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Navy

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  Consolidation within the Navy

  Consolidate the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) and Naval Supply Command (NAVSUP) into the Naval Installations Command (NIC). In 2003 all Class 1 (land) and 2 (infrastructure) real property was assigned to NIC. The consolidation of real property under one command is a good one. But in the end this consolidation created another command that was not provided the capabilities to perform its mission. In order ...more »

  Consolidate the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) and Naval Supply Command (NAVSUP) into the Naval Installations Command (NIC).

  In 2003 all Class 1 (land) and 2 (infrastructure) real property was assigned to NIC. The consolidation of real property under one command is a good one. But in the end this consolidation created another command that was not provided the capabilities to perform its mission. In order for NIC to perform its mission it requires contracting / acquisition capabilities. For NIC to accomplish its contracting / acquisition responsibilities NIC has had to utilize Memorandums of Understanding with NAVFAC and NAVSUP in order to provide the support, in its Host role, to the Tenant commands located at its shore facilities. In addition, to acquisition support NIC has arranged for personnel from NAVFAC and NAVSUP perform basic planning, programming and budgeting services associated with Environmental, Operational (Supply) and Facility Support.

  My opinion this is an inefficient and costly arrangement. The two service providers have no real vested interest in planning, programming, and submitting budgets for NIC. Both NAVFAC and NAVSUP are service providers and have not traditionally been involved in planning and programming for long term requirements. They are both short term planning agencies who, purchase this, construct this, or maintain that based on the funds provided during a given execution year. Their customers provide them with their future requirements based on the contracting / acquisitions they have projected they will be funded for. This short sightedness for long term planning has created a shortfall in funds required to cover the required annual life cycle costs. This arrangement is similar to contracting to a consultant asking them to tell you what your annual requirements are and how much will it cost. Then with that information you turn around and hire the same consultant make sure the services that they identified and provided a cost for are performed.

  NAVFAC and NAVSUP need to be consolidated into NIC. There are duplicative contracting /acquisition functions within both that could be consolidated into one contracting / acquisition department. The organizational structures could be consolidated into one Headquarters and all Regional Commands rolled into NIC’s structure. This would allow for a reduction of high level staff positions, eliminating some and transferring remaining billets to the major installation level at lower grades. All major installation Commands under NIC should be converted from appropriated funded commands to working capital funded commands. NIC provides appropriated funds via its Regional Commands for the basic operating and support services for the property, infrastructure, and mission tenants assigned to the major installations within. Regional Commands should be looking for common support services that could be bundled and provided to its major installations. The major installations are identified as working capital funded and staffed to provide the basic services to its mission tenant commands. Mission Tenant Commands who require support and service above the basic level can obtain those from the major installation (Host) at the same working capital fund rates established for that Region by NIC.

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  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

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  Eliminate / Reduce the # of Politcal Appointees

  Has anyone questioned the need for all these political appointed positions? In these times of budget cut backs why do we need these types of positions? If the current SES positions cannot support the President's programs then their performance metrics are not properly established. The current SES and higher level GS employees should be able to provide the guidance and advice for the implementation of change within their ...more »

  Has anyone questioned the need for all these political appointed positions? In these times of budget cut backs why do we need these types of positions? If the current SES positions cannot support the President's programs then their performance metrics are not properly established. The current SES and higher level GS employees should be able to provide the guidance and advice for the implementation of change within their agencies. Instead of removing political appointed positions from the appointment process why not eliminate them thereby reducing the number of political appointees that need to be confirmed. This would save some money while showing that the Administration has faith in the Federal employees helping the President to achieve their objectives. The Federal employees’ have the knowledge and the ability to implement change when they are allowed to be involved in the decision making and transition process. Running the government is not the same as running a private business. Not all processes that a private business will use can be applied within the federal government. Why the Federal Government is providing a service and where it’s funding come from are two key fundamental differences. The Federal Managers have some room to work but ultimately it has to fit within the framework of the legislation written, and passed by Congress and signed into law by the President. If the political appointee is that good and wants to work for the President, then they should apply for the job just like the rest of us. The President has the power to pull from the existing workforce to create his committees and task forces. What the President could do is also appoint a moderator from private industry to keep the focus and ask the hard questions of the committee or task force members. If the committees and task forces are made up of the people who will have to implement the change we just might see it happen in a timely and cost efficient manner.

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  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

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  Funding Source Training

  There should be a mandatory training course for all government employees, be they military, civilian, contracted, elected, and political appointees. Title the training “Where does our funding come from?” Unless you are tax exempt or your office receives no funding from Congressional Appropriations then you need to be trained on how your government agency obtains its funding. Once the initial training is completed annual ...more »

  There should be a mandatory training course for all government employees, be they military, civilian, contracted, elected, and political appointees. Title the training “Where does our funding come from?” Unless you are tax exempt or your office receives no funding from Congressional Appropriations then you need to be trained on how your government agency obtains its funding. Once the initial training is completed annual refresher training shall be given.

  Tie this training with a reward system for employees identifying projects or processes that are wasting funding. Provide an alternative to the wasteful process that is faster, cheaper, and provides a quality product and be rewarded.

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  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

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  Constitutional Amendment

  Repeal the 17th Amendment, Our Senators need to be appointed by the State they are to serve. Our forefathers created a bi-carmel legislative branch. The House represents the people and the Senate represents the State governments. The amendment proposed would first repeal the 17th Amendment. The second part of the amendment would change who and how our Legislative Branch is staffed and compensated for the time they served ...more »

  Repeal the 17th Amendment,

  Our Senators need to be appointed by the State they are to serve. Our forefathers created a bi-carmel legislative branch. The House represents the people and the Senate represents the State governments.

