President's Debt Panel Proposal

[Ursa Majoris]

Majority of debt panel members vote in favore of plan (11), but 14 were required to force vote.

 

I'm very disappointed that this did not get the 14 votes required to force a vote, but it looks like it is at least something that can be worked with, and may eventually come to a vote. I'm extremely disappointed that Paul Ryan voted against it as he is one of the more fiscally conservative GOP congressmen that I really respect a lot. I really want to hear his reasons for voting against it.

+1 to all this. It is crystal clear that serious action is required and it seems to me that the proposals contained in the final document were for the most part fair, spreading any pain as far and wide as possible. People latched on to the mortgage deduction but no-one looked at the hugh reduction in income tax levels. I think these were more than fair.

[McBoog]

As a Federal Employee:

 

I am fine with a pay freeze. With the country the way it is, i see no reason why I should get increases with so many others hurting the way they are. It will hurt if the current tax levels are raised in January!. I don't care who gets to keep the current rate, I think it should be everybody. I will blame the administration if they lapse. Any Republican that votes for any tax increase after these elections should be removed from office as well.

 

I see horrific waste of OUR money. It ticks me off and there are a lot of things that could be cut from EVERY Federal agency. There are quite a few agencies that could be sliced away altogether (I would start with the Dept of Education... What a boondoggle that joint is!). Every one of my agents has their own PC at their desk. Some even have their own G-Laptop as well. When I was a new agent (almost 25 years ago), an office of 65 agents had six PCs in a room that we had to share for uploading our reports to the mainframe, running criminal histories, etc. Now they are replacing these computers every few years. I see no need for it other than convenience. There is a big difference between convenience and being able to get the job done. Today's G workers are spoiled and nowhere nearly as motivated as the people I came in with.

 

I think the Federal Government should not hire anyone for three years and then adjust TO&Es to these levels. My people are very busy (I make sure of that), but I can't tell you after a three year tour in DC how many people are pulling 60K plus and surf the internet all day! Those who know me know I earn my salary, but there are far too many people working for us that don't, and the ridiculous protections in place to ensure their continued laziness are ludicrous! The current administration has made it worse by firing so many contracted employees that are held to certain standards and easily fired, replaced them with government jobs, secure and with full benefits. For many specific tasks, contracted employees are much better at the job than a G worker (IT comes to mind).This in turn has bloated the G even more!

 

So much of what the Government does is a form of informal welfare. So many of these people do nothing and get paid for it. Their only requirement is to be present. For the same money we can leave them at home doing nothing, fire their overpaid bosses and close down the facilities that they colonize during the day. That in itself would save us billions each year

Edited December 3, 2010 by McBoog

[redrumjuice]

I see horrific waste of OUR money.

 

Exactly, there is MORE than enough cash in DC, to ask for more is raping me.

[driveby]

Spent the thanksgiving week in DC.

 

Couldn't help but notice that as we walked around at night the government buildings had nearly every light blazing and not a soul in sight, while the "private" buildings were dark for the most part.

 

And in the East Gallery art museum there were more security guards than visitors.

 

But that's ancedotal and small potatoes so probably not a big deal.

[westvirginia]

And this is the biggest reason I'd like to see taxes stay the same as well. People seem to be partially waking up, but I'm not sure how long it will last.

 

Exactly, there is MORE than enough cash in DC, to ask for more is raping me.