Community Member

Member since 2 years ago

Badges

• Newbie

4 ideas posted

2 comments 8 votes

113 points View the Leaderboard

Department/Agency:

Department of Defense

City:

DC

Community Member is a member of:

• Government Reform for Competition and Innovation Ideas

Ideas contributed by Community Member

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  33 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Congressional Benefits

  Make government leadership affected by the decisions they make. Congress should be "OF the PEOPLE", meaning they get nothing in terms of continuing benefits the rest of USGOV doesn't get. a) Eliminate retirement and put them into a 401k plan or TSP that gets large payments each year, but isn't meant to be a lifetime retirement. (effect=reduced costs) b) Tie them to the GG pay charts, not their special congress pay. ...more »

  Make government leadership affected by the decisions they make. Congress should be "OF the PEOPLE", meaning they get nothing in terms of continuing benefits the rest of USGOV doesn't get.

  a) Eliminate retirement and put them into a 401k plan or TSP that gets large payments each year, but isn't meant to be a lifetime retirement. (effect=reduced costs)

  b) Tie them to the GG pay charts, not their special congress pay. When they freeze pay and retirement growth for USG, it freezes for them too as a result of joining the GG charts. (effect=reduced costs)

  c) Medical benefits expire when they leave office, but in office they receive the same medical plan the GG government receives.(effect=reduced costs)

  Current congressional benefits that are completely unaffected by the decisions the congress makes for the rest of the government have to end. (effect=better government leadership decisions b/c they put their personal skin into the game)

  « less full details »

  2 comments for Idea: Congressional Benefits

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  6 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Military Reserves

  VERY very closely look at the reserve forces. Identify clearly what we want them to be doing, and set a total compensation package commensurate with their expected duties. [initial clarification: for many reserves, IDT (drills) training is not reflective of what the bigger DoD is using them for during mobilization. We need to identify if mobilization is the goal, and multiple mobs is the plan, then the current pay, ...more »

  VERY very closely look at the reserve forces. Identify clearly what we want them to be doing, and set a total compensation package commensurate with their expected duties.

  [initial clarification: for many reserves, IDT (drills) training is not reflective of what the bigger DoD is using them for during mobilization. We need to identify if mobilization is the goal, and multiple mobs is the plan, then the current pay, retirement, and protections are insufficient to the damage caused to the reservist's ability to provide for their family over the long haul. We can reduce training costs by eliminating training not aligned to what we will use them for and sizing the reserve force to meet the end point objective (if it is mob general, w/o specific skills, then so be it); then we likely are going to have to increase the overall compensation package to offset the damage we are creating by using reserves as we have for the last 8 years. So, again, we need to really look at the reserves. Ask what we want to have them do, and then make sure we are addressing the demands we are placing on them, and right size the force. Realize this: noone is getting rich in the reserves, and the med/pay/retirement benefit only helps if you live beyond 60. Then at 65 reserves gets kicked off tricare to medicare first, and tricare second. The package isn't that great, but it is ok. The suicide and divorce rate of the reserves over the last 8 years continues to climb. So....there is a lot of reserve reform we need to do to optimize what we want to achieve, and care for our people. Without looking closely, we will definitely go somewhere, but it likely will not be in the right direction. And that is exactly what is happening today...we are going the wrong direction.]

  It is unarguable that the Reserve forces have stepped up to the challenge in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, there is a sizable part of the reserve force that is dedicated overhead, and the "training" of reserves often is truly wasteful when the USG uses reserves as a temp pool regardless of skills.

  « less full details »

  2 comments for Idea: Military Reserves

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  9 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Return TSA to private control

  Set standards and hold airlines to the standards through inspections and fines.

  Establish clear level of liability for airlines should a 9/11 like event occur if, and only if, their security is found to have been compliant with government directives/standards for security.

  Add your comment for Idea: Return TSA to private control

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  14 votes

  This idea is active.
  Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »

  Reform Government Leadership

  1. Where are the biggest opportunities to streamline and modernize government processes? A: Hold government leadership accountable for the jobs they do. All Senators and Representatives vote yeah or nay, in person, for 95% of all votes. With provisions for illness and the like exemption allowances. For budgets, ONE continuing resolution allowed. Then, if there is no budget, the Congress is restricted to the District ...more »

  1. Where are the biggest opportunities to streamline and modernize government processes?

  A: Hold government leadership accountable for the jobs they do. All Senators and Representatives vote yeah or nay, in person, for 95% of all votes. With provisions for illness and the like exemption allowances.

  For budgets, ONE continuing resolution allowed. Then, if there is no budget, the Congress is restricted to the District of Columbia, works 12 hour days 6 days a week, no recess or visits to their states, or trips out of the district until a budget is passed. They need to work FOR the people.

  2. How can we use government resources more efficiently and effectively?

  A: Make government leadership affected by the decisions they make. Congress should be "OF the PEOPLE", meaning they get nothing in terms of continuing benefits the rest of USGOV doesn't get.

  a) Eliminate retirement and put them into a 401k plan or TSP that gets large payments each year, but isn't meant to be a lifetime retirement.

  b) Tie them to the GG pay charts, not their special congress pay. When they freeze pay and retirement growth for USG, it freezes for them too as a result of joining the GG charts.

  c) Medical benefits expire when they leave office, but in office they receive the same medical plan the GG government receives.

  Current congressional benefits that are completely unaffected by the decisions the congress makes for the rest of the government have to end.

  Voting transparency:

  3. All votes by our representatives get sent to a constiutent's app or email that allows us direct access to see what they voted on and how. Then the app allows us to put a virtual coin in a virtual jar voicing my approval or disapproval. The app allows the user to instantly generate an SMS message to the rep letting them know what I (the constituent they represent) like or not about their voting. During elections, I can see exactly how they voted since the last election and even tag issues that are important to me when I vote.

  « less full details »

  1 comment for Idea: Reform Government Leadership

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

Displaying all 4 Ideas