President Obama is trying to reinvent himself. After trillions to bankers and concessions to labor unions, he may have realized that his voting base is actually middle-class America, you know the ones losing their jobs, houses and way of life. In an effort to win back some support for his programs and demonstrate that the government sector is also willing to make sacrifices, Mr. Obama has proposed a three year government pay freeze:
Under mounting pressure to rein in mammoth budget deficits, President Obama will propose in his State of the Union address a three-year freeze on federal funding that is not related to national security, a concession to public concern about government spending that could dramatically curtail Obama’s legislative ambitions.
The freeze would take effect in October and limit the overall budget for agencies other than the military, veterans affairs, homeland security and certain international programs to $447 billion a year for the remainder of Obama’s first term, senior administration officials said Monday, imposing sharp limits on his ability to begin initiatives in education, the environment and other areas of domestic policy.
Although the freeze would shave no more than $15 billion off next year’s budget — barely denting a deficit projected to exceed $1 trillion for the third year in a row — White House officials said it could save significantly more during the next decade. They described the freeze as a critical component of a broader deficit-reduction campaign intended to restore confidence in Obama’s ability to control the excesses of Washington and the most lavish aspirations of his own administration.
We are all for cutting government spending in just about all areas of public expenditures. Government employees, on average, make much more than those in the private sector, and let’s be honest, most government employees make way more than they should.
However, $15 billion is just a drop in a bucket. Here’s a little perspective.
This is what Mr. Obama is going to save American taxpayers with his pay freeze:
We have a $1.5 Trillion budget deficit for 2010. Here’s what $1 Trillion looks like:
President Obama’s plan is for show and nothing else.
This will accomplish absolutely nothing.
Let’s hope that all of America sees it for what it is: an attempt to placate the mob with loaves of bread and no real reform to speak of.
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Mac, I agree with you that this will accomplish nothing for the people. However, I have to give Mr. Obama a smidgeon of credit for doing the right thing, even if it barely puts a dent in the debt issue. Now we just need this kind of thinking across ALL departments, especially including the military and international affairs, but hey, we can’t alienate all the voters can we. Baby steps I guess, since we’re apparently still not ready for real change.
He’s just worried about the November elections, so this is a little smoke and mirrors to keep the sheep satisfied. The media will run with it “Obama now Mr. Fiscal Conservative”
“Government employees, on average, make much more than those in the private sector, and let’s be honest, most government employees make way more than they should”
Might want to clarify which government employees you are referring to. I know NASA employees who are grossly underpaid in comparison to the private sector. I received a 100 percent pay increase when I left because I was so grossly underpaid. They fail to pay their engineers well too.
Now, if you are referring to Congress, then HELL YA they are overpaid.
I see your point Mismicmoy. There will be natural disparity across different jobs within the public sector.
This was more of an assessment in a broad sense based on the following research from the CATO institute:
http://www.cato.org/pubs/tbb/tbb-59.pdf
Overall, public employees on average, make more money than the private sector, and get better benefits to boot.
LOL!
I just called my Congress woman and asked “Why is the stock market going up, bankers getting huge bonuses while middle-class America is descends into Depression”. Then said “Why can’t I get some of that money? I need a job!”.
She says
“We are working on a jobs bill and work programs”
I said
“Jobs programs, you mean like they had in the Soviet Union?”
These people are unbelievable and out of control. There is no recovery, it is a cover-up!
If I relax my brain, I actually liked the speech. The man is a master. Entertaining… Funny… Skillful lying… The best spreader of male bovine fecal matter of any president I’ve watched. Too bad its all just that, crap. A *JOBS* bill? Give me a break! Remember, government is the Anti-Midas: everything they touch turns to complete and utter *CRAP*.
Furthermore, he’s standing tough on the health care deform and crap and tax. AMAZING! Such arrogance and ignorance. I just wonder whats next. I’m beginning to think that it will all explode suddenly. When these guys and gals that have screwed this country over get dismembered by the blast I won’t be crying for them.