New Obama Budget cuts Military Raises. Isn't Congress considered "Federal Employees"? Guess not!!

Conservative Women for Truth ^ | 02/26/2009 | Bree Lee

[BreeLee]

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I wish I could say that I am in "Shock and Awe", but it is more like "Shock and Disdain". It seems that now Obama is going to cap Federal and Milatary pay raises. Okay, I'm confused aren't our Congressional leaders "Federal Employees"? Didn't they just take a pay raise of almost 3% back in December?

Now tell me this, does it make sense to cut the raises that our Military Personnell get for defending our country and putting their life on the line every day, but not to cut the raises of our Congressional offices that sit on their bums and are only in session from 94-111 days a year depending on the year. That number is based on figures from Thomas.loc.gov,And as stated by Truth and Justice back in December, that comes out to about 15K for every day they are in session....... yes that's what I said, Fifteen thousand dollars a day, sounds like one of the best paying jobs in America for some of the least approved of Government officials.

Instead U.S. taxpayers will dish out an extra $2.5 million to boost annual congressional salaries by $4,700. This may seem outrageous since polls have consistently revealed historically low approval ratings for Congress in the last year amid a series of bipartisan legal scandals and corruption probes.

I understand the need for budget cuts but maybe we should start by never implementing some of the "Pork Barrel Spending" to begin with, like the $100 million for reducing the hazard of lead-based paint or the $2 billion earmark to re-start FutureGen, a near-zero emissions coal power plant in Illinois that the Department of Energy defunded last year because it said the project was inefficient and then there's the $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film.....Hmmmm, thats a thought. (see more Stimulus Pork HERE) at roarrepublican.com. Now Steve Vogel at the Washington post is reporting: Civilian employees of the federal government will be limited to a 2 percent pay increase in 2010 under the proposed budget released this morning by the Obama administration.

The administration describes the proposed increase as reflective of the current economic crisis and bringing federal pay and benefit practices more in line with what workers in the private sector are experiencing.

The fiscal 2010 budget summary released this morning notes that Obama has ordered a freeze of White House senior staff pay. "In this budget, federal employees also will be asked to do their part," the summary states.

The proposed increase compares with a 3.9 percent increase for federal workers in 2009 and 3.5 percent in 2008.

A senior official for the nation's largest federal employee union described the small increase as understandable. "It's a modest increase, but it certainly is prudent," said Jacque Simon, public policy director for the American Federation of Government Employees.

"We're in an economic crisis and everybody understands that," Simon said. "While it's certainly a modest pay increase, federal employees recognize the severity of the economic situation, and we're viewing it from that context."

Pay increases for men and women in uniform are to be capped 2.9 percent, an amount described in the budget summary as reflecting "the priorities of an administration that is committed to caring for the service members who protect our security and the families who support them."

Last year, military personnel received a 3.9 percent pay increase, half a percentage point more than President George W. Bush recommended.

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[murron]

He’s a corporal with the Marines and he’s been in for nearly 3 1/2 years.

[Non-Sequitur]

He’s a corporal with the Marines and he’s been in for nearly 3 1/2 years.

Well as an E-4 over 3, married with dependents allowance, he'll be bringing in around $40,000 a year without factoring separation pay or any specialty pay or any bonuses he may get for re-enlisting. That's not bad for someone in their early 20's.

I've no doubt he'd like a raise. Join the club.

[murron]

Are you serious? I had no idea he would be pulling in that much. Shoot. I loaned him some money to buy a car last year. He better pay me back.

[Non-Sequitur]

I spent many years in the military and I’ll be the last to suggest that they don’t earn their money. But the military pay scales aren’t bad either.

[BreeLee]

1,215 Service members from all over Iraq gathered in the
Al Faw Palace rotunda on Camp Victory, to re-enlist and
celebrate America’s Independence Day, July 4, 2008.

[mystery-ak]

Both my hubby and son re-enlisted while they were in Iraq...my hubby did his aboard a Chinook flying above Anaconda...it was very cool...

[BreeLee]

"Both my hubby and son re-enlisted while they were in Iraq...my hubby did his aboard a Chinook flying above Anaconda...it was very cool..."

Thank you so very very much for your families service to our country, you as the wife and mother are just as much an intricate part of the service as your husband and son are and I thank you for that!!

[mystery-ak]

Thank you....it is their pleasure to serve...they wouldn’t have it any other way.

[ASOC]

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