Bush cancels pay raises while on vacation!

[democrat in Tallahassee]

Pleeezeee tell me I was hearing things when NPR announced that Bush cut Federal pay raises while on vacation just before the Labor Day Holiday......

aaaagggghhhh!!!!!

[Pepperbelly]

1. That Bush boy is one sensative ...

2K kinda guy, isn't he?

[RC]

2. Link? More info? Which federal?

[democrat in Tallahassee]

4. Link - Federal employess must sacrafice to protect agaisnt terror

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2002-11-29-bush-cuts-pay-raises_x.htm

Bush cuts federal workers' pay raises
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal workers will get a smaller pay raise next month because President Bush is freezing part of the increase, citing a national emergency because of the fight against terrorism.



"The same week the president claimed victory on the creation of the Homeland Security Department, he is sending the wrong message to the employees who will work there," Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said Saturday.



"Federal employees from the CIA to the CDC to the Defense Department are on the front lines of efforts to protect our communities from terrorists. Anything less than the 4.1-percent pay adjustment sends the regrettable message that the services they provide to America every day are not valued," the congressman said.

In a letter sent Friday to congressional leaders, Bush announced he was using his authority to change workers' pay structure in times of "national emergency or serious economic conditions" to limit raises to 3.1%.


"A national emergency has existed since Sept. 11, 2001," Bush wrote. "Such cost increases would threaten our efforts against terrorism or force deep cuts in discretionary spending or federal employment to stay within budget. Neither outcome is acceptable."

The White House quietly divulged the cut in an e-mail to reporters late Friday, the middle of a long holiday weekend in which government and politics weren't likely to be on most Americans' minds.

[Virginian]

8. Congress is Federal Employees, too but

they can exempt themselves from the rollback in salary increases.

Oh, by the way, some federal employees didn't get a raise at all last year. Not merit raises not cost of living increases, nothin'. Those were the ones in the IT jobs.

[CatWoman]

5. yes, federal

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/26-08282003-149412.html

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

3. Why isn't he in jail yet?

Shouldn't Bush be cooling his heels next to Ken Lay? What the hell happened to justice? Doesn't anyone remember 911 anymore?

[chookie]

6. Why can't rich people pay more into the War on Terra?

His chimperial highness KNEW the cost of Iraq -- even if it did not bungle as badly as it has -- was going to be astronomical, as in the cost of the Apollo Moon Landing Program.

But months ago he put through that tax hike. "It's your money." More truthfully, he would have said "It's THEIR money."

What's the matter -- aren't they patriotic enough to pay their fortunes into smirky's great war?

But presumably middle class federal workers are....

Remember -- he hit the Trifecta. He's going to return the US to the pre-Roosevelt economy by eliminating social spending while raising spending on war and "security" (i.e. Ashcroft's Divine Right to spy on you).

[beanball]

7. Tax the little guy

"only the little people pay taxes" L.Helmsley rich crook that spent time in the slammer.

[opihimoimoi]

9. This is insanity. Make the little guys pay for the bill and let the big

guys off the tax hook.

America needs Sanity and Reason back into the White House,

Elect a Democratic Person of high caliber.

[HawkerHurricane]

10. Pre Roosevelt Economy...

would have no major military spending in it.

In those days, Repukes were isolationists who hated the military.

Now, they are imperialists who hate the military while claiming they love it (and we don't). Sigh.