From The US Report:
The US Social Security Administration is dubbed one of the best agencies to work for, and judging by a training conference, I can see why. Fox News scooped the training conference held at the Arizona Biltmore, a facility claiming to be "known throughout the world as the 'Jewel of the Desert.'"Every room has a well-stocked mini-bar and for the weight conscious, a scale. The SSA, Fox said, flew 700 managers to the resort for a conference with skits, a dance troupe, Casino Night and door prizes.
If you're recalling President Barack Obama's fit about private companies doing the wine- and-dine in exotic locations after taking taxpayer bailout money, you're not alone. The federal government spends taxpayer money with no shame, no integrity and no accountability. [Continues after video.]
The Fox reporter asked a SSA spokesman, "With withering criticism over the misuse of taxpayer dollars, many people will look at this and go, 'Wait, same thing.'"
The spokesman replied, "There's a clear distinction between the two. They received specific bailout dollars. We didn't. We're not using any recovery money. There's no ARA money involved in this."
Fox News scoops the story with this report.
7 comments:
I don't understand why this is being addressed as a negative. They received the best rate. SSA managers work so hard and are under a lot of stress. They need training too. FOX should be addressing this as a positive that the managers are dedicated and keeping up with numerous changes and getting all of the SSA checks to the right people in the right amount at the right time. I think this was well deserved and I bet that the SSA will be better for it. Conferences are necessary in large businesses and especially with the job that this agency is tasked with.
1. Door prizes were provided by the 8 Area Managers - cost out of their own pocket.
2. Casino Night - It was good business for the casino to provide transportation to obtain business.
3. The Dance you saw - was a necessary stretch break - oh joy - when you have no rhythm
4. As a manager this was beneficial in regrouping and moving forward.
5. Did you know that each manager spends about $800.00 a year from their own funds to boost the morale of their employees?
How do you get $700,000 as a figure for over 700 employees? Even at $85 / night, food for 5 days, 700 plane tickets, and wages/salary for 700 employees? One week at $52,000 a year is $1,000! Multiply that by 750!!!! That's $1.5 million at least! How stupid do they think we are? Someone needs to be fired. Someone needs to resign. This is a disgusting waste of citizen's tax dollars. Especially for an incompetent organization like this. And, this is ONE retreat for ONE out of TEN regions! Multiply this by 10! If this was a positive, why was FOX News banned from the hotel? Obviously SSA felt they had something to hide.
Once your money has been stolen from you, you cannot expect the thieves to spend it back into your pocket.
Your money is gone. To solve the problem, stop the theft.
Mark Yannone
yannone.blogspot.com
Let's see... in the REAL WORLD, if you work for a company that is BANKRUPT, you (a)don't have a job and (b) don't fly and stay at 4-star hotels in Arizona.... In the REAL WORLD, a company that is broke is shut down, all employees are laid off, and look for jobs - like 9.5% of the currently unemployed in the U.S.A.
Not the Government workers. To all Government workers: You are MY employee. You work for ME. I pay YOUR wages and YOUR benefits with MY federal taxes. As MY employee, with MY government BROKE, you do NOT travel and hula and dance. That is stealing from YOUR EMPLOYER -- ME. Very poor business decision. Wake up Washington. A REAL CHANGE is coming. I guess enjoy your SSA jobs while you can.
I think training on how to work a productive 60 hour week, taking a benefits & pay cut, and accountability (incl termination for lack of achievement) would be a great conference call for the Social Security Administration. That is what the REAL WORLD does as we work REAL JOBS to fund you.
Enjoy it whaile you can, I guess. A REAL CHANGE is coming. Better home your skills in case 'the government' can't take care of you.
First of all the rooms were $85 a night, a pfg bargain.
Secondly, for the love of God, us in the hotel industry REALLY don't need people criticizing those who stay in hotels at the moment, were struggling to stay employed.
Again, $80. When was the last time you stayed in a hotel that was capable of hosting your conference and holding all 700 of your guests for $80 a night.
And this news organza ton did a terrible job with this.
When the chick is all shocked that they few people in from Guam and Hawaii was pretty funny. Was she suggesting it would have been cheaper to fly these people to Hawaii and hold the conference there?
Phoenix when it's 115 out is a bargain, especially during an economic crisis and a hotel offering an $80 rate to celebrate it's 80th anniversary and one of it's worst years ever. Someone in the SS admin should receive a reward for making this so affordable.
Maybe this is the reason for them wanting to cut social security?????
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