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Perk from the president
Waterbury Republican-American ^ | December 12, 2007 | Editorial

Posted on 12/12/2007 11:51:49 AM PST by Graybeard58

As he did in 2001, President Bush is giving most federal workers Christmas Eve off with pay so they may have a four-day holiday weekend. It was wrong then, and it's wrong now. Yes, Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon and Carter did the same thing when Christmas Eve fell on Monday, but they did it because federal workers at the time were less handsomely paid. That age, however, is a distant memory.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says the average federal salary is 48 percent higher than the private-sector average. When the value of fringe benefits (pension, health and life insurance, etc.) are added, the disparity grows to 100 percent, says the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Federal workers already get more paid time off than most in the private sector, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Each year, they get 10 paid holidays, plus 13 sick days they may accumulate to infinity. Their vacation-day allotment rises from 13 in their first three years to 20 through Year 15 and to 26 thereafter.

Government workers have much greater job security that folks in the private sector. Their jobs are recession-proof, and their employer has no competition and will never go bankrupt. When the government runs low on cash, it just prints or borrows more money or finds ways to "enhance revenues."

So despite a budget deficit of more than $100 billion, a national debt of $10 trillion and unfunded entitlement liabilities of $90 trillion, the president spends gobs of other people's money to give his people a day off with pay and makes private employers who can't afford to follow suit look like Scrooges.

If federal employees want Christmas Eve to be a paid holiday, let them negotiate it into their contracts. Otherwise, make them use a vacation day, just like America's working stiffs.


TOPICS: Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: bush; christmas; christmaseve; marines
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To: BamaDi
the majority of federal workers do not fit the stereotype!

As a retired union worker, I'm not too fond of stereotypes either, nor is my son who is a cop, or my daughter who is a public school teacher or my other son who is a union iron worker.

61 posted on 12/12/2007 1:48:44 PM PST by Graybeard58 ( Remember and pray for SSgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
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To: Ax

I hope you’re not posting on my time.


62 posted on 12/12/2007 1:48:57 PM PST by the gillman@blacklagoon.com (And close the damned borders!)
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To: the gillman@blacklagoon.com

since I retired two years ago, it’s my time....


63 posted on 12/12/2007 1:50:14 PM PST by BamaDi (Roll Tide Roll......Saban's here - never fear!)
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To: BamaDi

Well then I’m still paying for you.


64 posted on 12/12/2007 1:51:36 PM PST by the gillman@blacklagoon.com (And close the damned borders!)
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To: mngran2
Precisely my point. By yoking these useful employees to the same one-size-fits-all system as the useless paper-pushers, the politicians get a chance to either shell out money to buy votes from the latter or use them as a target of cheap demagoguery. (Really slick politicians can do both.)

The ultimate result is that the Muslim extremists are monitored by the kinda-sorta-adequate spies (the brighter ones got jobs in corporate security, doing half the work for twice the pay). And the ultimate result of that... well, you can fill in the dots.

65 posted on 12/12/2007 2:02:05 PM PST by steve-b (Sin lies only in hurting others unnecessarily. All other "sins" are invented nonsense. --RAH)
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To: the gillman@blacklagoon.com

sorry you feel that way but after 36 years I earned my retirement....but let me remind you, I pay taxes also so looks like I’m paying myself too....Merry Christmas


66 posted on 12/12/2007 2:02:08 PM PST by BamaDi (Roll Tide Roll......Saban's here - never fear!)
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To: mngran2

What about a pardon for Ramos, Compean, and Hernandez?


67 posted on 12/12/2007 2:18:45 PM PST by GunsareOK
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To: BamaDi

Merry Christmas to you.


68 posted on 12/12/2007 2:37:15 PM PST by the gillman@blacklagoon.com (And close the damned borders!)
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To: SF Republican

I think you busted him! Good one man! Taxpayers money at work...on the net


69 posted on 12/12/2007 3:21:23 PM PST by Bommer ("He that controls the spice controls the universe!" (unfortunately that spice is Nutmeg!)
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To: Bommer

LOL - you are the only one that responded! he certainly did not.


70 posted on 12/12/2007 3:22:18 PM PST by SF Republican
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To: Graybeard58

Graybeard, don’t get your knickers in a knot. Listen to the comments of other Freepers here and lighten up.

Federal employees are just like employees in any other large organization. Most are competent and hardworking, a few are lazy.

I assure you letting the federal workforce have Christmas Eve off will not lead to the demise of our Republic!


71 posted on 12/12/2007 5:24:48 PM PST by Poundstone
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To: cuz_it_aint_their_money

TRUE!!!! I had to forfeit 600 hours of sick leave...that is 75 days or 2 1/2 MONTHS of sick leave. Bet no non-GOV employee ever forfeits 1 day of sick leave.


72 posted on 12/12/2007 5:38:08 PM PST by clooney4824
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To: Poundstone
The question I posed in that reply hasn't been answered yet. I softened my stance in later replies anyway. Read on.
73 posted on 12/12/2007 5:41:03 PM PST by Graybeard58 ( Remember and pray for SSgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
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To: the gillman@blacklagoon.com; cardinal4
This "useless lazy bastard" retired 31 Jul 1997.

As a civil service employee, I rode in helicopters in Vietnam, walked the streets of Teheran, Riyadh, Baghdad, Jeddah, Cairo, a lot of bad neighborhoods in Africa and Central America. To be sure, I had some good posts, too. I think I earned all my bucks and bennies.

74 posted on 12/12/2007 5:42:28 PM PST by Ax
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To: thackney; Manfred the Wonder Dawg; All
Yeah, it’s those little details in the Good Book that can mess up a good rant...

Celebrate all of Christ’s life, just as it was written, just as it was told...

75 posted on 12/12/2007 5:49:52 PM PST by ejonesie22 (In America all people have a right to be wrong, some just exercise it a bit much...)
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To: BamaDi

Amen...


76 posted on 12/12/2007 5:53:01 PM PST by ejonesie22 (In America all people have a right to be wrong, some just exercise it a bit much...)
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To: ejonesie22

thank you for the amen....I was a little po’d and getting really really sick of all the jabs at federal employees....I worked hard for 36 years - am republican to the bone and have taken personal offense at the constant smears federal employees take....the majority of us are very very loyal to this country....and work hard....and like I said - we’re not the sterotype of what’s out there as a Federal employee....


77 posted on 12/12/2007 6:13:17 PM PST by BamaDi (Roll Tide Roll......Saban's here - never fear!)
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To: BamaDi
After 20+ years of private sector and owning my own business I sold after a rough divorce, I tool a little time off and taught, got married and decided to look for a 3rd career. Ended up with the Federal Government earlier this year. It is an adjustment and there are a few of those “employees” but most are doing their jobs as well as any I ever hired in the private sector.
78 posted on 12/12/2007 7:05:09 PM PST by ejonesie22 (In America all people have a right to be wrong, some just exercise it a bit much...)
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To: thackney

“What on earth does giving crap to one another have to do with the birth of Jesus the Christ child?”

“Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh”

Then gifts ought to be to given to build the kingdom of God - perhaps sending Bibles to China. Giving stuff to one another is in no way similar to the wise men giving gifts to Christ.


79 posted on 12/12/2007 7:09:29 PM PST by Manfred the Wonder Dawg (Test ALL things, hold to that which is True.)
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To: NRA2BFree

I’m not opposed to fun - just to unbiblical crap being declared as Christian.


80 posted on 12/12/2007 7:13:36 PM PST by Manfred the Wonder Dawg (Test ALL things, hold to that which is True.)
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