Six Months Down...Forever to Go

Last week I had my first Performance Review Group (PRG) at work. It was actually a really good experience and I couldn't be happier with the outcome. The PRG itself is the culmination of 3-4 weeks of preparation and ratings. The first step is a self-assessment which is then reviewed by my supervisor and their supervisor. Luckily, I have received lots of positive feedback since I started working and was told that there wouldn't be any surprises in my actual review. It is nice to have others agree with your own assessment of your work and accomplistments. 

Also very nice is the raise that accompanies each six-month review. Given the current economy, I almost feel bad getting a raise considering most people would be happy just to have a job. I guess that is one of the perks of being a fed. The whole process of the review and the subsequent feedback was really good. I think it is smart to have regular reviews and raises in the first couple years; both for the employee and for GAO. It definitely helps retain staff and can also help them identify when someone may not be a great fit. 

In other news at work, I got the opportunity to cover a Congressional hearing on a GAO report for our Congressional Relations staff. It was a fun opportunity and it was nice to be back on the Hill. It reminded me of all the time I spent there on my internship, and I was suprised that I still knew my way around pretty well. A couple days after the hearing I wandered back up to the Capitol after work and just walked around. It really is amazing to live and work so close to so much. Heather recently got an issue of a local magazine that was listing some of the reasons it is great to live in Washington D.C. One of the ones I really appreciated was "You can see the sky." Being from "the Big Sky State" (Montana) it is definitely something I appreciate. There is something nice about the limitations that the city puts on tall buildings. It certainly allows much more sunlight and fresh air to mingle with the sights of the city. 

Looking forward, I can see myself here for a long time. It is now to the point that I am completely used to my schedule and commute. I don't even have to think about it and I enjoy both being at work and my time off. I don't feel overworked and I also don't get bored. I guess my only fear is losing that hunger. I am afraid of getting too comfortable. That burning drive for progressive causes and social justice is something that must be continued and nourished. Luckily, there are lots of great opportunities, both with and outside GAO, to remain involved in such causes. 

Writing in Third Person

I just finished my first self-assessment, which covers my first six months of work. While my actual six month period doesn't end until late next month, I have to turn it in for review so tjat they can discuss it at the Performance Review Group meeting for me. I haven't had to write much in third person before and it felt weird. My DPM (we like acronyms for everything, it stands for something like Director of Performance Management) advised that I should be "shamelessly complimentary" of myself in the write-up. So I did just that. I was able to get some feedback on my write-up from the senior staff on my job and they were pleased with how it turned out. I am not as stressed about the whole review process as I thought I would be. I am actually looking forward to it (though writing the self-assessment is my only role in the process). Once I send off the self-assessment I don't have to think about the whole thing again until May 12th when they will meet to review my self-assessment and the comments of my DPM. 

In other news, I have been involved with the International Fellowship Program at GAO. Folks from around the world that work for agencies similar to GAO come and take classes. GAO is widely regarded as the gold standard for such an agency. It has been fun meeting and getting to know the different Fellows. They come with a wide range of experience but they all seem to be enjoying their time here. GAO sets up a lot of different things for them to do throughout the week and especially on the weekends. Last weekend I helped organize a photo scavenger hunt, so they would have pictures of different places that they visited while in Washington D.C. It was a lot of fun. 

The weather keeps getting nicer around here. Which I appreciate. However, my coworkers are already saying how hot and muggy it will be this summer... I have never lived in a place with hot, muggy summers. I am thinking I am going to be a total wimp about it. 

Immature Politics

While I try to remain optimistic about the political landscape and the possibility that Americans are capable of understanding complex issues, something like the "Tea Party" protests come around to shake that optimism. I am a huge fan of populist anger and outpourings of that sentiment, however these recent protests don't meet those standards. The intellectually lazy and misguided protests were organized around an extremely wide range of issues, some more disturbing than others.  Some issues (though the whole thing lacked a coherent message) included socialism (seriously, are you kidding me), communism (where are you people getting this), big government, and the always easy target "high taxes." The protests seemed less like a coherent statement and more like a temper tantrum for an increasingly marginalized and powerless wing of the Republican party.  It is pretty easy to have a protest against such strawmen and pretend that it moves any discussion forward. I am always amazed by the people protesting these issues and how little they understand about the role of public spending in all aspects of their life. Everything from the safety of our food, to our education system, to the roads we drive on are all dependent on government subsidies. Many often pretend that it is the market that allows this to happen, but there is no part of the market that is not dependent on government regulation and subsidies, either directly or indirectly. Taxes are a necessity and the best we can do is ensure the accountability of the spending and push for more transparency. Working to assess the quality of the spending and adjusting public policy accordingly allows for a more coherent and effective system. 

