Posted on 01/18/2017 6:35:45 PM PST by AndyJackson
When the Department of Energy was asked by the Agency Review Team to identify employees who work on climate change — one of the critical challenges of our time — our workforce rightly worried that the incoming team would judge them on ideology rather than merit.
When the House voted to bring back the Holman Rule — allowing Members of Congress to selectively target individual federal workers or departments — our workforce became vulnerable to judgment based on ideology. When possible federal hiring freezes are mentioned casually, our workforce is concerned about its capacity to support our critical responsibilities. And when vilifying civil servants becomes the norm, the ability to recruit talented workers will vanish. Instead of considering public service, our brightest minds will look elsewhere for a meaningful career.
The Federal Government can only effectively serve the American people when staffed by qualified and dedicated public servants. This is true at DOE, where I have served as the Deputy Secretary for the past two years, and across all departments and agencies. At DOE, civil servants, military service members, and contractors solve our nation’s toughest challenges and keep us safe. Yet it has become common to disparage this workforce — sometimes through rhetoric, but increasingly through actions. This trend is dangerous for our country.
The people of DOE do pioneering work that contributes to our national security, provides opportunities for entrepreneurs, ensures the safety, security, and effectiveness of our nuclear deterrent, keeps the power on in partnership with industry, and inspires young people to pursue STEM careers. These missions are critical to our success as a Nation, and we need talented people to take on these important responsibilities.
When I began my tenure at DOE, I made it a priority to visit all of our National Laboratories and nuclear security sites. I met the workers charged with unglamorous but essential jobs such as assembling and dismantling our nuclear weapons, cleaning up our Nation’s Cold War legacy to keep communities safe, generating technological solutions to counter cyber threats, and improving our energy systems to make them more resilient and efficient. These essential technical areas need an influx of young and talented workers.
To reinforce the federal talent pipeline we have to de-politicize the rhetoric about the federal workforce. There are many issues that unite us across partisan lines, including the need to respond to national security challenges with innovation and intellectual vigor. At DOE, I have worked with industry leaders and Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to provide the scientific analysis and technological capabilities that help our nation meet major challenges. Without a strong federal workforce, those valuable tools would be lost to us — to the benefit of our rivals.
We must also make changes that set this workforce up for success. It is aging, and we must develop a new generation of professionals to compensate for upcoming retirements. DOE and the broader federal government need to attract that new generation by managing an exciting mission space and embracing the values that make today’s workplaces successful, productive, and motivating. Young people entering the workforce want to be part of organizations that are inclusive and provide professional development opportunities. These are areas where we can do better.
Finally, the next Administration must be held accountable to make these changes. Secretary Moniz and I have endeavored to stand with our workforce in meaningful ways, including by updating our policy on scientific integrity just this last week to uphold the independence of the scientific process moving forward and last year launching a diversity and inclusion campaign to empower the people of DOE. My incoming colleagues who will lead DOE and the rest of the federal enterprise have a tremendous opportunity to build on these efforts, allay the fears engendered by this transition, improve recruitment and retention, and recognize the contributions of this remarkable workforce to our security and prosperity.
Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall is Deputy Secretary of Energy.
But it goes on. Forgetting about professional competence in a science and technology agency responsible for nuclear weapons, it hypes "diversity and inclusiveness"
It claims credit for supplying the country with reliable energy, something done by the commercial utility industry.
And this elitist policy wonk with degrees in political science takes credit for supplying science and technology to the country, which she certainly doesn't, but decides that "assembling and distmantling nuclear weapons is an "unglamorour job." http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3513108/posts
It all just says “blah blah blah” to me.
I’ll respect them. I want them all fired, but i’ll respect them if it makes them happy
End government unions.
There’s a price to pay for believing lies.
I’ve worked with them.
Sorry, ain’t got no mo respect.
There’s a reason they’re in the government.
The first two departments that should be eliminated both have the same initials: DOE.
Anyone who thinks the Federal Government is not at least TWICE the size it should be is insane, pure and simple.
President Trump is being quite gentle when he only proposes a 20% cut.
I don't know whether they believe them, but they make them up and propagate them in wholesale lots.
Since you’ve had gainful employment you’ve paid their salaries - I’d say that’s enough respect.
Time to get them off of your payroll I’d say. And mine too.
SHUT UP MIDDLE CLASS!!!!
Support the ruling class and their minions!!!
Damn Straight!!
Trump got my vote to slash and burn. I want to see lots of slashing and burning.
And the EPA. Fed’s on steroids.
Amen Brother!
How much respect do they show the citizens of this country? We are just so many peasants and serfs to them.
“Federal employees at the Environmental Protection Agency have been instructed to stop defecating in the hallway of a regional office.” I am a retired civil servant. I know how much respect the government deserves. Some are saints, most are time servers, and some cannot control their bowl movements. 20% is a low figure.
bkmk
Not like the outgoing administration hasn’t judged lots of people on ideology rather than merit.
It’s about time that, oh say, 20% of them fine useful employment in the public sector actualyl producing something of value as opposed to pissing the rest of us off.
Neither the DOEnergy nor NASA need to be working on proving CAGW. Not one dime.
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