How government doesn’t work

[Earlierthanlater]

Something else that gets lost in the oil/gasoline debate is the influence of storage capacity reduction that resulted from the mass mergers of oil companies a couple of decades ago. I forget the specific numbers, but we hold a far lower amount of refined gasoline in US storage facilities than we used to. When the big boys merged and bought out all of the little guys, one of their first cost-cutting/savings moves to recover those merger expenses was to shutter a large number of the storage facilities owned by the vanquished. It seems to me that the current storage capacity is around three weeks supply, compared to six months supply back in the day. That compromises our ability to offset spikes in demand or shortages in supply (hurricanes, political crises from exporting countries, pipeline shutdowns, refinery fires, switching seasonal blends, etc.). It means price hikes of 30cents per gallon when there are either demand or supply imbalances rather than hikes of 3 cents. Mostly to discourage consumers from continuint to purchase at previous levels, protecting against critical shortages.

Deregulation is always a mixed bag.

That’s a deeper dive than I can recollect. But in my opinion, the country has a strategic petro reserve to level out these these “short term transitory“ effects. And not sure where you buy your gas but it is not a 30 cent problem. It is at,least,a dollar,problem. My hood is running cash prices even with card prices.. Cash discount used to be 10 cents. Now the hood plays it at even…they don’t want to sell gas at a price lower than the 2 or 3 day cost of inventory replacement cost because of price volatility. Can’t buy gas on the card and wait for your cash win a few days when costs rises eat up the spread.
Pretty sure the cost of energy is often 10% or more of the cost of any manufactured and delivered product (and probably more these days) and so adverse energy cost policies guarantees price increases across the range of manufactured and delivered products. Is that an inflation driver?

 

[Lucy01]

Yeah, sorry - I can't get behind that.

18 year olds jumping into a sem/death machine? No thanks.

I wasn’t talking about 18 year olds, they’re a lot of older an experienced drivers in the construction field that refuse to get a CDL driving license. Farmers are also exempt from CDL‘s.
You see a lot more women driving Big Rigs on the Interstate today. Install vibrating seats and women would be lined up to drive your big rig!

 

[CO. Hoosier]

There's no way that's true

It's true alright. Even more astounding is Buttigieg's boss apparantly was unaware that one of his cabinent secretaries was on leave while chaos was brewing in his sector. When Buttigieg returned the work all he did was participate in roundtabes and focus groups and whine on CNN and MSNBC about how complicated his job is.

 

[mcmurtry66]

It's true alright. Even more astounding is Buttigieg's boss apparantly was unaware that one of his cabinent secretaries was on leave while chaos was brewing in his sector. When Buttigieg returned the work all he did was participate in roundtabes and focus groups and whine on CNN and MSNBC about how complicated his job is.

Pathetic. Hope this ends his political career. And I liked him

 

[DANC]

I wasn’t talking about 18 year olds, they’re a lot of older an experienced drivers in the construction field that refuse to get a CDL driving license. Farmers are also exempt from CDL‘s.
You see a lot more women driving Big Rigs on the Interstate today. Install vibrating seats and women would be lined up to drive your big rig!

But that's what happens - 18 year olds or even early 20 year olds - with no experience will jump in.

I'm not sure farmers without a CDL can drive on interstates.

My cousin tells me there are many Indians and other immigrants driving trucks now.

I want someone trained driving those things on the road when I'm on the road, too.

 

[DANC]

Pathetic. Hope this ends his political career. And I liked him

He's a likeable guy. But an empty suit.

 

[DANC]

That’s a deeper dive than I can recollect. But in my opinion, the country has a strategic petro reserve to level out these these “short term transitory“ effects. And not sure where you buy your gas but it is not a 30 cent problem. It is at,least,a dollar,problem. My hood is running cash prices even with card prices.. Cash discount used to be 10 cents. Now the hood plays it at even…they don’t want to sell gas at a price lower than the 2 or 3 day cost of inventory replacement cost because of price volatility. Can’t buy gas on the card and wait for your cash win a few days when costs rises eat up the spread.
Pretty sure the cost of energy is often 10% or more of the cost of any manufactured and delivered product (and probably more these days) and so adverse energy cost policies guarantees price increases across the range of manufactured and delivered products. Is that an inflation driver?

Yeah, Coug isn't a Democrat...... But he defends every Democrat and posts their talking points.

 

[mcmurtry66]

He's a likeable guy. But an empty suit.