However, as people who actually study these issues will tell you (as opposed to those taping tea bags on a hat), much of the problem of the perceived "high taxes" is a result of the increasingly regressive tax system in the U.S. As a result of tax cuts and increased legal loopholes, the wealthy in the U.S. are paying less in taxes than they did during the Eisenhower administration. By one analysis, reverting to a more progressive tax system would bring a net revenue of $450 billion dollars a YEAR. While raising taxes during a recession is not a good idea, it is something that will have to be addressed at some point, hopefully in the near future. A more progressive taxation system would benefit all Americans. Decreasing the massive inequalities in the U.S. would do a world of good in a variety of areas. Inequality negatively affects things like health, anxiety, social activity, political involvement, and social well-being. A real tax agenda would work to create a tax code that is fair for all but progressive in focus. However, my optimism for such a system is extremely low. Tax issues are complex and I don't hold much hope that the public will come up to speed quickly (or at all), particularly given the media's lack of complexity on the issue (given their barron's are among the wealth elite that benefit from the current system).

More Hoovers than a Vacuum Store

Republicans are once again harping on the deficit like it actually means something in the short term. In their attempt to be the oppositional party, they have taken up the failed notions of Herbert Hoover in trying to balance the budget at the time of a severe economic downturn. Mainstream economists (I am still not sure why we are listening to them given recent events...) acknowledge that the actions of Hoover certainly increased both the depth and length of the Great Depression. Most economists recognize that short term spending to stimulate lending and thus allow capital for projects is a key step for any recovery.

In related news, Bushvilles are springing up across the country. I am still amazed that people don't understand that when you cut social services and depend on private charity you are setting yourself up for disaster. Many private charities and non-profits depend on donations or membership fees which decrease in a downturn, particularly one as severe as this. Combined with a lack of adequate social services, it is not surprising that people are having to turn to tent cities in hopes of weathering this storm.

The most disheartening thing about this recent trend is that once someone becomes homeless it often begins a cycle that is difficult to break. Because they have no permanent address it is extremely hard to get a job; without a job, income is difficult to come by (except through illegal and often dangerous means). This is compounded by the rapidly rising unemployment rate. While no one is a fan of paying higher taxes, clearly the U.S. is failing it citizens in a variety of ways. Demanding these tent cities be removed only pushes these people out of the small amount of safety they had as a group. While some are saying we are reaching the bottom of the downturn, I remain skeptical. For all our sakes, I hope they are right.

New Adventures

With the recent return of Spring, Heather and I have begun planning some fun and exciting things we would like to do while in D.C. Today we are heading down to the Kite Festival on the National Mall which sounds like it should be a lot of fun. It is always timed to coincide with the Cherry Blossom Festival, which we are also excited to see. Some locals are whining about how many tourists there are and how they "don't know anything", but I am just glad to live in a place people are excited to visit. If you just expect things will take a little longer than normal, you won't get frustrated.

On Monday night, Heather and I will be going to hear William Julius Wilson, a noted sociologist, speak about his new book More than Just Race at one of our favorite bookstores. I am still amazed by the amount of great authors that regularly come to this particular bookstore. I have already read the whole book despite it coming out in early March, because I am nerdy like that. It should be an interesting talk and discussion afterwords. 

Also on our list is to visit the National Zoo. From what I have heard, Spring is a great time to visit the zoo and the animals are quite lively. I can't believe all the free places in this city and how well they are kept up. Between the Smithsonians and all of the federal sites, I can't imagine when I will actually have to start paying for my entertainment again.

