I come from a business background where getting a job is hugely dependent on who you know and the main way to get hired is to network with people. What about the federal government? Is it easy to get connected with people by cold-emailing, and does it help you with recruiting?

I want to get into government to influence the country for the better but I don't want the public scrutiny of running for office. Are there other options where I can still make a difference?

After having my mother in law turned down for a visa to come see the birth of my first child I started looking into how the system works.

It turns out Consular Officers have complete authority in choosing who and who does not get a visa. There is no oversight from anyone including judges, the president, congress, even the Secretary of State who runs the state department which is overhead embassies can over turn one of their decisions.

I might be biased since I've just been told my daughter will never get to meet her grand mother because a consular officer has a gut feeling.

Does anyone else find this odd or is it just me fuming?

So for this project I need to look at the difference between the white house budget, Senate's budget and House's budget.

I'm making good progress, but for some reason there is two numbers in the WH budget, so I was hoping someone could let me know what the two numbers mean so I could know which to use.

For example, if you go here https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Appendix and click on agriculture (which I am working on, you'll see for the office of secretary it says 45,555,000 in parentheses and 64,403,000 out of the parentheses.

So does anyone know what these two numbers mean? Thanks in advance!

Is there things that the president doesnt have access to or are classified to them?

I applied for Global Entry (immigration customs "fast pass") and DHS discovered that I had been arrested 33 years ago at age 18. (Note: this is my one and only arrest ever. The arrest was BS - I think on lawyer's advice I ultimately plead to misdemeanor trespassing and to the best of my knowledge the records were expunged.) DHS told me that I had to provide a disposition of the arrest. So I went to the county courts and after they dug around in their microfilm archive for a month I received (and forwarded to DHS) appropriately stamped documents stating that there "are no records". (seemly confirming that they were expunged) However, DHS says that this is not good enough (Their message is below). While I am considering my response and calming down it seemed worth sharing/getting some second opinions.

Thank you for your application to the Global Entry program and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card (ABTC) of U.S. >Customs and Border Protection.

Global Entry is a voluntary program available to travelers that pass a comprehensive background investigation. Applicants found to be >ineligible for Global Entry participation may still be permitted to enter into the United States although they will not be permitted to use the >Global Entry dedicated lanes.

We regret to inform you that your membership in Global Entry and ABTC has been disapproved for the following reason(s):

You have been convicted and/or arrested for a criminal offense Although you provided documents from the court stating no records found or that the records have been purged, this is not sufficient for >approval for the Trusted Traveler Program. If you believe the decision was based upon inaccurate information, you may contact the local trusted traveler Enrollment Center to schedule >an appointment to speak with a supervisor. A list of locations can be found at: www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs

If necessary, you may also write to the CBP Trusted Traveler Ombudsman at:

Thank you for your application to the Global Entry program and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card (ABTC) of U.S. >Customs and Border Protection.

Global Entry is a voluntary program available to travelers that pass a comprehensive background investigation. Applicants found to be >ineligible for Global Entry participation may still be permitted to enter into the United States although they will not be permitted to use the >Global Entry dedicated lanes.

We regret to inform you that your membership in Global Entry and ABTC has been disapproved for the following reason(s):

You have been convicted and/or arrested for a criminal offense Although you provided documents from the court stating no records found or that the records have been purged, this is not sufficient for >approval for the Trusted Traveler Program. If you believe the decision was based upon inaccurate information, you may contact the local trusted traveler Enrollment Center to schedule >an appointment to speak with a supervisor. A list of locations can be found at: www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs

If necessary, you may also write to the CBP Trusted Traveler Ombudsman at:

As I'm sure we all know, US debt is held by a variety of institutions and even other governments. I'm trying to find info on states' debts (in particular Kentucky), and I'm not having much luck. Any tips on what I should be looking for? What search terms should I be using? I understand state debt comes from the issuance of bonds, but where are the records of the bondholders?

Thanks!

Trying to figure out if my union is stringing me along, or what they are saying is accurate.

After being a member of the union for a couple of months, I'm just not impressed by them. Beyond which, the local is going through a number of upheavals, including some things at the top. I went to my Payroll office, they told me to go to the union and get the form to quit. Union told me I couldn't quit until my anniversary. And that Payroll would have the form anyway.

I've found SF-1188. Can I just submit that at anytime and be done? Or, do I really have to wait until my one year anniversary?

I attended a village meeting the other day. Someone would say something and then someone else would say "second", and then move on.

Does it mean that they agree with what was said? Why are there no "thirds" and such?

Edit: Thanks for the answers!

If anyone can offer some advice, I'm having some difficulty figuring this out.

I was a Federal Employee for nine years. I left my job last May and am now wanting to cash out for my benefits, i.e. TSP and retirement benefits. I know what my TSP balance is, roughly, but as I understand it its apart from actual retirement benefits, although the two are connected. Do I do this separately, jointly, or otherwise? I've gone through the OPM website and it looks like I'll only be refunded the sum I paid in, less tax penalties, and the same with TSP.

Does anyone have any experience doing this, and are there any ways to streamline the process (i know, I know, government...)? According to the links I have to mail in form SF 3106, but I'm a little less clear with TSP.

Or...are the two the exact same thing?

Any help appreciated.

I thought I remembered reading somewhere that your assets are essentially frozen when you become POTUS, and then re-released when you leave office. Are you allowed to make financial transactions/investments as president? Can you own or run a business while in office? Also, what would happen to Trump's empire if he was elected?

I live in Oklahoma and the state is weird/backward when it goes to agreeing with the government. I don't need a REAL ID right away but do need to get the ball rolling for one.

Also will it help with getting a Passport?

I want to see Hilary Clinton testify before the Select Committee on Benghazi. Most websites say that it is open to the public. Is it just a matter of showing up early and hoping I get a spot? Or do they just mean that it will be recorded for the public to see?

In my area, there are two I can speak for. I think one is owned by the local police department. But the highway patrol also has a call center, albeit in a different city.

On a side note, it used to be that the highway patrol answered all cellular 911 calls. Now, I guess the city is equipped to handle its own calls.

Yeah, I am fully aware that this is massively complicated and that it is very difficult to have it completely explained.

What I am interested in is finding out what the essentials of running a country are. Things like having a central bank, currency, judicial system, healthcare, police, army, taxes, pensions, roads, sewers, power plants...

I just don't know what is out there. If I became a Prime Minister somehow, I'd have no clue where to start. I know that I would never become one if I didn't, but let's just say for the sake of argument that I did.

How do people that become Presidents or Prime Ministers learn their stuff?

I would greatly appreciate any resources you throw at me for further reading. I wish there was a massive book somewhere detailing all of this.

Hey guys, I was wondering if you know if the President can create government agencies just by executive order or by presidential directives? Like FEMA, it was created by executive order and is one of the most powerful government agencies in the good ol' US of A. I researched it but could never find a definitive answer on it, but if FEMA could be created by executive order, that must mean they can right? For reference here is FEMA's webpage with their history: https://www.fema.gov/about-agency

So what about a Presidential Directive? Or whatever President's want to call it. By this I mostly mean special access programs, they are usually created by intelligence agencies or the DoD but the Executive Office of the President can also create them, so what kind of power can they have?

I am writing a fiction book like Stargate but different where President Truman created a secret program under a Presidential Directive and I just want to make sure it sounds plausible. Thanks!