Wednesday, December 1, 2010

The Obama Moratorium On Federal Pay


At first blush in a time of discontent concerning government in general, it may seem like a win win to stop raising the salaries of federal government civil servants, who earn more than their counter parts in the private sector.

But it becomes clear that more is needed than angry bias when it comes to messing with anyone's livelihood, including federal employees, when we consider that the average of $61,051 and $123,049 is $92,050.

So if we spout off about $92,050 it makes folks getting $61,051 look a bit more well oiled than they are, and it makes those getting $123,049 less well off than they actually are.

So, why not just do a pro rata freeze on the pay increases of those taking home more than the national median income, and leave those below the national median alone?

They are members of the middle class after all:
At a time when workers' pay and benefits have stagnated, federal employees' average compensation has grown to more than double what private sector workers earn, a USA TODAY analysis finds.

Federal workers have been awarded bigger average pay and benefit increases than private employees for nine years in a row. The compensation gap between federal and private workers has doubled in the past decade.

Federal civil servants earned average pay and benefits of $123,049 in 2009 while private workers made $61,051 in total compensation, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The data are the latest available.
(USA Today). Those collecting Social Security Insurance, who are primarily those below the median income level, have already had their benefits frozen.

The corporations and the banksters are raking it in like the bandits they are.

Meanwhile, today unemployment benefits for a couple of million Americans out of work stop, yes they lose all unemployment benefits just before the holidays.

This as the republicans cry out for tax cuts for the 2% million-dollar-a-year income folks who Bush II called "my base".

3 comments:

  1. Listening to Today right now. The WH is already signaling that they're going to cave on the tax cuts, at least "temporarily." No surprise there. Scott Brown (R,MA) blocked the latest unemployment benefit extension, saying the dems should have taken time to work out a "compromise." Someone remind me again, just WHY did I vote for Obama?

    I think we could all save some time and trouble if the dems would just resign in shame right now and go home. Now THERE'S some budget savings for ya!

    Here's a test: the Penatgon has come out 70/30 for repealing DADT, including SecDef Gates. Let's see if the dems can get even that paltry measure passed in the next two years. If not (and they won't), they should all be prosecuted for fraud.

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  2. I heard on NPR coming in to work that the Repubes are supposedly asking freshman members to sign a pledge to block ALL dem sponsored legislation going forward. Not surpisingly, that would be the end of DADT repeal, as well as just about everything else for the dems. It just keeps getting better and better. Who needs entertainment when we've got real life like this?

    And the funny part is that the dems will literally bend over backwards to accomodate the GOP's strongarm tactics in the interests of "bi-partisanship." Either they're not getting the message or they are in fact frauds - closet right-wingers masquerading as an "opposition" party.

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  3. Being civil in civil discourse is not bad so long as that is what it is instead of a ruse.

    Hard to tell sometimes.

    Freezing the wages of Social Security recipients and middle class is obscene when trillions are being spent on Daddy Warbucks and the banksters.

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