This is classic Washington.
Today, President Obama wisely — and bravely, considering the favors he owes public-sector unions — proposed a two-year federal employee pay freeze. Strangely, military personnel are exempted.
How will we ever get spending under control if there are sacred cows?
First time in a while that I've agreed with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who courageously insisted that including the military would have increased savings and added "an element of fairness."
P.S. As Jake Tapper observed on his Twitter feed, "pay freeze does NOT impact legislative branch! which, not coincidentally, will be voting on it."
"pay freeze does NOT impact legislative branch!"
ReplyDeleteUnless they accept responsibility along with the rest of the citizens in solving the budget problems, the members of the Congress should be voted out. The people should not be complacent about this any longer. It is simply unjust!
The pay freeze will do almost nothing to stop the problems this government has spent itself into. If the president was truly being brave he would disband the useless agencies like the FTC, Department of Education and FDA. Each State takes care of their education and all the DOE does is get in the way. The FTC and FDA have become pawns of the corporations they were set up to protect us from.
ReplyDeleteThis is what Obama keeps doing making little steps to placate the right when bold moves are needed to fix this country.
He had an opportunity to do something great, and by trying to be bi partisan he blew that chance. This type of weakness is what cost the elections too, since the base is feeling left out.
Simon, the freeze has some symbolic importance, as does a ban on earmarks. BTW, Obama could not abolish "FTC, Department of Education and FDA." That would take an act of Congress and Congress would never do that.
ReplyDeleteI know its wishful thinking on my part and I know that the members of congress will not bite the hand that feeds. However I still don't feel that even a symbolic move to the right is the best course for our fledgling president.
ReplyDelete