Congress Nixes Extra Pay for Some Troops

[omshanti]

WASHINGTON - House-Senate negotiators considering an $87 billion package for Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan (news - web sites) have rejected a Democratic proposal to compensate federal employees on active duty with the National Guard and reserves.

The proposal by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., would have made up the differences between the workers' regular salaries and their service incomes, as many states and private employers are already doing. He said 23,000 federal employees would be affected.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=512&e=2&u=/ap/congress_iraq

[DeathvadeR]

1. all I can say is.....................

<http://www.bushflash.com/vets.html>

[progressiverealist]

2. way to support the troops, guys.

I swear, our troops are nothing more than the rest of us civilians to the pugs and Boosh: cheap labor.

You're asking these people to DIE for commander bunnypants and you won't even take care of their families?

:mad:

[papau]

3. States can "make whole" those in danger - but Bush rather not?

and the military votes for this guy?

[jiacinto]

4. Yep

And they will still blame Clinton for it.

[lovedems]

5. Didn't they all just vote raises for themselves?

Or am I confusing my state govt. with the federal govt? I hope the troops who are really struggling get word of this soon!

[gratuitous]

6. Why, yes, I believe you're correct

Hmmm. Lots of money in the budget for themselves, nothing for troops in the field. Be sure to mention this the next time you hear some empty-headed dimwit try to tell you that the Republicans believe in a strong defense and in taking care of the military.

[Jack The Tab]

7. I heard about their own pay raise....

They have some kind of automatic yearly pay raise that will only stop if they vote against it every year.

quite shameless...almost makes me a Green...

almost

[Devils Advocate NZ]

8. Hang on... Isn't this a bit unfair?

What we are talking about is federal employees getting extra money, while those reserves and National Guard members who have jobs in the private sector don't get compensated.

Is that fair?

Shouldn't ALL reserves and National Guard members be treated equally, regardless of their peacetime employer?

Now if you were talking about a bill to comensate ALL reserves and National Guard members for lost wages, then I would agree that it sucks, but while the bill favours some of the affected soldiers over others, then as far as I am concerned it is a bad bill.

[mbperrin]

10. Many in the private sector DO get compensated by their

employer; this is fair; it's the same thing - compensation by their employer!

[Kusala]

9. Congress then follows up

cuts in vet benefits and cuts in soldiers pay, by cutting their own inflated salaries and refusing upcoming raises!!!

Er..Well, that's what it WOULD say, if they had integrity and morals.
But since they are evil hypocritical bastards, they'll keep their overpriced salaries intact.