February 28, 2008
”We’ll see the effects of this pro-growth package,” Bush told reporters at a White House news conference, acknowledging that some lawmakers already are talking about a second stimulus package. ”Why don’t we let stimulus package 1, which seemed like a good idea at the time, have a chance to kick in?”
Bush’s view of the economy was decidedly rosier than that of many economists, who say the country is nearing recession territory or may already be there. ”I’m concerned about the economy,” he said. ”I don’t think we’re headed to recession. But no question, we’re in a slowdown.”
The centerpiece of government efforts to brace the wobbly economy is a package Congress passed and Bush signed last month. It will rush rebates ranging from $300 to $1,200 to millions of people and give tax incentives to businesses.
On one issue particularly worrisome to American consumers, there are indications that paying $4 for a gallon of gasoline is not out of the question once the summer driving season arrives. Asked about that, Bush said ”That’s interesting. I hadn’t heard that. … I know it’s high now.”
Bush also telegraphed optimism about the U.S. dollar, which has been declining in value.
”I believe that our economy has got the fundamentals in place for us to … grow and continue growing, more robustly hopefully than we’re growing now,” he said. ”So we’re still for a strong dollar.”
Bush also used his news conference to press Congress to give telecommunications companies legal immunity for helping the government eavesdrop after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
He continued a near-daily effort to prod lawmakers into passing his version of a law to make it easier for the government to conduct domestic eavesdropping on suspected terrorists’ phone calls and e-mails. He says the country is in more danger now that a temporary surveillance law has expired.
The president and Congress are in a showdown over Bush’s demand on the immunity issue.
Bush said the companies helped the government after being told ”that their assistance was legal and vital to national security.” ”Allowing these lawsuits to proceed would be unfair,” he said.
More important, Bush added, ”the litigation process could lead to the disclosure of information about how we conduct surveillance and it would give al-Qaida and others a roadmap as to how to avoid the surveillance.”
The Senate passed its version of the surveillance bill earlier this month, and it provides retroactive legal protection for telecommunications companies that wiretapped U.S. phone and computer lines at the government’s request and without court permission. The House version, approved in October, does not include telecom immunity.
Telecom companies face around 40 lawsuits for their alleged role in wiretapping their American customers.
Senate Democrats appeared unwilling to budge.
As Bush began speaking, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., cast the president’s position as a ”tiresome campaign…to avoid accountability for the unlawful surveillance of Americans.”
”The president once again is misusing his bully pulpit,” Leahy said. ”Once again they are showing they are not above fear-mongering if that’s what it takes to get their way.”
Bush criticized the Democratic presidential candidates over their attempts to disassociate themselves from the North American Free Trade Agreement, a free-trade pact between the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Bush said the deal is contributing to more and better-paying jobs for Americans.
”The idea of just unilaterally withdrawing from a trade treaty because of, you know, trying to score political points is not good policy,” he said. ”It’s not good policy on the merits and it’s not good policy as a message to send to people who have in good faith signed a treaty and worked with us on a treaty.”
Democratic Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are feuding over NAFTA as they compete for their party’s presidential nomination, as the pact is deeply unpopular with blue-collar workers. Though neither has said they were ready to pull the United States out of the agreement, both say they would use the threat of doing so to pressure Mexico to renegotiate tougher labor, environmental and enforcement provisions.
Bush fended off a question about why he has yet to replace Fran Townsend, his White House-based terrorism adviser, who announced her resignation more than three months ago. He said the job is being ably filled by her former deputy, Joel Bagnal.
On another issue, Bush said that Turkey’s offensive against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq should be limited — and should end as soon as possible. The ongoing fighting has put the United States in a touchy position, as it is close allies with both Iraq and Turkey. A long offensive along their border could jeopardize security in Iraq just as the U.S. is trying to stabilize the war-wracked country.
”The Turks need to move, move quickly, achieve their objective and get out,” he said.
On Russia, Bush said he does not know much about Dmitry Medvedev, the handpicked successor to President Vladimir Putin who is coasting to the job. Bush said it will be interesting to see who represents Russia — presumably either Medvedev or Putin — at the Group of Eight meeting later this year in Japan.
The president advised his own successor to develop a personal relationship with whomever is in charge in Moscow.
”As you know, Putin’s a straightforward, pretty tough character when it comes to his interests — well so am I,” Bush said. He said that he and Putin have ”had some diplomatic head butts.”
Bush also said, however, that the pair have ”a cordial enough relationship to be able to deal with common threats and opportunities, and that’s going to be important for the next president to maintain.”
Bush also defended his stance of not talking directly with leaders of adversaries such as Iran and Cuba without setting preconditions. In doing so, he offered some of his strongest criticism yet of Raul Castro, who assumed Cuba’s presidency on Sunday after his ailing brother Fidel, who ruled for decades, stepped aside.
”Sitting down at the table, having your picture taken with a tyrant such as Raul Castro, for example, lends the status of the office and the status of our country to him,” Bush said.
He said that Raul Castro is ”nothing more than an extension of what his brother did, which is ruin an island.”
Following his news conference, Bush traveled to the Labor Department to meet with his economic advisers.
