How many of you actually work in/around Government?

Does having to shell obscene amounts of income tax count as "working for the Government"??

 

She an executive for an unnamed entity that works for the Legislature. She's not "under the Governor," thank goodness. And she's extremely busy right now. They're trying to wrap things up by Monday, which means everything should have been done yesterday. (it was done long ago. the problem is with amendments added to crucial bills that have nothing to do with the original intent of the bills. this happens a lot, and has for, like, forever, but never to the extent it's happening now)

 

That is a good idea, but I don't know if that counterbalances the 'No Child Left Behind' act. That program has some good intentions, but has been so horribly conceived. It is rotten, and doesn't help many children at all. Many children are in fact left behind far worse because of this program.

I like the idea of having a reading program for all schools, to a large degree. But it provides a very basic kind of learning, and ironically most of the programs I've seen don't instill a love of reading in children which would be on of the most valuable things we could do.

It does ensure that all children get a minimum level of very necessary skills, strategies, writing, etc. It also provides a great place for new teachers to have format and structure as they are learning the craft.

 

No, but we pay all these people's salaries from our taxes. That makes us their bosses. I'm not happy with the amount of time they are spending on the internet during daytime hours. Get back to work, sloths!

 

I'm putting in some free overtime for you Bigtexxx as I type. I'm supposed to be out drinking beer right now, but instead I'm working for the people of the great state of Texas.

Hopefully I'll be out of here soon

 

worked as an intern at ITT and Rockwell Science Center. it's amazing that anything ever gets done. defense budget can probably be slashed quite a bit.

 

FB, the way kids develop a love of reading is from their parents. Maybe we need a, "No Adult Left Behind" act. Maybe I was lucky growing up. Heck, I know I was lucky growing up. My parents did everything they could to encourage me to read. It got to where they probably wished they hadn't. When I was nine, I started to join the Science Fiction Book Club without their knowledge. (I couldn't resist the ads that offered like 6 free books if you joined... and all you needed was a stamp, lol!) My Mom would be amazed when a box of Heinlein and Asimov showed up in the mail. They would cancel it after a couple of months, and then I'd do it again, getting another big box of free books. I probably did this 6 or 7 times before my folks threw up their hands and gave in. I still have a couple of hundred of those hardcovers, on the shelves or in storage due to lack of space.

I don't remember exactly what they did to encourage me to read. I suspect it was doing what we've done with our two kids, reading to them every night before bed, taking them to the bookstore for books as a reward for a great report card, which we still do. I put it on the parents. Some kids have issues and problems, of course, that create grief for their parents regardless of what they do, but in general I say, "Reach the parents and you'll reach the kids." Something like that, anyway.



Keep D&D Civil!!

 

Exactly

 

You are correct that is a large part of it. But I only have a limited control on the role parents play. But another aspect of learning to love reading is by being exposed to great literature. Most reading programs offer exerpts or abridged selections from great literature. There is a huge difference. A child who is routinely exposed to a wide variety of great literature throughout his education may develop a great love of reading even without much help from the parents. A lot of the children in my school live with single parents who work 2 or even three jobs, and don't have a chance to share reading with them. Almost none of the children's families at my school have the money for books, and the children going to the library depends on their parents or someone else finding the time to take them. Some parents do manage, but it is difficult.

And even if the parents are doing a lot to encourage the students then it would be great to add to that and reinforce it with great literature in addition.

 

You think?!

They have so much money that apparently they have 'somehow' lost track of chum change like $9 billion dollars in the Iraq war funds.

Corruption is rabid in our government, we pay tremendous amount of money in taxes, and yet it never seems enough for them. Then, if they have left-over money (which is almost never), then work hard on finding new ways of wasting it somehow, until their spending gets out of control and they can't stop piling up debt for future generations (kind of like now).

 

That's b/c the tax revenue is only barely enough to cover the interest payments on the national debt

 

Isn't that the first thing govt. bureaucrats learn? Never come in under budget - or they'll cut spending the following year.

I wonder how many billions can be saved if public bureacracies were tightened up a little bit.

 

One of my businesses involves defense subcontractor work.

 

I wouldn't argue that with you, FB. My post was at least a little "tougue in cheek." I think children should learn to read, and read well, in elementary school, that they should all get fine educations... that, here in Texas at least, the state government is failing it's responsibilities while placing incredible burdens on local school districts, all in the name of, "Hey, we cut your taxes! Vote for me!! So what if the state infrastructure is falling apart around us!", and I also believe that while there is a role to be played by the Federal government to insure that children aren't discriminated against because of race, creed, financial circumstances and so on, the state and local entities must be the ones ultimately to insure a quality education for every child. The Feds are better left out of it, imo.



Keep D&D Civil!!

 

at the state level there is no incentive to come in under budget, you are almost penalized for it. Its bizarre so thats why I stay away from purchasing and etc....

 

worked in the White House in the National Economic Council, followed by the State Dep't (actually technically in a US Embassy abroad). Then, I spent a year on the Hill. I got tired of squabbling in domestic politics though and now am in investment banking - quite a change.

 

I worked for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts as an auditor after college, before going to law school.

Currently, I am in the federal courts representing my clients three to four days a week. I have significant contact with the court, clerk and US Trustee's office.

There are things I learned about governmental inefficiency, etc, but none of it interesting enough to post.

 

I spent some time as a federal employee. I had to be checked out by the FBI and my email address ended in .gov and everything. I worked at the National Gallery, so I was very important. I learned secrets.

 

I work at the Johnson Space Center.