kids at the candy store

http://www.capitolmarkets.com/agencies/gsa/yet-another-gsa-conference-scandal-hearing/

this is a crime against the US tax payer.....they [ government workers ] paid [ stole ] $20,000 for DRUMSTICKS so government workers could ''play along with the band''!!!! venue rental<>$34,000? NO! in our company [ not in debt ] we have our awards ceremony in the conference area, no charge!!! plus other crap, and I mean crap....even if they were not in debt, you do not spend US tax money on an awards ceremony...they have better benefits than most, more holidays/etc,,,,...then they steal from the poor.... your thoughts

 

This page has more details:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CEYQFjAG&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hsgac.senate.gov%2Fdownload%2Fgsa-response-to-subcommittee-about_the-federal-acquisition-service-conference&ei=6XHKVMj3DoSyggTj4IGgBg&usg=AFQjCNHwixxbCHxVz2aihtQhO_6HPb9R1g&bvm=bv.84607526,d.eXY
Of course it's chump change compared to Congressional expenditures. Without more information it's also difficult to rerally tell whether or not or more accurately how much of the expenditures were warrented. Characterizing it as "theft" is at best premature.

Here's a rather difficult to read transcrpt of some of the hearings. Reinforces the chump change part IMO.
http://www.c-span.org/video/?307370-1/general-services-administration-expenses

 

that's what I hear about all the purely, unneeded cost<> ''it's not that much''...so just keep spending it on absolutely unneeded things, like.....drumsticks?

 

it tells you right there they are unwarranted<>DRUMSTICKS to play along with the band...picture frames??AND {iirc ] some type of mind reader

 

49,000$ travel to an AWARDS ceremony<>unneeded...awards cere'money'<>unneeded....just give the awards [for being in debt? ] out at the workplace, like we do!...how simple can it be?

 

The length of the event makes it sound like it was a lot more than just an awards ceremony. Likewise there's the question of just how many people were there. Was it only 200? or was it 2.000 or 4,000 or even more? The druming thing makes it sound to me like they were doing at least some sort of "team buidling" exercise. Now one can question the merit of those but they are pretty widely accepted as being worth while.

A bit of a strawman with the "just keep spending" response as well. My point is that there are far more productive areas to concentrated on. The hearings they held on this probably ended up costing as much or more than the ceremony.

Jumping to conclusions in the absence of data is not usually productive.

 

they need drumsticks to build team spirit???? they do not need the sticks at all.....we don't have team building at our work, and we are not in debt....if they can't do their job without 20,000$ for team whatever, they do not need to be working for the government wasting my money[ sounds like the hired some <>??? [ pick your word ]...there is no way to justify the drumsticks...my dad worked for the government, and told me the 'stories'...now, not all are like that....but, it needs to STOP....drumsticks???? might as well bought some horsecrap...come on, they gave mucho bonuses!! that's team building there...think about it,<> drumsticks

 

I'm not saying I agree with them and I doubt I would have gone for it if it had been my decision however when such things are accepted and indeed promoted as a "good thing" by managment "science" types and accepted as such by the overall community I'm not sure it's reasonable to condem government organizations for using them. Particualry when you look at the impact to moral of events in that time frame. If because of such team buidlng you got even a 1% increase in productivity over the next year among those present then even if there were only 200 present you got a 2 manyear increase in productivty for less than .2 man years cost. Sounds like a good deal to me. if the attendance was greater as it may well have been then the pay off is either much greater or you need even less of a boost. The managment "science" types have come up with some pretty strange things in their time and oddly enough some even payed off. Whether this particular one does or not is an open question. I certainly haven't seen anything that really answers it or even addresses it so I'm not jumping to conclusions.

 

If Bronk get this bent out of shape over 20 grand for drumsticks, glad he has not read up on the C-27J Spartan...His head would explode...Or, for that matter, the C-130.

 

I don't necessarily follow these in depth, but I see the headlines occasionally, and the next time I see a headline about one of these scandals again, I think my head is going to explode. :fuse: P_grenate1:anic:

 

If you run UNDER budget you spend the difference to ensure the same budget next year...happens every year..

 

It just seems like these hearings happen too often about the same thing.

 

1..it should be like a balloon or airplane, going down, FAST, and you have to get rid of weight, anything that is CLOSE to unnecessary<>awards cere''money'' [totally unnecessary ]..drumsticks [ would be laughable if we weren't in huge debt <> UNNECESSARY ].. the bare necessities<>use the whole pencil, don't throw half away!.eat hot dogs not steak.....it reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Elaine goes on a spending spree with the business card....it's like the family on welfare/food stamps that goes out to the most expensive restaurant!!...2.. couldn't they have just sang together, to build team spirit, instead of 20,000$ for how long ????? that's piss poor thinking and spending any way you look at it...Michelle O, mom and kids, going to Africa, etc TOTALLY unnecessary!!

 

same where you are CAC? AND , what should happen<>just like we see almost every week, LAYOFFS....some of these companies aren't doing bad, but to stay 'in the air', they know they need to lay off people.....so what does the US government do? FURLOUGHS!...so, us regular people get laid off, and the government [ in huge debt because of their own fault ] people keep their jobs!...I don't like to see anyone lose their job, but my lord...[ and then they buy some drumsticks ].....

 

nothing against you S, but a lot of people are uninformed/fed propaganda ....it's like the threads here of ''how could hitler blahblah,, how could the Holocaust, blahblah blah...and you see the answers from everyone<>

 

My daughter works for a large company and used to organise charity events. When the shopfloor workers took part in sponsored walks etc. they did it in their own time and at their own expense. When there were manager only events, they were put up in good hotels, meals and drinks paid for by the company. Transport water packed lunch were all provided. One pregnant manager spent the day in a spa, again paid for by the company, while the other managers went on their sponsored walk. Guess who got the kudos at their national 'Awards' ceremony? What a load of sh*t!

 

So why not become a boss?

 

yes, the fed government is not a fortune 500 company, .....

 

they think they have carte blanche to spend tax money..people should get bent..oo, everyone is getting bent !! over.....you got it right Tak, it tees me off to no end.....any kind of wasteful spending.....bare necessities...and that's it.....it's not the amount-20G....it's the total ridiculousness of it.....much thanks all replies.....good post here by Tak..very funny..I like it