Afterward, he expressed confidence in the nation’s ability to weather the economic downturn.
”We’ll make it through this period just like we made it through other periods of uncertainty during my presidency,” Bush said.
NewYork Times
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February 28, 2008 at 11:42 pm
What will it take to be a top CPA in 2010?
These days, a number of factors are combining to make Certified Public Accountants more valued in the current marketplace than ever before - with even brighter prospects for the most qualified and skilled professionals in the foreseeable future.
Looking back, the number of accounting majors in major universities fell steadily for more than 10 years following the adoption of increased education requirements for CPA candidates in the late 1980s.
Upon implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 - which increased the auditing and financial reporting requirements on public companies - practicing CPAs suddenly found themselves working beyond full capacity while fielding increasingly persistent calls from recruiters.
Now, with Baby Boomers set to begin leaving the workforce in 2008, coupled with a decrease in the percentage of 25- to 34-year-old workers, we are on the verge of entering one of the greatest “candidate markets” of all time - especially as it relates to financial professionals.
Consider this: corporations have to hire added CPAs for SOX maintenance and internal audit roles at the same time Big Four firms are projected to increase staffing levels for similar functions by as much as 20 percent!
CPAs who work diligently in the coming years to master the requisite skills and build out complementary new ones will find themselves well positioned to benefit both personally and financially from expanded career options. Among the prerequisites for every successful finance professional are:
Individual integrity
Loyalty to the organization and mission
Dedication to ongoing professional education
Given the increased civil and criminal penalties facing companies and senior management today, embodying these traits in carrying out everyday tasks is vital.
Having a fully-developed, professionally informed sense of right from wrong, abiding by the core values of the organization, and regularly working to further develop your skills as a counselor and practitioner will begin to set you apart from your peers.
To help CPAs distinguish themselves in the marketplace, Ajilon Finance has outlined the following four areas for CPAs to improve their skills and eventually realize their full value as a professional.
1. HARD SKILLS.
Given the heightened regulatory environment in which we operate, mastery over the hard skills of being a Certified Public Accountant is more important than ever before. While most top CPAs consider these to be the minimal requirements of the job, the core tasks include:
Creating efficiencies across all accounting and finance functions
Managing budgets, costs, and assets
Maintaining accurate records
Verifying financial results
These are the areas in which you can immediately add value and build trust internally within your organization. The first responsibility is, of course, to bring reliability and thoroughness to these disciplines. Given the disproportionate attention these functions commanded over the past few years, simply minimizing the amount of time required of senior management to accounting and finance matters will be a welcome relief.
The added ability to prioritize critical functions and deploy the appropriate resources will also determine the level of operational efficiency achieved. Demonstrating the ability to meet all accounting and financial reporting requirements while optimizing department resources will enhance your credibility with senior management and grow your value within the organization.
2. SOFT SKILLS.
Because of the heightened scrutiny from internal and external audiences on accounting and finance functions, the “soft skills” of communication and diplomacy increasingly play a key role in distinguishing the truly high-functioning CPAs. To be a top CPA in today’s business environment, you must have more than just great analytical skills. Possessing polished skills in these four areas will be a key differentiator:
Teamwork
Patience
Problem solving
Listening
In fact, as you interact more closely with individuals outside the accounting and finance department, these skills will become more important. Since CPAs are sometimes not as close to the subject material, often they require clarification on the significance of certain processes or transactions from the simple to the complex.
3. BE A MENTOR.
Tomorrow’s high-functioning CPA should also be a good teacher. According to the study The Supply of Accounting Graduates and Demand for Public Accounting Recruits - 2005 by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, after steady declines in the late 1990s total accounting enrollment increased 19 percent from 2000 to 2004.
This means the next generation of CPAs is entering the profession right now and individuals are in need of proper guidance and support. The overall productivity of this group will be largely determined by how they are trained, motivated, and deployed by today’s leaders. If you take on a mentorship role within your organization, you will help position yourself as a top CPA today and into the future.
4. INCREASING YOUR PRESENCE.
Today, CPAs have more constituents than ever before. It’s important to understand this and be sure to treat each of these audiences like clients. After all, the increased attention is a good thing if you are capable of producing in the spotlight.
To be recognized as among the best in the profession, both within your organization and the broader marketplace, take time to think about the attributes people should associate with you. Among some of the criteria generally used to recognize the best-of-the-best include:
Creates and sustains a culture of leadership
Develops strong employees
Develops strategic partnerships
Creates strategies for company advancement
What other special qualities do you possess and are these evident through your work? What qualities need further development? How would you rate your customer relationship management skills as a professional?
Make a list of your current strengths and areas for improvement in terms of hard skills. Study those around you who excel at the soft skills for lessons you can make use of in working with people and organizations. Finally, catalogue your “clients” and list ways to improve your interactions with them.
Due to a number of factors, the current market demand for well-trained certified public accountants is strong and only promises to get better in the coming years. Accounting and finance professionals who master the core skills, develop new and different ones, and work to distinguish themselves in the marketplace will be poised to enter the upper realm of top CPAs.
Reprinted with permission from Ajilon Finance
AccountingWEB.com Jan-28-2008
Categories: Self Improvement
Times read: 3525
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