If he really is home on paternity leave while the country has this crisis he's a joke. Nothing likable about him

 

[DANC]

If he really is home on paternity leave while the country has this crisis he's a joke. Nothing likable about him

Well, I meant from a personality standpoint, although I've seen him be kind of bitchy on interviews. But I agree there's nothing likeable about him as a politician.

 

[mcmurtry66]

Well, I meant from a personality standpoint, althought I've seen him be kind of bitchy on interviews. But I agree there's nothing likeable about him as a politician.

Clown show

 

[Lucy01]

Pathetic. Hope this ends his political career. And I liked him

I don’t like Mayor Pete politically or his Gay lifestyle!

 

[CO. Hoosier]

Pathetic. Hope this ends his political career. And I liked him

Millions of voters don’t see a problem with that. That is a problem. A sense of responsibility for your job ain’t what it used to be. Law students at Columbia asking for and receiving time off from exams to cope with Eric Garner’s death was kinduva wake up call for me. I wonder about the sense of responsibility those lawyers have today. More than once waitstaff has apologized for slow service because they are short of workers. I’m told people don’t even call in, they just don’t show up.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

You can’t make this stuff up.

.Buttigieg’s office told West Wing Playbook that the secretary has actually been on paid leave since mid-August to spend time with his husband, Chasten, and their two newborn babies.​

Our transportation system is in chaos, the serfs are suffering and the feudal lord cabinet secretary in charge of transportation takes leave? And people really wonder why populism rises?

As opposed to president's spending all day on a golf course? We have had many that did that.

If DoT was solely dependent on Pete than we have a much bigger problem.

 

[DANC]

As opposed to president's spending all day on a golf course? We have had many that did that.

If DoT was solely dependent on Pete than we have a much bigger problem.

Um..... Presidents go back to work after golf. They don't take the month off.

Is there any Democrat you ever criticize?

 

[mcmurtry66]

As opposed to president's spending all day on a golf course? We have had many that did that.

If DoT was solely dependent on Pete than we have a much bigger problem.

We all understand there's thousands of general schedule employees there independent from appointments that do the daily grind but that's wholly immaterial to Pete going on paternity leave. It's a joke. If only we were all so lucky. And our jobs are far less impt. Not to mention the timing of our country in crisis in his dept. if this is true it's pathetic. he hasn't even been on the job a year. he's making $225k a year of taxpayer's dollars. feeds right into the stereotypical gov worker mentality that makes people say F paying more taxes

 

[hookyIU1990]

Pretty sure the cost of energy is often 10% or more of the cost of any manufactured and delivered product (and probably more these days) and so adverse energy cost policies guarantees price increases across the range of manufactured and delivered products.

Often more than 10% depending on the product. Aluminum and glass manufacturing has energy costs of 40-50% just to get a finished product to the end of the production line, then you add on the distribution/warehousing energy costs.

 

[Joe_Hoopsier]

We all understand there's thousands of general schedule employees there independent from appointments that do the daily grind but that's wholly immaterial to Pete going on paternity leave. It's a joke. If only we were all so lucky. And our jobs are far less impt. Not to mention the timing of our country in crisis in his dept. if this is true it's pathetic. he hasn't even been on the job a year. feeds right into the stereotypical gov worker mentality that makes people say F paying more taxes

Which plays right into my bitch about us having a ruling class and DC that is on auto pilot with our standard politicians. When you have crap "leadership", what possibly could go wrong? The inmates run the asylum.

 

[mcmurtry66]

Which plays right into my bitch about us having a ruling class and DC that is on auto pilot with our standard politicians. When you have crap "leadership", what possibly could go wrong? The inmates run the asylum.

Biden is telling the shipping companies that they have to increase their workload and go 24/7 and pete is out on maternity leave. as coh said you can't make this stuff up if it's true.

 

[Lucy01]

Biden is telling the shipping companies that they have to increase their workload and go 24/7 and pete is out on maternity leave. as coh said you can't make this stuff up if it's true.

Pete is in over his head, he is in that job to make the Gays happy 😆

 

[TheOriginalHappyGoat]

We all understand there's thousands of general schedule employees there independent from appointments that do the daily grind but that's wholly immaterial to Pete going on paternity leave. It's a joke. If only we were all so lucky. And our jobs are far less impt. Not to mention the timing of our country in crisis in his dept. if this is true it's pathetic. he hasn't even been on the job a year. he's making $225k a year of taxpayer's dollars. feeds right into the stereotypical gov worker mentality that makes people say F paying more taxes

So what exactly is the level, at and above which the job is too important for someone to take personal time off?

