New York Times: WASHINGTON — President Obama on Monday announced a two-year pay freeze for civilian federal workers as he sought to address concerns over high annual deficits and appealed to Republicans to find a common approach to restoring the nation’s economic and fiscal health.
“The hard truth is that getting this deficit under control is going to require some broad sacrifice, and that sacrifice must be shared by employees of the federal government,” Mr. Obama told reporters. He called federal workers “patriots who love their country” but added, “I’m asking civil servants to do what they’ve always done” for the nation.
The pay freeze amounted to an opening bid as the president and Republican Congressional leaders begin jousting in earnest over tax and spending policy. It also illustrated how Mr. Obama can use his office on occasion to get ahead of newly elected Republicans; they had been talking about making such a move when they assume control of the House and additional Senate seats in January.
But while the move represents a gesture toward public anger over the anemic economic recovery and rising national debt, the $5 billion to be saved over two years will barely dent a deficit that has exceeded $1 trillion for the past two years.[…] [MORE]
This all sounds so lovely on paper, but there are a few problems that are going unnoticed. First of all, we are at a record number of federal employees. As of February 2010 the Federal employee workforce was an astounding 2.15 million people, the highest ever. Second, we also have a record number of Federal employees making over $150,000.00.
What we have here is your typical game of political smoke and mirrors. For the casual follower of politics and government, a pay freeze sounds like a responsible move. However, when you realize the facts above, you understand that all Obama is doing is locking in big and expensive government for the next two years.
What is truly needed is for the Federal workforce to take some serious PAY CUTS and undergo some serious DOWNSIZING. Pay for Federal employees must be taken out the private sector and the high number of employees making record salaries is a drag on the economy we can no longer afford.
Sorry Obama, but you will have to do better than that.
Via: Memeorandum
Via: The New York Times
Via: The Washington Times
Via: USA Today
Posts
3 comments:
So tons of folks lost their job. Tons of stores closed down. Tons of small business folded, and he jacked up the national debt and spending by trillions of dollars.
And the best he can do is promise us not to raise their income for 2 years?
I am sorry, but these federal workers are already over paid for the most part, not to mention their pension when they retire.
I am sure some liberals will claim this is a huge cut, but this is a mockery of our intelligence and our tax money.
2nd Anony
I agree, Jack, usually the hens are ugly as sin, and true here too, and the male Peacock are the ones with all the looks. I think that maybe we have two hens here, they missed the boat on both occasions, after it was Carvelle who said if Hillary gave him a Ball she'd still have more than obama.
And didn't Michele Bachmann introduce legislation of the same goal and wasn't it voted down?
Post a Comment