Scapegoating Federal/State Workers in "Budget Crisis" Time

[WizardLeft62]

My mother worked for the state, in various agencies. The Republicans always scapegoated state workers as if they were not "people" and did not "work hard." It's okay for the private sector to rip people off. Too bad there is not as much anger at the private sector, in the same way it's saved for public employees. Yet, per usual, workers are again used as scapegoats during this latest "budget deficit" time. Whenever there are budget issues or deficits, it's always state or federal employees asked to be the sacrificial lambs of over-reaching by other irresponsible people.

With an Executive Order, Obama appointed this "Cat Food Commission," otherwise known as the Debt Reduction Commission. This time it's Federal rather than State Workers whom are being Scapegoated!!!!!!!! It is always and I mean always, either federal or state workers who are used as scapegoats in times of "budget deficits" which are brought on by private sector greed.

Military Will Not Get Pay Decreases---Remember this---The Military is laregly an Outsourced Entity these days anyhow. The Military Contracts out much of it's work now to the private sector anyhow.

Whether it's unions or teachers, those who do hard work every day are scapegoated to take pay cuts and pay freezes. Yet, when it comes to the banksters, they are bailed out without conditions. Where is the justice for those who lost their homes to foreclosure? What conditions were ever placed on the banks?

With Republicans taking over the helm in so many states, we will see how drastic or, not, cuts and pay cuts are to services and state workers in the coming weeks and months.

This is also a concerted attack on all workers and the continuation of the lessening of workers rights in the United States. And, yes, the hollowing out of the state. But only in failed states, is there no functioning state apparatus.

[leftstreet]

1. K&R

Welcome to DU!

[Dappleganger]

2. Yep, it's a race to the bottom.

[katandmoon]

3. K&R. Federal employees don't pay into SS, they have their own retirement system, so stiffing them on

raises for the next two years will affect the amount of retirement income they will get.

This is a preview of the royal screwing that those on SS will be getting from Obama's cat food commission.

[ohtransplant]

5. Those on the CSRS don't pay into SS

but those who work under FERS (Federal Employees Retirement System) pay in like most Americans.

Just sayin'

Peace

[katandmoon]

6. Either way -- it's a preview of what's coming next. There is nobody Obama won't screw.

[polichick]

4. The prez should be ashamed of himself - k&r. nt

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. This is mostly true.

Unfortunately, the Repubs have prostituted some of the government positions, using them as patronage rewards for those who "carry the mission," and can be depended on to look the other way.

[Angry Dragon]

8. When is congress going to take a pay cut??

John mccain gets $58,000 per year tax free for 100% disability, yet he has a full time job that pays him $174,000 a year for serving in congress.

[YvonneCa]

9. SCAPEGOATING means to blame someone ...

...for something that had another cause. Example: Many here feel teachers are being scapegoated for public education problems...when the biggest causal factor is poverty.

Freezing pay...at the state, local or federal level...is not about blame, IMO. It's about belt-tightening during a time of financial crisis. Furlough days in California is another example of that. Both are painful and unpopular, but neither is about blame.

I WILL say that politicians...in order to freeze pay or furlough workers, etc...sometimes DO scapegoat to get people on their side in order to make the cuts. Obama hasn't done that...again, IMO. He talks about all of us sharing in the sacrifice to get our country back on track. That is not about blame...so it is not 'scapegoating.'

[county worker]

11. Here's a thought. The federal workers did not cause the deficit to raise to where it is from the

budget surplus of 2000. The spending done by the congress and the tax cuts along with two wars and the medicare drug plan were the main culprits.

Now instead of getting rid of tax cuts, ending the wars and getting rid of the medicare drug plan, we chose to freeze wages of federal employees. Now if the wage freeze was a small part of a bigger plan to reduce the deficit than it may be a not so bad idea. But seeing it as a single effort on its own does not make much sense because the savings will not show up as much of a budget deficit reduction. Rather it is a political bone thrown at the right and nothing more. Because of this Obama is a fool in my humble opinion and again plays against his base.

[YvonneCa]

12. I agree with a lot of what you...

...say here.

One point of disagreement, is when you say, "Now instead of getting rid of tax cuts, ending the wars and getting rid of the medicare drug plan, we chose to freeze wages of federal employees. Now if the wage freeze was a small part of a bigger plan to reduce the deficit than it may be a not so bad idea." I think Obama is working to get rid of many tax cuts, trying to end both wars responsibly and working to reform Medicare...as he said he would.

Our government, however, is like a giant aircraft carrier...it moves slowly and takes much time and effort to turn it around.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

10. I agree that fed/state workers are being scapegoated

But I fail to see how anything else in your statement is anything other than a scapegoat too. Fight the issue on its own merits - it has plenty.