November 2, 2009
To: Congress
From: Taxpayers
Subject: Notice of Employee Misconduct
As we approach your biannual review, we thought it important to notify you of several deficiencies. We deem them serious, and unless immediate efforts begin to remedy the situation, we will be forced to notify you that your continued employment may be in jeopardy.
We should remind you that this is what you agreed upon when entering into employment with us.
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”
According to our legal department, this may not actually be legally binding, but we consider it at the very least, morally binding.
Here are the key areas that concern us most:
Budget ManagementAs of September 30, the deficit for the 2009 fiscal year was
$1.42 trillion. This is up from $459 billion from the same period a year ago. The overall budget deficit is well north of $13 trillion, an increase of $3 trillion from a year ago.
You have indicated several times that you inherited a significant deficit from the previous management, but you also promised that you would work toward decreasing that deficit, not increasing it.
Here are just a few of literally thousands of examples of what we feel are wasteful spending. They have been brought to our attention, and we’re sharing them with you here:
· A tattoo removal program in San Luis Obispo County, California ($50,000)
· The Fort Union Trading Post bike trail in North Dakota ($500,000)
· The Center for Diabetes and Obesity at West Virginia University ($2 million)
· An effort to combat "Goth culture" in Blue Springs, Missouri ($270,000)
Individually, these items might not sound like much, but these projects and ones similar to them are up 14 percent over the last year.
TeamworkOne major project several departments are working on is reforming our existing health care system. Your original target date for completion was set for last August, but your latest reports to us indicate the end of the year at the earliest.
An area of concern appears to be an issue of competitiveness and personal agendas versus shareholder concerns. We also note that follow-up questions we’ve had since our employee-employer meeting in August are not being returned. Our “open door” policy rules are also not being followed.
These are issues of great concern, and it is management’s perception, at least, that you are driven by personal ego and lust for power rather than putting shareholders first.
Job CreationUnemployment rates hover around the 10 percent level and have been steadily increasing. When you budgeted stimulus funds, we were promised job creation. Your report of 10 percent unemployment rates also appear to be understated due to the significant number of people who have given up searching for work, or who no longer receive unemployment benefits. True accounting puts the number in the region of 17 percent, a number which, like us, I know you must consider very serious.
The solutions, at least to us, appear easy. You must make every effort to loosen up the housing and credit crunch. No one sector of our economy employs more people. You must also free up credit to responsible borrowers and small businesses. Banks have the money; they simply are not lending it. Again, we stress that money should be lent only to responsible borrowers, which make up a huge majority of shareholders.
Your responsibility is not to create jobs but to let the private enterprise system work freely, which creates jobs. Simply put, get out of the way of those who know more about the economy than you do.
Personal ConductWhen we hired you, and as you stated in your earlier declaration, there was at least an understanding on our part that you would conduct yourself at a high level of decorum, ethics and personal morality.
There appear to be several areas where you have fallen short. Areas such as paying taxes, personal conduct issues and the like. While you may simply consider these “errors” or “lapses of judgment” we disagree. We will be paying especially close attention to personal conduct rules leading up to next year's employment review in November 2010.
There are also numerous and documented examples of
name-calling, behavior expected from two-year-olds, but not from you, an employee of the United States of America.
ConclusionsIt’s our hope that you take the above criticisms in the most positive of ways, and that they be guidelines to improve your overall job performance prior to next year’s employment review.
We must, however, inform you that your work is deemed unsatisfactory at this point, and unless significant improvements are made quickly, your employment with us will be in serious jeopardy.
Action ItemsReturn constituent calls, e-mails and letters.
Return to an open door policy, rather than trying to hide.
Please post legislative items for shareholder review at least 72 hours prior to voting on them.
Act like “grown-ups.”
Put your employers first, yourself second.
Again, it is management’s hope that you will carefully read and review all the above concerns. Your employment with us is, again, in serious jeopardy. We look forward to reports back from you detailing your actions for improvement.
Yours truly,
The Citizens and Taxpayers of the United States of America
Report filed on behalf of the above by:
John W. Scherer
CEO & Founder
Video Professor, Inc.
If you have any questions, please contact him directly at
ceo@videoprofessor.com.