I am starting to accumulate some decent holiday leave and so Heather and I will have to start planning a bigger trip somewhere exciting, hopefully this year. We would both really like to hit up multiple destinations in Europe. It feels weird to have to plan out my breaks as opposed to just having them set for me...

Food!!!

I am continually amazed by the quantity and especially the quality of restaurants within walking distance of our apartment. I post this to tempt any of you to come out! Some highlights:

Mi Rancho:

An excellent Mexican restaurant with some of the most authentic flavors I have found living out here. Everything was great including the service. Heather's chimicanga earned rave reviews (even a close comparison to El Toro Viejo, the gold standard for Mexican places). My vegetable enchiladas included a much greater variety of vegetables than I was expecting. And the three sauces that came with it were all good; though I probably could have drank the salsa verde, it was so good.

Ghar E Kabab:

One of the strangest names for a restaurant I have come across. This Nepalese/Indian place has some of the highest quality South Asian food I have ever had. I am amazed everytime when I receive the bill how reasonably priced it is. Heather loves her Chicken Korma like it is going out of style and I have yet to be able to order anything but the Bahigan ki Bharta (an eggplant curry, and suprisingly one that is spelled completely different at each place that has it). The naan and rice are both excellent and the service doesn't dissapoint.

Asian Bistro:

A hodge-podge of a restaurant. When I first entered this place I was quite skeptical. Usually pan-asian fare leads to sugary glops of MSG that leave you feeling ill. Much to my delight, my concerns were completely unfounded. The food and sauces are all high-quality and contain no hint of MSG or sugary slop. The variety on their menu is unmatched and includes Chinese, Japanese, and Thai food. They also have an extremely extensive vegetarian menu and it is regularly ranked one of the top vegetarian places in the D.C. area. Heather raves about their sesame chicken, the sauce has a gentle ginger and garlic flavor which is mouth-watering. Their vegetarian pad thai and kung pao tofu are also excellent. I still need to try the faux shrimp (made out of baby yam) sometime.

We have gone to many other amazing places, and I will try to continue to update as I find time.

I guess it is a good thing we just got a Wii Fit...

You Can't Kill an Idea

As we approach the fiftieth anniversary of the failed uprising in Tibet and the one year anniversary of the crackdown on Buddhist Monk demonstrators, tensions are running high in the region. It is amazing that despite China having one of the largest armies in the world, they are utterly afraid of a relatively small group of monks. The fact that all foreign journalists and international tourists are being kept out of the region at this team speaks to their ongoing concern about what more protests could bring. Though I was extremely disappointed by Hillary Clinton's lack of providing either carrots or sticks for improved Chinese treatment of Tibet, I was sadly not surprised. This unwillingness to press for Tibet's independence (or autonomy, or even well-being) is one (of many) of America's major foreign policy failings. 

Many apologists for the policy argue that due to our need for China to buy up our debt and help stabilize the region, we cannot denounce their policy for fear of backlash. As any student of international relations can tell you, this simple dichotomy of do nothing or incur the full wrath of China is a false one. There are many gradations in policy that could be used to thaw relations and tie Tibet to other issues where there is mutual interest between the U.S. and China. One of China's biggest fears is international perception of the Tibet issue. Having closed door conversations on the matter that lead to an actual softening of China's position could be an advantageous option for all sides. 

One thing is for sure, we must not fall into the same malaise and inertia that has kept our human rights policy so anemic. We have a president that believes in the rule of law and inspires people around the world. America has the obligation to continue to provide hope to those in duress. We must not turn our backs on causes we know are just. We can no longer sustain regimes like Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Myanmar, North Korea, and many more to continue on the path they are on. Increased diplomatic efforts must be used to forge consensus on shared goals and to facilitate slow, positive changes to happen in these countries. By sustaining these regimes, we only increase the difficulties we will face when we are forced to deal with them eventually and further the suffering that those oppressed by these regimes experience. 

The Dalai Lama puts it well:

If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.

Our callous disregard for the consequences of our actions cannot continue. Though change won't happen overnight, we must act in positive ways to increase the well-being of those least capable of doing so themselves.