee can make more money. Considering that the majority of these people are privy to information that can be sensitive to national security I am all for keeping them happy. The number one motivator for espionage is money. By taking care of their own the government in a small way is detering the vast majority from even thinking about it.

BTW you cannot retire from the Gov't until you have put in 20 years of Federal Service and are age 55 or older. That is only 7 years earlier than the average in the US. Not everyone in the government retires right at age 55 though. Oh and do not confuse a military retirement after 20 years as the same thing because they are not.

Yes, some government retirees may opt to pick up an additional job for 5-10 years after retirement that is their choice. Don't hate the player, hate the game. You should have thought about it in your grand scheme.

What Is the Average Retirement Age in America? | eHow.com

I will not see eye to eye with you guys on this topic. Ever

I really think we are talking about two different kinds of govt employees. Remember, very few people are saying we should cut things like the NSA, or areas and departments that are vital to national security. So when you are talking about blackmail, espionage, etc,. I don't think the positions I would be looking for cuts would necessarily come from there.

Your next logical question might be, ok so what departments are you talking about. Fair enough. I certainly could see reducing the size of the Dept of Education as a starting point. I can't say that I have a specific list of jobs I would cut, but I think it's safe to say that jobs where national security could be compromised would be on the short list of "safe" jobs.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Angry

I want to know where all of these lazy ass government employees are. I don't see very many of them. They get annual evaluations and if they are not making the cut then it reflects on their eval.

Yes, in the long term a government employee can make more money. Considering that the majority of these people are privy to information that can be sensitive to national security I am all for keeping them happy. The number one motivator for espionage is money. By taking care of their own the government in a small way is detering the vast majority from even thinking about it.

BTW you cannot retire from the Gov't until you have put in 20 years of Federal Service and are age 55 or older. That is only 7 years earlier than the average in the US. Not everyone in the government retires right at age 55 though. Oh and do not confuse a military retirement after 20 years as the same thing because they are not.

Yes, some government retirees may opt to pick up an additional job for 5-10 years after retirement that is their choice. Don't hate the player, hate the game. You should have thought about it in your grand scheme.

What Is the Average Retirement Age in America? | eHow.com

I will not see eye to eye with you guys on this topic. Ever

From what I see Most people who retired from the federal goverment at age 55 go back to work. I don't have a problem with them doing that because thats how the system is set up. I have a problem with the system. As far as lazy that might not be the correct wording but everyone I know that works for the federal goverment will admitt they don't bust their ass at work.

[Slingin Sammy 33]

Originally Posted by Angry

I want to know where all of these lazy ass government employees are. I don't see very many of them. They get annual evaluations and if they are not making the cut then it reflects on their eval.

I see them every day at every level of Gov't (Fed primarily, but also at State and Local). It isn't just the Feds, contractors have similar problems with folks f-ing off and billing time against projects.

Only solution is to cut funding and force agencies to get smarter and leaner.

EDIT: Another solution is to pay a bonus to folks who save on departmental budgets, rather than blowing out the budget at FY end. Start putting coin in people's pockets for saving the Fed money and watch how fast agency budgets decline.

[KLHJ2]

Great responses. Back to fixing the budget, sorry for hijacking.

I believe that defense spending should be cut but it has to be cut in the right places. downsizing the military is cool. Withdrawling from and reducing the numbers of those stationed or deployed abroad will also help. Some R&D could be cut but only from those projects that combatants aren't going to benefit from.

You still have to develop new technologies to protect the soldier.
You have to annually increase the pay for active duty. The pay increases have to keep up with the percentages of the private sector. Most of the military still lives below the poverty level. That aint right.

[dmek25]

Originally Posted by firstdown

From what I see Most people who retired from the federal goverment at age 55 go back to work. I don't have a problem with them doing that because thats how the system is set up. I have a problem with the system. As far as lazy that might not be the correct wording but everyone I know that works for the federal goverment will admitt they don't bust their ass at work.

you work hard every day?

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by dmek25

you work hard every day?

Some days I do some days I don't but what does that matter?

[SBXVII]

I'll give it a shot...

1- Bring our troops from the Middle East home. Either those countries step up or pay up for us to be there.

2- Stop throwing billions of dollars to 3rd world countries. Let some other nation throw their money away and raise their budget.

3- Make marijuana legal, tax it like cigarrets and alcohol. Basically take it out of the war on drugs. Only go after the harder stuff.

4- Flat Tax. Everyone pays 10% or 15% of what they make. No loop holes.

5- Have the military rotate securing the border states. (my only other caviate is to simply take Mexico. Everyones corrupt, someone needs to go clean house. Then build a fence south of Mexico where the border would be smaller. lol.)

6- Make Wednesday a day off also like Sat. and Sun. Work Mon., Tues., have Wed. off, work Thurs., and Fri., have Sat. Sun. off. I don't kow about you guys but I need a break in the middle of the week.

7- Extend school hours so kids will be at school from 7 am to 5 pm. I know this sound horrible. But I'm thinking about how school lets out at 2 or 3 now and families have to struggle to pay day care or not be able to work due to having to be there for when the kids get out of school.

8- People will only be able to collect Social Services if they have some form of job (unless they are disabled). People have jobs and Social Services tells them they can't help them due to them having a job. But if the person quits Social Services can help cause they essentially don't make enough then. Social Services should be supplimenting peoples income not telling people to quit and paying the full amount.

9- I'd pardon everyone who got voted off of Dancing with the Stars and put them back on why? cause we all know the only reason Palen's daughter is making it this far is due to the name. She can't dance and other have danced better, plus she shows no emotion while dancing. Which is something the judges told her from day one and she still has not fixed.

^- sorry went on a tangent.

[dmek25]

Originally Posted by firstdown

Some days I do some days I don't but what does that matter?

your one bashing gov't workers for being lazy. and back on topic, you do the most bashing of anyone around here. whats your plan to fix this mess?

[SBXVII]

I also would stop the Navy from patroling everyone elses waters. They want us to use the Navy like the police then they other countries or the UN can start paying for the services.

It cost our military money to fuel the ships, pay the guys running the ship, and any soldiers on board those ships, as well as food. Time to start making the other countries pay for our services.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by dmek25

your one bashing gov't workers for being lazy. and back on topic, you do the most bashing of anyone around here. whats your plan to fix this mess?

Who have I bashed I just stated what people I know who work for the federal goverment have said. I own my own business and write my own pay check so the only person affected by how much or how hard I work is myself.

My plan would be to slash the federal goverment from top to bottom and cut spending across the board.