Closing Time

I am officially shuttering this blog. 

Thanks to all who have followed our/my adventures and read what I spent time and energy writing. I appreciate all the readers, but the time has come to close this avenue.

Best wishes to all.

Bonuses for IRS Employees

The title of the article reads "IRS to pay $70M in employee bonuses" and goes on to explain that because of our monetary woes and the institution of sequestration that these types of expenditures (of discretionary funds) should be canceled.  This according to a directive written by Daniel (Danny) Werfel when he worked at the Office of Management and Budget.  Mr. Werfel must have forgotten all about that as he is now the acting IRS Commissioner, and is apparently planning to hand out 70 million American taxpayer dollars in "bonuses." 

 In the State Department I can tell you that we don't get bonuses - even in good financial times.  We do have a system to offer awards (accompanied by a monetary component of usually no more than few hundred dollars) to employees who have really gone above and beyond in support of diplomacy.  This practice has been suspended until further notice. 

Seems we have a case here of rules applying to one, but not the other...which to my mind undermines the principle of equal treatment for all, an ideal integral to what it means to be American.

I also do not think government employees should receive bonuses of any kind.  That is more appropriate to a for-profit organization where one's efforts have directly impacted the bottom line and increased the company's profit.  Government is not a for-profit organization, or at least it should not be.

But this article begs the question, just what does one do at the IRS to warrant a bonus?

Another Fallen Colleague

My sincere condolences to the family and friends of my fallen colleague, Anne Smedinghoff.

Unfortunately I read this article from the British press, and I must ask why they were out walking?  What kind of protection were they given?  How is it possible that they did not know exactly where they were going? No one had made a dry run?

The article says, "U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday railed against the 'cowardly' terrorists responsible for the attack" and that the FBI is investigating.  In fact, killing is as natural to terrorists as swimming is to fish.  We can't really blame them for doing what they do, but shame on us if we allowed ourselves to be easy targets.  

Perhaps Secretary Kerry will insist upon a top down review of the security protocols in place to determine if the right steps were taken to protect unarmed diplomats.  It is one thing to give your life in service to your country when you've actually taken prudent measures to protect yourself, but it is a whole other thing to lose a life because of carelessness.  In the first case the blame rests on the terrorists, in the second the responsibility rests, ultimately, on the chief  mission.

I find this information very troubling, especially given the lack of concrete action taken after the attack in Libya.  I fear more of the same will become a more common occurrence.  These precious lives should not be given in vain.