| After attending the NTEU Legislative Conference in Washington DC and meeting with our Senators, Congressman, and their aides, I got to thinking and would like to share with you my thoughts…it seems to me contracting out is redefining government; so much so one of the founding principles of our constitution, of our government, and of our democracy has become a cliché… |
| “Is It Just Another Cliché?” |
| “Government for the people, by the people”… |
| Our forefathers, I believe, did not intend it to be. We Federal employees believe, and practice, government by the people, while working our everyday jobs; we continue to believe in that guiding principle, today, just as our founding forefathers believed. |
| One reason for American strength lies in that founding principle. Yet, the administration would like to contract out the work the Federal workforce performs on behalf of our people. It appears the administration no longer believes in that guiding principle. Rather, it appears, they believe in “Government for the people, by the for-profits”. |
| Contracting out issues affects all of the Federal government and giving our jobs away to a more costly and less efficient for-profit appears to be an administration goal. Placing resources into the hands of the Federal workforce to enable them to continue to perform their jobs and provide services to our people should be everyone’s goal. A for-profit is a for-profit; we are the Federal government. Other than government, who tries to accommodate everyone? |
| Isn’t this “government for the people, by the people”? |
| The Federal employees of the IRS are proud of what they do and do it very well. They are loyal to their job and their purpose exclusive of the $. They believe in their government and are loyal to their government. Federal employees provide services for the people with integrity unsurpassed within the private sector. There is no space available for “Government for the people, and administered by the for-profits”. |
| Contract out to domestic for-profits and foreign for-profits the administration appears to say. It’s an insignificant amount of a little conflict of interest the administration appears to say. We at the IRS and all of Federal government ask for fair and equitable pay and the resources necessary to continue to provide all the people of this country fair and equitable treatment. |
| Has a founding principle of ours become a cliché? |
| -- Bill |
| 3/11/2006 |
