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WP Poll: Are furloughs a good idea?

by YankeeJim | January 20, 2011 at 12:10 pm

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Is this a stupid question?

Since most of the people reading the Washington Post are Federal Workers, I am sure about their answer – no not us. Look, the question is bordering on silliness. The issue is what are the government’s needs for personnel at this time to accomplish its fiduciary responsibility? Second question is what is the nation’s current capacity to support government given the economic situation and trends?

The first question must be answered by government executives and their legislatures. The second must be answered by the office of management and budget or similar function.

The goal of our current government should be to optimize performance under constraints, and to improve through modernization and simplification that comes from a combined effort of executives and legislators.

Is the WP asking We the People if we want smaller and more effective government, or are they just being stupid?

“ON Washingtonpost.com

Q.

Some state governments have furloughed their employees to deal with tight budgets. Are furloughs for federal workers a good idea as a cost-cutting measure?

Please e-mail your answer to federalworker@washpost.com, and include your full name, home town and the agency for which you work. We might include your response in Friday's Washington Post. When answers are particularly sensitive, we will consider a respondent's request to withhold full identification.”