2 COMMENTS

1. By Cameron Jones, September 10, 2011

   Exactly right! We need to stop doing things the way “They have always been done”; the way they have always been done is how we got where we are.

   It is time for some common sense in Washington. Replacing Jim Webb with another party politician, from either side, is going to result in more of the same.

   I am tired of hearing how the average citizen “doesn’t know how things work in Washington”; really? I think we have a pretty good handle on how things have been working in D.C.

   It is time for a change; time to get “We The People” back into the mix, and bring some sense back to our government.

   Reply
2. By els, September 11, 2011

   Dear Ms Radtke:

   This is interesting, but like people looking for a job – in your case, the job of US Senator – you need to give detailed evidence for a hire.

   So, please give detailed explanations and rationales for each of your points:

   “A combined commitment to the 40%-50% debt-to-GDP target and a Fair Tax policy would immediately jolt the economy. We would:
   Bring back to the U.S. approximately $13 trillion dollars of capital that has fled overseas;
   Give U.S. banks the ability to extend credit to job-creators in a way that the Fed is incapable of doing;
   Preserve the dollar as the world’s reserve currency (and the advantages that status brings);
   Level the playing field with China and other countries; and,
   Stimulate private investment and the creation of new jobs as no stimulus program could.”

   Please give clear, cogent examples of how you would accomplish each of these, and give facts, figures, outcome measures, and timelines, and deadlines for performance. This is how business works, and expects to conduct high level interviews. So, get started with the answers. And, like some interviews I’ve had, please take 20-30 minutes to write out your answers, and then we’ll proceed with the interview, using your answers as part of the discussion. But, of course, we’ll have things to ask. Thank you.

   If you can’t do this, in this way … then, sorry … you’re not even worthy to be a candidate for this job. But, we have other positions available, in office support, retail sales, and maintenance. See the receptionist if you have any questions.

   But, since we want to encourage advancement, let’s go ahead with the interview.

   Oh, as you’re spending that 20-30 minutes writing out your answers, as indicated above, please be aware that
   with most job interviews these days, there are questions called ‘behavioral questions’ (e.g. “when have you had to overcome challenges at work, and how’?). In the style, here are some additional questions (but be sure to answer with detailed evidence for the above, too, because we won’t advance you to the next round of job interviews without those details, and EVIDENCE.

   Here are some additional behavioral questions to think about while you are writing:
   1. you say ‘bring back capital fled overseas’: unfettered capitalism is heartless (it doesn’t care about widows and orphans, e.g, and doesn’t care about killing workers off – by unsafe workplaces, etc, or even killing consumers off – by pollution, etc), and without patriotism (it cares most about profits wherever it gets them, in any country, and especially if countries let them do business without regulations – about safety, about quality, about pollution, about fair wages, etc); So, how would you bring this capital back to US, and we might add, bring jobs back to Virginia from Virginia corporations that have hired overseas?

   2. you say ‘give US banks’ additional powers. But, haven’t we learned – over the past several years – that when corporations practice their ‘gambling addictions’ with money invested with by others – aka Big Wall Street Investment Firms, and Big Banks – and with the massive Savings and Loan malfeasance, failures, and bail out some years ago (when you were just a child, no doubt, but we seniors remember!) – that allowing banks to practice their gambling addictions with our money, THEY get bailed out, and WE go broke?! Explain protections for the investors under your plan.

   3. you say ‘level the playing field with China’: have you bought anything made in another country – not the USA – ever? recently? are you wearing anything not made in the USA? do you purchase at Walmart (which reduces prices by sending capital overseas, primarily to China, etc) rather than shop exclusively at locally-Virginian-owned businesses? Shouldn’t you make a pledge to purchase first from locally-Virginian-owned businesses that hire Virginia workers? After all, if you – or anyone – fails to buy from locally-Virginian-owned businesses that hires Virginia workers whenever possible – isn’t that failure to put Virginia first?

   4. you say ‘stimulate private investment and create new jobs’: how you respond to questions 1,2,3 above, is reflected in this goal. So, will you pledge to: Put Virginians first by always buying – anything and everything possible – from locally-Virginian-owned businesses first? Put Virginians first by ensuring that Virginia-based corporations that have sent capital overseas, loose all tax privileges, or other regulatory or rule privileges, that may be gained by sending jobs overseas?

   If you want this job, Ms Radtke (or any candidate, btw) please answer these questions, as part of your job interview. And, remember if you can’t make the case – with facts, figures, outcome measures, and timelines, and deadlines for performance, we won’t even consider you. Some voters might sometimes be bamboozled by emotional arguments, inflammatory rhetoric, silly ads, ‘pants on fire’ false claims, and the like, but this is business and we don’t conduct business that way.

   Do you still want this job: facts, figures, outcome measures, and timelines, and deadlines for performance, and the other additional questions, too, please. In 20-30 minutes.

   Thank you.

   Reply