Free Republic

Senators unanimously voted Thursday for Republican Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy’s resolution to withhold their paychecks during government shutdowns. The Senate adopted the measure in a 99-0 voice vote, which allows senators to receive backpay only after a government shutdown ends. The resolution only impacts the Senate and would not prevent members of the House or other government workers from getting paid. The chamber voted to advance the resolution Wednesday. Republican Nebraska Sen. Pete Ricketts did not vote on the resolution. Kennedy said that if other government workers cannot get paid, then neither should the Senate. “It’s about shared sacrifice,” Kennedy...

“Without you, I’m nothing.” A version of the latter is frequently uttered by movie stars and athletes to their fans. Absent the individuals who buy tickets to their games and movies, or who watch them on TV, these celebrities would be largely unknown. And they would earn very little money by extension. Celebrities of the film, television and sports variety, along with businesses more broadly, well understand that consumers conduct a daily vote with the fruits of their labor. Without them, they’re nothing in the figurative sense. What’s obvious to those who’ve won customers in the competitive markets is frequently...

After President Trump announced he wants to revoke federal workers' automatic 2.1% pay raise this year, the response was predictable. Democrats and government unions squealed. The only really surprising thing is that Trump didn't do it sooner. "In light of our nation's fiscal situation, Federal employee pay must be performance-based, and aligned strategically toward recruiting, retaining and rewarding high-performing Federal employees and those with critical skill sets," Trump wrote in a letter to Congress. The move brought a near-instantaneous response. "Cutting federal pay is not the way to run the best government possible or to recruit and retain the most...