WTF Has Obama Done? - Issue No. 023 - Government Efficiency

What is government efficiency?  Well it's doing your best by finding success in reducing government operating costs when you get elected into office.  And President Barack Obama has done just that by managing to cut government expenses by the billions.  This can be done by simply using different software or hardware in different departments, reversing the Bush-era no-bid and single-bidder contracts in order to find the best contractor who can do the best work for the least amount of money, and so forth.

Today I will introduce you to a broad policy, a specific cut, and a targeted action by this President and his administration.  By providing these open government efforts it helps keep spending under control, and this is what we want in a President.

WTF-67

Established the President’s Management Advisory Board.

The President's Management Advisory Board (PMAB) was formed to provide the President and agencies advice and recommendations on bringing insight from the private and non-profit sectors to Federal Government management and operations. Topics that the board will address include customer service, human capital, innovative technology, and procurement. [Read More]

The President's Management Advisory Board is a council of 17 corporate executives from leading American companies. Its purpose is to provide the administration of the executive branch advice and recommendations on effective strategies for the implementation of the best business practices on matters related to federal government's management and operations, with focus on productivity, the implementation of innovative methods, customer service, and technology.  The board will be chaired by former Sirius/XM Satellite Radio Director Jeffrey Zients as part of the General Services Administration of the Executive Office. As of July 2010, appointments to the board have not been announced. [Read More-1, Read More-2]

WTF-68

Cut salaries of senior White House aides.

President Barack Obama is extending a freeze on the pay of senior White House officials for another year and he’s spreading the freeze to top political appointees across the federal government, Obama aides said Tuesday night. 

Obama is expected to announce the freeze during his State of the Union address Wednesday, officials said. He will also extend a ban he imposed last year on paying bonuses to political appointees, according to White House aides. 

“The president recognizes and we all recognize that the nation faces some really difficult choices,” an administration official who asked not to be named said. “Families are making tough choices, businesses are making tough choices. The president is simply asking political appointees who want to be part of government to be more careful and more responsible with taxpayers’ dollars.” [Read More-1, Read More-2]

WTF-69

Enhanced payment accuracy through a “Do Not Pay” list.

MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

"My Administration is committed to eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in Federal programs, including reducing and recapturing erroneous payments    a commitment I reinforced in Executive Order 13520 of November 20, 2009, and in a memorandum to the heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) of March 10, 2010.  While identifying and recapturing improper payments is important, prevention of payment errors before they occur should be the first priority in protecting taxpayer resources from waste, fraud, and abuse.  In those cases where data available to agencies clearly shows that a potential recipient of a Federal payment is ineligible for it, subsequent payment to that recipient is unacceptable.  We must ensure that such payments are not made.

Agencies maintain many databases containing information on a recipient's eligibility to receive Federal benefits payments or Federal awards, such as grants and contracts.  By checking these databases before making payments or awards, agencies can identify ineligible recipients and prevent certain improper payments from being made in the first place." - Barack Obama  [Read More]

I would like to list everything under each category, but there comes a time when even a blog gets too large. LOL. But make sure to click on the "Read More" links to read more on each WTF.

I promise to come back to this topic in another issue, until then, please feel free to read my previous issues by clicking here.

Make sure to read the next issue
Issue No. 024 - Health & Wellness

WTF Has Obama Done is an ongoing series posted daily or weekly on BLADE 7184 until Election Day, 2012!

They Won't Give You Your Buses Back! They're Republicans.

For the past several weeks I have been driving down our through street and noticed several signs saying "Facebook / We Want Our Buses Back".  

I didn't know know what this was in reference to, so I asked my partner Ryan and he informed me that the children who live within 2 miles of any Spring, ISD school are no longer being picked up for school.  They took their buses away, and Facebook was the only way they knew how to spread the message across.

When I went online to investigate what was going on, I was dumbfounded by what I saw.  Article after article, news story after news story on this very topic.  Damn, where the hell have I been?  We pay taxes to this school district!

The school district use to bus students who lived past 1/4 mile to the schools. This school year, they decided they were going to the statewide accepted 2-mile distance, which puts most students in the "walking" category, unless they have a "hazardous route" (as defined by the same accepted policy. Problem is, this is a small, but very congested community, and even though the posted speeds are within their "safe" speed, no one drives that posted speed limit. They expect our kids to walk along Cypresswood, Aldine-Westfield, and other dangerous roads--not to mention past tons of sexual predators. Just last year, a teenage girl went missing right after she got off the bus, and hasn't been found yet! Their website (www.springisd.org) has the hazardous route info if you're interested. I think it's under the general information tab, then bus routes. The school district knew that anybody in their right mind that had another choice wasn't going to let their kids walk, which leads to a very horrible traffic congestion, which ticks people off even more. So we have even more dangerous situations with people driving worse because they're ticked at being made to sit through the same red light 2 or 3 times. I've seen people driving down the wrong side of the road and through fields on the road our school is on. Not to mention huge dump trucks and other construction type vehicles. It's just insane that they would think we'd let our kids walk around there. Some people don't have a choice and are forced to fear for their lives and their children's lives every day of school. They say they're doing this because of budget shortfalls. Well, part of that shortfall may be to do with the fact that our Superintendent supposedly decided a couple of years back that he needed to drive a $52000+ Porsch! Go figure!

Let's see... who's in control of the state legislature that passed this horrendous 2-mile law?  Hmmm, who's hurt our teachers, firefighters and policemen in this state?  But most of all, who's hurt our children by cutting financial aid and other services, that we as taxpayers help provide?  I'll give you one guess... Ricky Perry and The Republicans!

But guess what???  Don't blame them, because nothing is their fault.  Isn't that what they always say?

Why Save PBS?

Republicans have never been fond of public broadcasting. Republicans have always thought that public broadcasting across the board is liberal, and not particularly supportive of Republican and conservative points of view.  Democrats tend not to think that, unless they're from very conservative districts.  

I grew up watching Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers and NOVA, hell I even watched Austin City Limits which was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President George W. Bush in 2003.  Here's a chart on why we should save PBS and tell me how you feel.

click to enlarge