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MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. fought zealously to achieve for all the equality promised by the Declaration of Independence. His passion for justice was inspired by the Scriptures and the spirituals [...]

Believe it or not, I think it's a great time to be a government finance official. Yes, the economy is in the tank. And yes, the federal government seems intent [...]

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including "Pope Benedict's Tightrope Act" in the March 2009 issue, the discussion concerning the society of Saint Pius, and the apology made by Bishop Williamson for his remark about the Jews.

The article looks at the separation of church and state in the United States. In the United States of today, a member of the clergy or a spokesman for a religious denomination who forcefully expresses an opinion on a matter of public import is invariably met with the accusation that he or she has breached the "wall of separation between church and state." The metaphor "wall of separation" has long been used by some political figures and commentators as a call to exclude the teachings of religion and religiously rooted morality from participation in political debate concerning public policy. Since the government is barred from curbing a citizen's exercise of his religious beliefs, ministers of religion of every creed and sect can freely engage in public debate in an endeavor to influence governmental policy in accordance with their religious-based moral values. It is most crucial for the lasting vitality of individual liberties that the metaphorical "wall of separation" be understood in accordance with its historical and true meaning, and that religion be properly regarded as possessing rights with the same scope as the rights to speech and the rights of the press. No one has ever advanced the argument that the state and its policies and practices should be immune from the criticism and censure of free speech and free press, even when the exercise of such rights conveys mistakes of fact or errors in judgment or is actuated by bias or personal animosity. The very same "wall" that secures free speech and free press also defends the free exercise of religion against the state.

The article offers suggestions for conversion of naysayers into innovators. Topics discussed include impact of negativity bias for keeping one away from voicing out the opinions in fear of being perceived as impractical and foolish, intentional use of 'yes' in groups that invites broader participation and help teams in responding to new ideas, making a list of aspects that are interesting in a new idea and relevance of humility in keeping one honest.

The author expresses his views on the efficiency of the contracting workforce in the U.S. He identifies three factors that contribute to the success of contracting professionals including professionalism, commitment, and excellence. He also talks about several issues related to contracting including the Procurement Management Review (PMR) program, the trend of U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) protests, and the promotion of competition.

The article discusses the role of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Procurement in the acquisition and contracting programs of the U.S. Army. Army for Acquisition Acting Assistant Secretary Dean G. Popps and U.S. Army Materiel Command Commanding General Ann E. Dunwoody spearheaded the Materiel Enterprise initiative. One of the projects of the enterprise is to standardize the communication system and the procedural understanding between the office of the deputy assistant secretary and the contracting groups.

The article discusses issues related to the U.S. Army contracting community in January 2011. It says that Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Ashton B. Carter provided guidance for obtaining greater efficiency in defense spending. The author adds that improvement is still needed in the Justification and Approval documentation. The need for the Army Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Workforce to work smarter in obligating government funds is also discussed.