A Program Manager's View of AIG

    In the application of Earned Value of programs, there is a value below which we move on when trying to get all the control accounts to balance for the period of performance. Usually if you can get all the numbers to line up for 99% of the total value, its called DONE and let's print the Contract Performance Report (CPR) and send it to the customer. 1% error depended of course on the size of the program. There are time when 5% error is acceptable. And other times when less than 1% is needed.
    But to spend time futzing around with 1/1000 of 1% is not only a silly it is a waste of time. So why is the US Congress burning huge amounts of time and money on 1/1000 of 1% they gave AIG? Mostly likely to cover their asses for not having language in the bailout bill in the first place. Probably because those sitting behind those desks have actually never really managed anything. Nor would we want then to. No because they shoudl not, but because they are representatives of the people and should be focused on doing the people's business. Making Laws, no micro managing what is clearly a bone head decision by AIG.
    National politics is all about image and sometimes about substance. So getting your face on TV is part of image. If someone would go on TV and state in clear and concise terms that spending time managing the clearly poor decision of AIG's imbattled president is a wast of time, then maybe we poor souls here in the field woudl have some convidence things will improve.
    Indepedent of one's politics, we're loosing sight of good program management practices - focus on the big picture in times of crisis.