 

[Lucy01]

So what exactly is the level, at and above which the job is too important for someone to take personal time off?

When you own your own business, the Business always comes first!

 

[mcmurtry66]

So what exactly is the level, at and above which the job is too important for someone to take personal time off?

Maybe it's generational. Maybe it's age. I can't imagine taking three months off from a new job. Any new job. It just would never enter my mind. If I was appointed to a job that employed over 50,000 people and my country was in a crisis directly related to the agency I oversaw the last thing I'd be doing is going on paternity leave. a job that pays nearly a quarter of a million a year. hell just for appearance alone i wouldn't do it.

again maybe it's generational. maybe something inculcated in me. my dad never missed a day of work. ever. not a day.

Hell of a thing to ask companies to go 24/7 while the head of your agency is on leave after 8 months on the job

What's more didn't the feds enact their own leave policy so their leave is paid unlike fmla.

 

[mcmurtry66]

When you own your own business, the Business always comes first!

Often true - unfortunately

 

[Marvin the Martian]

So what exactly is the level, at and above which the job is too important for someone to take personal time off?

I am torn. On one hand, in a crisis leaders should lead. On the other hand, I am a big fan of WW2 Fleet Admiral (and Hoosier) Raymond Spruance. Spruance had an absolute rule that he was not to be awakened unless the ship he was on was sinking (his command ship was the Indianapolis until the Kamikaze attack). He was a believer that you put good men in good places and trust they do the job required.

If an admiral of the largest fleet in history can do that in a major war, why cannot Pete?

Halsey of course was the opposite in the times he commanded. That had to drive everyone crazy.

 

[mcmurtry66]

I am torn. On one hand, in a crisis leaders should lead. On the other hand, I am a big fan of WW2 Fleet Admiral (and Hoosier) Raymond Spruance. Spruance had an absolute rule that he was not to be awakened unless the ship he was on was sinking (his command ship was the Indianapolis until the Kamikaze attack). He was a believer that you put good men in good places and trust they do the job required.

If an admiral of the largest fleet in history can do that in a major war, why cannot Pete?

Halsey of course was the opposite in the times he commanded. That had to drive everyone crazy.

Understand what you're saying marv but pete hasn't been on the job 8 months. he hasn't earned that right. hell on optics alone he shouldn't have gone on leave. and again unless i'm mistaken the feds operate under their own paternity leave, which is of course paid, unlike the rest of us under the fmla

 

[TheOriginalHappyGoat]

Maybe it's generational. Maybe it's age. I can't imagine taking three months off from a new job. Any new job. It just would never enter my mind. If I was appointed to a job that employed over 50,000 people and my country was in a crisis directly related to the agency I oversaw the last thing I'd be doing is going on paternity leave. a job that pays nearly a quarter of a million a year. hell just for appearance alone i wouldn't do it.

again maybe it's generational. maybe something inculcated in me. my dad never missed a day of work. ever. not a day. hell my first job out of law school we didn't get a single day off to study for the bar. it was expected you did that on your own time. work is work.

Hell of a thing to ask companies to go 24/7 while the head of your agency is on leave after 8 months on the job

What's more didn't the feds enact their own law so their leave is paid unlike fmla.

It's not generational. Some people are dedicated to the grind. Myself, in the past 12 years or so, I took a week off when my dad died and a whole day when I threw out my back. That's it. But I also don't want our country being run by people who aren't allowed to take some time for themselves, especially for important events like having children. If we demand all our top officials be nonstop working robots, then we aren't going to attract the best people to those positions.

I also think you guys are viewing this story way more negatively than you should. I think this is the operative part of CO's article:

“For the first four weeks, he was mostly offline except for major agency decisions and matters that could not be delegated,” said a spokesperson for the Department of Transportation. “He has been ramping up activities since then.” As he does that, Buttigieg will “continue to take some time over the coming weeks to support his husband and take care of his new children,” the spokesperson added.​

That doesn't sound to me like a guy taking three months off from his new job. It sounds like a guy who took some personal time (4 weeks) to the extent that I would expect of a top position in an important organization: namely, that he took the time he could, but still had to keep his pager on and check in at the office when necessary. And then he gradually scaled back his at-home time and focused more on work.

Never having kids, I don't know what the appropriate time off would be for a new father. And I understand how easily it is to spin this into some giant scandal. But that's just what it looks like to me: spin.

