I work for the federal government. For the last 15 years, my department has gone through two reorganizations/consolidations. Job positions I had hoped for have been eliminated and tasks moved to Washington to improve efficiency. I accept that. My department did this all on its own — streamlining, improving efficiency, and creating a well-polished machine in which everybody became subject matter experts in their own areas and were set up for any needed collaboration across the country and where many tasks were consolidated and moved to a higher-up department where they could be carried out with more efficiency.
My department was successful because it created this improved efficiency from within, with transparency, maintaining and building trust relationships. The idea that you can come along and improve government by simply cutting across the board is disrespectful to the work that has already been done and destroys trust relationships, making the workplace a less desirable place for responsible, dedicated employees.
Across-the-board cuts will not produce lasting improvements, and they will not force greater efficiency when they are forced on departments that have already been working hard to build efficiencies. There may be some temporary feel of monetary improvement, but it is at the expense of making the federal government a less desirable place for responsible, dedicated people to search for a job, which in the long run is not good.
— Michael Dovel, Hickory Hills
Plight of federal workers
In 2004, I took an early retirement package offered by the city of Chicago. We received a formal notification of it in January 2004. Those who were interested in it had some time to think and learn what their retirement income would be. The last day of work for those choosing to take the package was the end of March. This was especially important to me as I worked in behavioral health as a clinical therapist and had a chance to process my leaving with my clients. It also gave me some time to deal with leaving a job I had had for 25 years. Actually, I could have used more time, but it was sufficient.
I can’t imagine what the current federal workers have been going through. They have gotten a small window of time to decide about their future. Many of those who have not taken the federal buyout are dealing with being fired, often late at night by email. It is callous and unprofessional, but not surprising coming from this administration.
The current president is all over the media. The federal workers should be given equal time.
— Linda Volino, Chicago
Accountable for work?
My dream job is being a bureaucrat working a 40-hour week in a large organization where I could develop policy and write regulations. My job would include writing speeches for senior managers that may have an influence on strategies. This organization would provide excellent health care, generous vacation, national holidays off and a well-funded pension plan. The best part is I would have job security by not being held accountable for results.
I had one of those jobs in a Dow 30 company. However, I was accountable for results, and my workweek averaged more than 50 hours. My job, my future and my earnings were based on know-how, performance and getting the job done right.
Are members of our federal bureaucracy responsible and accountable for their performance or do they have opaque positions buried within our government’s working systems along with a multitude of co-workers?
— Russell T. Harwood, Naperville
Preserve USAID
The recent executive order to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) poses a significant threat to both Chicago’s economy and America’s global humanitarian leadership. USAID has been instrumental in fostering international markets for Chicago- and Illinois-based businesses, particularly in agriculture and manufacturing. By facilitating the export of goods to developing nations, USAID not only aids those in need but also bolsters our local economy and normal trade relations. In 2023, Illinois exported more than $65 billion in goods, with a substantial portion supported by USAID initiatives. Eliminating this agency would result in decreased export opportunities, directly impacting jobs and economic growth in our region.
Moreover, USAID embodies America’s commitment to humanitarian aid, reflecting the values of compassion and assistance that Chicagoans hold dear. Through disaster relief, health care initiatives and educational programs, USAID has improved countless lives worldwide. Dismantling it would not only tarnish our nation’s reputation but also undermine the moral fabric that binds our diverse communities.
As concerned Illinois residents, Chicago culture enthusiasts and voters, we urge the Tribune as well as our local and national leaders to recognize the critical importance of USAID. Its preservation is vital for sustaining Chicago’s economic prosperity and upholding American’s long-standing tradition of global humanitarian leadership.
— Peter and Darleen Winkler, Lake Forest
Aid small businesses
I thank President Donald Trump for doing everything to make America great again. Our president is all for the growth of businesses in America. Small businesses start with bank loans or Small Business Administration-guaranteed bank loans. I request that the president abolish the prepayment penalty lending banks charge if entrepreneurs want to pre-repay their loans. This is true for some SBA-guaranteed bank loans as well. The prepayment penalties unfairly restrict borrowers who wish to pay off their debts early, penalizing responsible financial behavior and discouraging economic mobility.
Small business owners and entrepreneurs take out loans to grow their businesses, create jobs and contribute to the economy. When they succeed and are in a position to prepay their loans, they should be encouraged, not punished. However, the current practice of charging prepayment penalties limits their ability to manage their finances effectively and reinvest their hard-earned capital into expansion, hiring and innovation.
Loan repayment should be at the borrower’s discretion, without fear of excessive fees that only benefit lenders at the borrower’s expense.
The president, through executive order, could empower small business owners, promote financial responsibility and stimulate economic growth. To support the financial well-being of small business borrowers, he should consider abolishing the prepayment penalty for the SBA and banks.
— Sami Uddin, Bolingbrook
Standing up for AP
I support fact-based journalism as a subscriber and a reader of many publications across the political spectrum. I stand by The Associated Press for its decision to not change the name of the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America” in its heralded style guide that is used by journalists around the world.
The Trump administration’s action to block AP access to newsworthy White House events because the news outlet did not change the name signals a much broader and troubling trend. In October, Columbia Journalism Review wrote about the media and “anticipatory obedience” and highlighted ways then-candidate Donald Trump was copying Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s “autocratic technique of using the regulatory state to punish media outlets whose coverage he dislikes.”
Ethical and fact-based journalism is a bulwark for democracy. The press, or “Fourth Estate,” is the only profession granted special rights and freedoms in the Constitution. Our democracy starts to weaken if press organizations do not exercise those rights and become captured by any political party or administration.
As a reader and subscriber to this publication, I call on the Tribune to stand up for the AP through a public statement and to ask the White House Correspondents’ Association to boycott any future press events that block access to the AP.
— Erika Poethig, Chicago
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.