[onona]

Just saw on Drudge how the state dept / white house is sending more $$ to Palestine to the tune of 150 MILLION.

That’s not even low hanging fruit, that’s on the GROUND fruit.

STOP GIVING MY MONEY AWAY.

[kearnyirish2]

Here in NJ our governor uses real examples to demonstrate how much is thrown at pubic school teachers and other state and municipal employees; it has become so out of control in NJ that many Americans are fleeing along with the corporations that employ them. Under our previous governor, NJ lost population in terms of Americans, but stayed “in the black” due to illegal aliens.

[steveab]

And the unions want us to bailout their under funded pension plans.

[rbg81]

When I started in the Air Force (early 80s), it was an accepted fact that Government employees made a pittance while Contractors made “big bucks”. As a 2LT, I got expressions of sympathy from my fellow engineering grads at my low starting salary (about $23K to their $30K). Sometime in the 90s that changed. Now, in many cases, Government employees make more than the Contractors who actually keep things humming. And their benefits are better to boot. In some cases its justified—in most, its not.

It was also a case of you get what you pay for. Again, in the 80s, some on the Governemnt side were there because they couldn’t get a higher paying job elsewhere—they traded pay for security. No one wants dolts on the Government side, so the pay has to be somewhat competitive. But it shouldn’t be more.

[Falcon4.0]

It should be investigating where the TARP Money went and start putting people in prison.

[cgbg]

$150K is a lot of money in Des Moines or Topeka.

If you move the bureaucracies to those low cost of living areas you could cut federal wages in half with no pain to anyone.

Metro DC has become very expensive because of the incredible growth of the federal government (and associated contractors, lobbyists, etc.). There would be many benefits to moving large chunks of the bureaucracy out to the heartland.

[HarleyD]

Let me be the first to say that government should be streamlined. But this is a bogus analysis. The article states:

"The number of federal workers earning $150,000 or more a year has soared tenfold in the past five years and doubled since President Obama took office...Federal workers earning $150,000 or more make up 3.9% of the workforce, up from 0.4% in 2005. Since 2000, federal pay and benefits have increased 3% annually above inflation compared with 0.8% for private workers"

In the last five years senior managers rose by 0.4% (one half of one percent)!!! This is big news???? And I'd be willing to bet most of those increases are in the Pentagon for the war effort.

I hope this isn't going to be the sole plan of the Republicans for reducing the deficit. If the Republicans go in and do a across-the-board, everybody-feel-the-pain, types of cuts, I think the American people will grumble but will accept it. Entitlements, farm subsidies, military, and, yes, government. If we start having class warfare (cut this but DON'T cut that), then nothing will get cut. Cutting federal workers salaries is just a very small drop in the vast deficit ocean.

[bray]

Time to cut the tail off the dog.

Pray for America

[StonyBurk]

First thing I do when I buy a new car—or new house is set
down and prioritize what I want done to make it reflect me.
I do what is most needed to make the car perform better—or the House more livable. In short it’s cleaning House-hauling out the junk First to see better what needs doing. Translated to Congressional politics-that would include cleaning out -or setting aside those who helped allow the communist dialectic
of “change” When the House is cleaned out— then it can be set in order.And the peoples agenda begun.

[Non-Sequitur]

I can think of 535 government workers who should be first on the chopping block when it comes to salary reductions.

[Condor51]

The GOP's First Target Should Be Government Worker Salary and Benefits

Correction:

The GOP's First Target Should Be Government UNIONS

There isn't one legit reason on God's Green Earth why ANY gubmint (cough) *worker* needs a union to (gag) 'represent them'.

I was 'on site' in a large gubmint building for over 18 months back during the Clinton years, 1994-1995, for a 'Remodeling/Retrofit Project'. So I have personally seen the results of what gubmint worker's unions lead to. And it ain't pretty. If I told HALF of what I saw you'd say I was congenital liar.

So I'll just say this and let your imaginations run wild:

At the first 'Pre-Construction, Construction Meeting' (i.e.: before one screw was driven) every Subcontractor Project Manager was forewarned that there were approx 2,500 people in the building and they were represented by Eleven Unions, so NOBODY talk to NOBODY, and DON'T TOUCH anything!

We actually had a person (female) whose sole job was to 'talk to the government's rep', and coordinate exactly 'where' and 'when' the men could work. And if we went One Foot out of that boundary all Hell broke loose. Then our woman talked to their woman, who would then talk to the union rep, who would ...etc, etc, etc.

This nonsense is why the G pays $500 for a Hammer.

[camle]

nope: the first target should be the nonproductive welfare class.

[RoadTest]

“The GOP’s First Target Should Be Government Worker Salary and Benefits “

The GOP’s First Target Should Be relieving America of its burdensome taxes and burning the Obamacare bill.

[CharacterCounts]

The new middle class - government bureaucrats.

[Presbyterian Reporter]

I believe a plan to reduce government employee salary and benefits would be a winning strategy with the voters.

There are some other winning strategies for the Republicans to advance.

Let’s get going on those strategies and force Obama and the Democrats to defend government employee salary and benefits and other wasteful spending.

[saintgermaine]

There has been a long-running vicious cycle playing out over the years. Politicians (mostly, but not exclusively, Democrats) have been signing generous agreements with government workers and their unions. In return, the government workers provide a solid voting block, and the public employee unions can use their enlarged dues to funnel money to Democratic campaigns.

Isn’t this the same problem what caused General Motors to fail and then the taxpayers were asked to bail them out in order to keep the union employees living in the style they have become accustomed to? Government is no different when it is run by piss poor management, usually liberals who think there is a limitless supply of money and tax payers end up paying for their social engineering. Luckily and invariable liberalism-socialism can only last until it runs out of other peoples money (Margaret Thatcher I guess) The realization is just starting to set in great Britain…..

[EDINVA]

I’d tend to couple federal employees compensation/benefits with entitlements. Both are out of control and strangling the economy.

[MinuteGal]

"The first priority should be government workers and salaries....."

NO, NO, NO!!!!!

The first priority has got to be total repeal of ObamaCare. It's got to be done with surgical skill and speed.

Too many aspects and some implied "benefits" of ObamaCare will be kicking in soon. If they are taken away after they're already in the hands and heads of the uneducated morons in the "entitlement, gimme, victim" classes, the GOP will get the blame for Heavy, Heavy Stuff.

The bill for repeal should be on the House floor the morning after swearing-in-day. This is critical.

Leni