 

[mcmurtry66]

It's not generational. Some people are dedicated to the grind. Myself, in the past 12 years or so, I took a week off when my dad died and a whole day when I threw out my back. That's it. But I also don't want our country being run by people who aren't allowed to take some time for themselves, especially for important events like having children. If we demand all our top officials be nonstop working robots, then we aren't going to attract the best people to those positions.

I also think you guys are viewing this story way more negatively than you should. I think this is the operative part of CO's article:

“For the first four weeks, he was mostly offline except for major agency decisions and matters that could not be delegated,” said a spokesperson for the Department of Transportation. “He has been ramping up activities since then.” As he does that, Buttigieg will “continue to take some time over the coming weeks to support his husband and take care of his new children,” the spokesperson added.​

That doesn't sound to me like a guy taking three months off from his new job. It sounds like a guy who took some personal time (4 weeks) to the extent that I would expect of a top position in an important organization: namely, that he took the time he could, but still had to keep his pager on and check in at the office when necessary. And then he gradually scaled back his at-home time and focused more on work.

Never having kids, I don't know what the appropriate time off would be for a new father. And I understand how easily it is to spin this into some giant scandal. But that's just what it looks like to me: spin.

And that's why i've consistently written "if this is true." as for attracting the best people for these positions. the best people in my experience work their asses off. they don't worry about how much time they're going to get off. nor do they take much time off. nor do i believe the mayor of south bend is the best person to oversee the dept of trans, but that' s beside the point.

as for spin; it could be. i don't know. but what's being reported is he's been on leave since mid august.

 

[TommyCracker]

It's true alright. Even more astounding is Buttigieg's boss apparantly was unaware that one of his cabinent secretaries was on leave while chaos was brewing in his sector. When Buttigieg returned the work all he did was participate in roundtabes and focus groups and whine on CNN and MSNBC about how complicated his job is.

Umm a crisis isn't when right wing media says it is, as this has been going on since spring and yes, Pete has been bringing it up and working with the private sector (since it's a private sector issue).

Customs isn't the problem. The govt isn't the problem. The problem is private sector supply chains worldwide have skimmed their JIT timetables as thin as possible so when a major disruption hits the world (ie Covid which changed buying and working behaviors) it ripples through the supply chain....which again is in the private sector.

Please point to the government responsibilities that have crippled the supply chain. As I said, the problem is not getting through customs or some government policy that was implemented four months ago.

There is no government truck fleet which is why he's been negotiating with Walmart, UPS and FedEx to step up since this summer.

See the link from July.

Also please link him complaining about his job being 'too hard'. That seems like a classic add on.

https://www.reuters.com/business/us...ransportation-supply-chain-issues-2021-07-16/

 

[TheOriginalHappyGoat]

Understand what you're saying marv but pete hasn't been on the job 8 months. he hasn't earned that right. hell on optics alone he shouldn't have gone on leave. and again unless i'm mistaken the feds operate under their own paternity leave, which is of course paid, unlike the rest of us under the fmla

According to the article, presidential appointments don't get leave. Rather, Biden can allow Pete whatever family time he deems fit to allow him.

 

[TheOriginalHappyGoat]

as for attracting the best people for these positions. the best people in my experience work their asses off. they don't worry about how much time they're going to get off. nor do they take much time off.

I have a problem with this. Early in the first season of The West Wing, there's a scene where Leo forgets his anniversary, and has an argument with his wife. She says his job isn't more important than their marriage. He responds that yes, for those four years, it is more important. It's the last episode she's in, because she divorces him.

I don't want that to be how it works in real life, because I don't think it is very healthy for our government to be populated at the top by people who are willing to sacrifice family for work. Not because I think the work is less important, but because the types of people willing to make that trade I think won't make for very good leaders.

They might make for very successful lawyers, accountants, business owners, etc. But government leaders? Not what I'm looking for.

 

[mcmurtry66]

I have a problem with this. Early in the first season of The West Wing, there's a scene where Leo forgets his anniversary, and has an argument with his wife. She says his job isn't more important than their marriage. He responds that yes, for those four years, it is more important. It's the last episode she's in, because she divorces him.

I don't want that to be how it works in real life, because I don't think it is very healthy for our government to be populated at the top by people who are willing to sacrifice family for work. Not because I think the work is less important, but because the types of people willing to make that trade I think won't make for very good leaders.

They might make for very successful lawyers, accountants, business owners, etc. But government leaders? Not what I'm looking for.

