the Maine HR Cafe

Consumer confidence & sentiment, often reported and cited, is critical to growth and success of the economy. Citizen confidence & sentiment is equally critical to good government. The most recent Rasmussen poll shows only 6% of Americans rate Congress’ performance as good or excellent. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/congressional_performance

My background: I am a retired Air Force veteran with 21 years of service. For the past twelve years, I have been and remain a professional human resource manager. Today, I am writing to you about my 401(k).

I have voluntarily made my sacrifices of service to protect, defend and extend the freedoms, liberties, and national security of America. I remain ready to make further economic sacrifices in order to protect, defend and extend the future economic security of America.

My goal with my 401(k) is to be independent from the social security entitlement that may or may not exist in the future. My conservative funds selection model – balances growth with capital preservation – typically serves me well with annual returns over time approaching 10%. Using available planning models, I extend the projections out to the year of my retirement. Two weeks ago, these planning models showed a sturdy balance that would allow comfortable monthly distributions. Now, using this same standard model, the balance is anemic with monthly distributions best described as poverty stricken. I sure hope something is left for me in the social security coffers.

THIS IS YOUR FAULT. You and your colleagues are not up to the task of collaborating together and doing what is best for America – the land we love. There is no pride of service in Congress. There is no humility in having been selected to do the job that is not getting done. Instead we persistently hear about the inferior problem solving method of compromise, simply defined as win/LOSE. And Americans are now the world’s biggest losers.

IF you were an employee of mine and I was your human resource manager, you would be on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). Since you are an employee of mine, here is your PIP. Your August vacation request (recess) is hereby revoked and suspended until your performance improves to the point of solid citizen confidence & sentiment. Your pay has been suspended until steps 1 through 4 are complete.

Now, let’s talk about the elements of your performance improvement plan.

1. There is an inferior mob of 87 republican members of congress that can be overcome with bipartisan strength. Republicans need to join with Democrats to create a collaborative consensus to defeat these few miscreants into the insignificance they have proven to deserve. Instead of adjourning to private party-based caucuses to strategize, create a public caucus to serve We The People. Instead of weakly compromising, where 1+1 equals less than 2, collaborate so that 1+1 is greater than 2. We The People deserve greater, not less.

2. Freeze all entitlement spending, public sector pay raises, and programmed spending at the rates of the last congressionally approved budget. Then scrutinize benefits eligibility criteria and benefits level. The goal here is to tighten eligibility while reducing benefits to sustainable levels.

3. Tax reform, aka revenue restoration.
3.1. The following measures are to be taken with the philosophy that it is time to expand and extend the shared sacrifices that will unite all, not divide most.
3.2. Implement a full three-year phased return of the President Bush era, now extended by President Obama, tax cuts. Across the board, no exceptions. More Americans will share in the economic sacrifices needed to first eliminate deficit spending and then start paying down the debt.
3.2.1. One of the principles our country was founded on was against taxation without representation. We are now at the other extreme of representation without taxation. Everyone needs some $kin in the game to counter & crush the sentiment that we are spending someone else’s money.
3.3. Simplify the tax code through loophole elimination and mitigation. Start with second mortgage and vacation home interest deductions. Don’t stop there, keep going.

4. Instead of having another doomed-to-fail deficit reduction committee, implement the proposals from President Obama’s debt commission. Washington is infamous with kicking the can down the road through committees and commissions, then into inaction. This demonstrated a lack of courage is a strong contributing factor to the current weak citizen confidence and sentiment.

5. Your pay is now restored. Take a well-deserved two week vacation.

Yes, each of these proposals will cost me money. I’m okay with that. I will adjust. All I want is for my 401(k) growth to return to positive.

WHEN – IF is not acceptable – you get these things done, citizen and consumer confidence & sentiment will be restored. The economy will be strengthened. We The People will prosper once again.

~ by RMSJr on August 7, 2011.

Posted in Politics
Tags: 401(k), Citizen, Congress, Consumer, debt, deficit, sacrifice