tasked many times to doing what had to be done to save a company...I expected from what he so proudly stated that federal pays were frozen. A more responsible LEADER, would have said "except for". But that destroys the illusion does it not.

If he wanted to be an effective executive he would have included all wage increases for every person on the planet on the federal payroll....he would have directed that whatever rules/laws/excuses/etc that were in place that needed to be changed or legislated or dismissed to be done so.

To identify one or twenty one reasons why any cost cutting measures can not be done is nothing more than an excuse to maintain the status quo. The very reason so many companies do not perform at their best and the very reason NOTHING gets done at the political level...Executive leaders do what has to be done whether it is popular or liked or not.....to accomplish the objective. And there we have the dilema, eh? The objective? Politicians have a conflict of interest. Self preservation. No business acumen.

The above is the very reason why companies bring expert consultants to do the brutal cost cutting needed to be done to survive. Unlike corporate incumbents or politicians, the consultants have a real objective and they are un-involved and don't have the blinding problem of knowing why things are like they are. And they certainly are not bound by the familiar and devastating...."you can't do that because". One does what has to be done and changes whatever has to be changed to get it done. NO COMPROMISE!.

btk