Posted on 01/10/2008 12:24:13 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson wants to curb government spending by halting federal hiring.
If elected, Thompson said, he would stop government agencies from acquiring new personnel for one year and his administration would perform senior-level assessments of agency priorities.
“This will give a new administration time to assess its personnel requirements in order to ‘right size’ the federal workforce,” according to a statement posted earlier this week on Thompson’s campaign Web site.
Two other candidates have promised to reshape the federal workforce. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani said he would not rehire half the positions that will be vacated after the baby boomer retirement wave hits in the next three years. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) said she would cut half a million contractors.
Thompson also promised to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of all federal programs in an effort to defund, combine or probate underperforming projects. The issue was spurred by the results of the Office of Management and Budget’s Program Assessment Rating Tool, which found many government programs moderately effective or ineffective.
The Bush administration responded similarly to PART results, eventually issuing an executive order Nov. 13 requiring all agencies to select performance improvement officers to be part of a Performance Improvement Council. The council will be charged with standardizing evaluation criteria, monitoring performance assessments and making policy recommendations.
Good reason!
The union government employees that can’t be fired no matter how inept they are needs to be handled too.
Fred has some good plans, most of which are articulated on his website, unlike virtually all other candidates.
I just pray that this isn’t too little, too late.
Although I’m a Mitt supporter, as an economic Conservative, I really like Fred’s flat tax proposal, which I think is far better than Huckabee’s snake oil national sales tax.
OTOH, I also like Mitt’s proposal that the tax on captial gains, dividends and interest from savings be eliminated.
That’s why my dream ticket is Romney/Thompson. No way could the libs beat this ticket.
Good campaign fodder, but such massive cuts in federal government employment simply won’t happen. I know this isn’t popular in FR, but federal government responsibilities are massive and complex and that isn’t going to go away, no matter who wins the White House this year or in future years. Fact of life.
Its a better start than some of the pie in the sky proposals other candidates have come out with.
Actually, he didn't. He said government spending needs to be curbed. There was no discussion about abolishing departments and agencies.
The difference is this is a realistic start versus going for an all or nothing approach.
The fact is that Republican candidates have always talked about reducing spending or cutting taxes without specifics, and nothing ever gets done. If you want to see spending reduced, then you need to go all out with it like Paul is doing, and you'll come to the bargaining table in a better position. Otherwise, it's just more nibbling on the edges.
Realistically, what do you think has a better chance of actually making changes, Fred's incremental approach starting with cutting the fluff out of the departments, or jump right in with proposing completely eliminating departments?
I'd rather have someone talk about eliminating departments from the get-go, because "cutting the fluff" out means the department will still exist and will more funding a few years later.
In the second or third debate, all the candidates were asked to name three departments they would eliminate. Fred joked “do I have to stop with three” then he listed NEA and a couple of others.. I’ll look for the transcript.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1950432/posts?page=29#15If anybody feels inclined to comment about the post, please comment in this thread.
Because our party has been overrun by compassionate conservatives.
I think overall this is a good idea, but some type of acception should be made for national security. We will stil need to hire linguists and other professionals in areas where we are understaffed. I do strongly agree that many federal programs are extremely wasteful and need eliminated or downsized.
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
With the underlined part, Congress has taken the power given to them under the claim that they are the represented body of the people, and thusly, are Constitutionally authorized to represent the will of the people in all sorts of matters not otherwise authorized.
I don't see them giving up the power. They will continue to argue that the 'to the people' clause means that the people can vote Representatives to make changes that are popular at the time.
We need to get back into educating the people that they don't need a nanny government...
Federal workers a RABID Democrat voters just for this reason.
“abolish entire agencies and departments.”
This is the only way to do it. I work for an Agency and we haven’t hired anyone new for at least 4 years. But the work doesn’t go away. If you cut employees, you also need to cut programs, and preferably do away with the function altogether.
“Federal workers a RABID Democrat voters just for this reason.”
Please don’t lump all Feds into the same barrell. I can count on one hand the number of Dems in my Agency statewide.
Excellent plan!
Won’t go over well around here though.
There went any chance of a cross-over vote.
Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference
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Those voters who would view this negatively would never cross over anyway. They are hard core Dems.
It’s bold and it’s the right position. I think he will gain more votes than lose them by taking it.
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