  The amendment proposed would first repeal the 17th Amendment.

  The second part of the amendment would change who and how our Legislative Branch is staffed and compensated for the time they served in Congress. All staffing and compensation associated with each Congressional seat shall be paid for by the people of the State they were elected from. The level of staffing and funding provided for that seat will be left to each State to determine.

  The third part of the amendment would establish that no elected official can serve consecutive terms. This last provision would provide that each elected member of Congress is to focus on the business being brought up in Congress during your term. After your term is served you can focus you energies on running for office again if you so choose to do so. You do not run for office while serving the people who elected you.

  I would also propose the repeal of term limits placed on the President with this third part of the proposed amendment above. Our forefathers did not place term limits because they felt there was no need to do so. They were raised on the idea of service to the public versus performing a job compensated for by the public.

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  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

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  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Budget versus Expending

  First, Congress has the power to tax and spend. Second, The Executive Branch is tasked with providing the annual planned expenditures to accomplish the requirements passed into law by Congress and interpreted by the Executive Branch. Third, nowhere was it written by our forefathers that we spend more than is collected. Just because they did not identify a balanced budget requirements does not mean they did not consider ...more »

  First, Congress has the power to tax and spend.

  Second, The Executive Branch is tasked with providing the annual planned expenditures to accomplish the requirements passed into law by Congress and interpreted by the Executive Branch.

  Third, nowhere was it written by our forefathers that we spend more than is collected. Just because they did not identify a balanced budget requirements does not mean they did not consider it nor does it imply they approved of deficit spending.

  Fourth, we need to spend only 75% of what is taken in to run our government programs. The remaining 25% needs to be placed into an emergency fund. This emergency fund needs to be defined on how it will be controlled and establish the ceiling for each of the emergency categories established such as natural disasters, war, famine, aid to foreign countries, etc.

  The Federal Government must also stop funding programs that were left to the States to run, such as education and health care. This would also require a change in how taxes are collected. The current system has the majority of taxes going to the Federal government. This should be reversed the majority of an individual’s tax dollars should stay close to home where he or she has a better opportunity to reach out and touch the elected official spending their tax dollar.

  Stop the spend it or lose it attitude, reward those agencies that find ways to spend less and improve on providing better services to the public.

  Federal Agencies need to prioritize where spend it funding. Not everything can be funded we need to focus on those programs that give us the best return on our investment.

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  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

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  Welfare should be earned

  Welfare should be earned and starts by stopping the free handout of taxpayer dollars. There are plenty of public sector tasks that can be performed by able bodied individuals. For cases where physical or mental conditions exist that make an individual incapable of working then welfare maybe the only option for those individuals. This should be a rare exception to the rule that each person has a rigth to earn their income. ...more »

  Welfare should be earned and starts by stopping the free handout of taxpayer dollars. There are plenty of public sector tasks that can be performed by able bodied individuals. For cases where physical or mental conditions exist that make an individual incapable of working then welfare maybe the only option for those individuals. This should be a rare exception to the rule that each person has a rigth to earn their income.

  First restructure the welfare program to provide incentives to get out and work and for those willing to be trained for a better job. Every able bodied person has the right to earn a living. To enforce this no one gets a check from the government unless they are employed and this employment is confirmed by the employing agency on a weekly basis.

  The Federal, State and local agencies have plenty of jobs identified and available that an abled body individual to perform. Based on the employer’s estimated weekly earned income, for that employee, the government will provide a supplemental check to the employee. The supplemental check from the government should provide enough funds that the combined income meets the annual adjusted poverty level for that individual.

  Second eliminate welfare checks for each child, the parent or parents must be earning income before support is handed out. It is not the government’s responsibility to feed that individual’s personal decision to have children. Again the amount of funding the government will provide is to be based on the annual adjusted poverty level for a family. For those who have more than two children no additional funding is added. Raising children is a hardship and the parent must be involved and held accountable for the decision they made to bring that child into the world.

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  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

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  Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »

  Flat Personal and Corporate Income Tax

  The idea is simple create a flat income tax structure, one for personal income earned and one for corporate income earned. Personal income flat tax is applied after the individual has earned above the annual adjusted poverty level income. Eliminate the marriage filing jointly bracket and just have us file as single. Depending on administrative objectives the point where the flat tax is applied can be adjusted based on ...more »

  The idea is simple create a flat income tax structure, one for personal income earned and one for corporate income earned.

  Personal income flat tax is applied after the individual has earned above the annual adjusted poverty level income. Eliminate the marriage filing jointly bracket and just have us file as single. Depending on administrative objectives the point where the flat tax is applied can be adjusted based on the incentive being pushed such as health insurance, home owner ship, retirement savings, fuel efficient vehicles, home energy, etc.

  Corporate income flat tax would be based on what the federal government needs corporate America to do. If you want it to create jobs then give a tax credit for each employee employed by the company. If you want health care coverage for each employees apply and additional credit for each employee covered under the company’s health plan. Vary the credit applied based on the level of coverage paid for by the company. If the company pays 100% of the insurance premiums it reduces its income by that amount. Retirement programs for its employees could be another incentive and the employee is vested from day one and the funds go with the employee if he or she leaves the company. Again if the company pays 100% into an employees retirement plan then it should be able to deduct that amount from its income.

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  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

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