I don't know what makes for good government leaders. I don't know the recipe. I also don't know the veracity of what's being reported. That said I do believe optics matter as a leader. In a time of crisis where people are being asked to work more at FedEx etc for the leader of the sect of transportation to take 3 months off is bad optics if true. Don't ask others to sacrifice where you're not willing. Hell trending is Bareshelvesbiden and the sect of trans is home? I'd be livid if I were biden. anyway, i think we just have a different outlook on work/home balance. i trust yours is healthier

 

[baileyiu]

When you own your own business, the Business always comes first!

No it doesn’t!!! I owned my own business for over 35 yrs and my business never came first! My faith and family always came first

 

[TheOriginalHappyGoat]

I don't know what makes for good government leaders. I don't know the recipe. I also don't know the veracity of what's being reported. That said I do believe optics matter as a leader. In a time of crisis where people are being asked to work more at FedEx etc for the leader of the sect of transportation to take 3 months off is bad optics if true. Don't ask others to sacrifice where you're not willing. Hell trending is Bareshelvesbiden and the sect of trans is home? I'd be livid if I were biden. anyway, i think we just have a different outlook on work/home balance. i trust yours is healthier

To me, anyone involved in policy-making needs to be a human being who cares about quality of life. In the business world, for example, I can appreciate the success one can have by dedicating 110% of one's being to the job. But I don't want the man crafting the company's PTO and personal leave policy to be someone who demands that from others. Same for government. I want the people who determine national policies to value not only the financial and productive success of Americans, but also their happiness.

 

[mcmurtry66]

To me, anyone involved in policy-making needs to be a human being who cares about quality of life. In the business world, for example, I can appreciate the success one can have by dedicating 110% of one's being to the job. But I don't want the man crafting the company's PTO and personal leave policy to be someone who demands that from others. Same for government. I want the people who determine national policies to value not only the financial and productive success of Americans, but also their happiness.

Yeah we'll have to agree to disagree. I'm not a fan of gov employees making a quarter of a million dollars paid by taxpayers and taking 3 months off the first year on the job. (and it may be bs. he may be still working a lot - but if true)

 

[TheOriginalHappyGoat]

as for spin; it could be. i don't know. but what's being reported is he's been on leave since mid august.

For the record, that is indeed the part that smells like spin to me. That phrasing at the beginning of the item doesn't read at all like the more detailed explanation quoted a few paragraphs later.

 

[TheOriginalHappyGoat]

Yeah we'll have to agree to disagree. I'm not a fan of gov employees making a quarter of a million dollars paid by taxpayers and taking 3 months off the first year on the job. (and it may be bs. he may be still working a lot - but if true)

Oh, and you're bad at calendars. Even if the spin is correct, and DOT is covering his ass for him, he's still only been gone 2 months, not 3.

 

[mcmurtry66]

Oh, and you're bad at calendars. Even if the spin is correct, and DOT is covering his ass for him, he's still only been gone 2 months, not 3.

ha true. i was assuming (without support) that he was taking the equivalent of the fmla's 12 weeks or 3 months

 

[bawlmer]

I don't want that to be how it works in real life, because I don't think it is very healthy for our government to be populated at the top by people who are willing to sacrifice family for work. Not because I think the work is less important, but because the types of people willing to make that trade I think won't make for very good leaders.

They might make for very successful lawyers, accountants, business owners, etc. But government leaders? Not what I'm looking for.

I would agree in a general sense we don't want people who are perpetual career climbers, stepping on their own families, running government programs.

But the appointed jobs are relatively short-term. They also tend to be all-consuming. So part of the thought process for accepting the position has to be this is what my life will be like for the next few years.

More power to Pete, though, if he figured out a way to balance this successfully. I would just expect he was forthright about his plans to every one going in and laid the groundwork at DOT in advance of his leave.

The upside to this kind of flexibility is you get tend to get highly-committed and effective talent working for you.

 

[NPT]

If an admiral of the largest fleet in history can do that in a major war, why cannot Pete?

Sounds like we don't need Pete.

 

[TheOriginalHappyGoat]

I would agree in a general sense we don't want people who are perpetual career climbers, stepping on their own families, running government programs.

But the appointed jobs are relatively short-term. They also tend to be all-consuming. So part of the thought process for accepting the position has to be this is what my life will be like for the next few years.

More power to Pete, though, if he figured out a way to balance this successfully. I would just expect he was forthright about his plans to every one going in and laid the groundwork at DOT in advance of his leave.

The upside to this kind of flexibility is you get tend to get highly-committed and effective talent working for you.

I agree with your thoughts about the nature of the job. My primary concern is found in your first sentence, in that there are certain types of people I don't think should be involved in policy-making that affects everyone, and the people you describe are the ones I had in mind.