Federal Pay Freeze does not apply to members of Congress, Congressional staffers...

[trumad]

Bowing to growing budget concerns and months of Republican political pressure on federal pay and benefits, President Obama today announced he would stop pay increases for most of the two million people who work for the federal government.

The freeze applies to all Executive Branch workers -- including civilian employees of the Defense Department, but does not apply to military personnel, government contractors, postal workers, members of Congress, Congressional staffers, or federal court judges and workers.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/11/obama_announces_pay_freeze_for.html?hpid=topnews

[PA Democrat]

1. Sickening.

[MadHound]

2. Of course not, what, you think that those who are dishing out the austerity programs

Want to suffer that austerity themselves?

[inna]

3. this is becoming tragicomic at this point.

not in a good way.

[fasttense]

4. All congress and executive branch members should have their pay

frozen too. The congress and executive administration and their hoards of staffers probably eat up a ton of money. Why aren't they included?????

Remember when our tax dollars went to pay KKKarl Rove's salary? His job was strictly political and we tax payers footed the bill. Not one word of complaint from the RepubliCONS then.

The deficit hysteria is really impressing Obama.

[KharmaTrain]

5. A Cheap Stunt...

This President needs to get out of the beltway...the location and the mindset. If he had stood up to Wall Street and their avarice he may have found some sympathy around here, but instead he played right into a GOTB talking point...again. And without any type of a fight. So now what leverage does he have? Be assured the corporate media will both applaud and condemn him...and expect even more "bipartisanship"...meanwhile 2 million Americans are about to lose their lifelines tomorrow. All these theatrics mean little when you're about to start dumpster diving...

[polichick]

6. True - it was a cheap stunt and, as usual, he did play right into their hands, nt

[leftstreet]

19. +1

[QC]

29. Yes, a cheap stunt that validates a major GOP talking point.

Sadly, that's how the president spends an awful lot of his time: validating GOP talking points.

I bet Boner and the others can hardly believe their good fortune at having an "adversary" like this one.

[eShirl]

7. then their pay should be tied to COLA just like Social Security

[progressoid]

9. Yep,

of course, that would require a law. And who in congress would be willing to pass such a law?

[de novo]

8. Amazing.

[LiberalFighter]

10. Obama needs to push for the others to take a freeze at a minimum.

Especially the government contractors.

[handmade34]

11. makes me nauseous...

I as all for a freeze with everyone participating (along with tax increases on the wealthy)... but this revelation is disgusting...

"Government should have to tighten its belt as well. We need to do it in an intelligent way," Obama said in October. "We need to make sure we do things smarter, rather than just lopping something off arbitrarily without having thought it through." :shrug:

I sense this isn't thought out well enough... Rioting in the streets should be imminent...

[seabeyond]

12. this poster shows congress already has a freeze. is this correct? then op is wrong.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9654707#9654878

[bluetrain]

13. Revolting.

[Gaedel]

14. The President only controls the executive branch

Only Congress can change congressional and court system compensation.

The postal service is a separate corporation and must bargain changes with the postal unions.

Contractor's rates of pay are established by the contract and can only be changed upon contract renewal.

Military pay he could freeze, but has chosen not to do so.

[CreekDog]

28. congress controls Federal Employee pay too

you think Obama can do it alone?

[OnionPatch]

15. Oh, isn't that convenient.

Of course you can't expect wage cuts to apply to anyone but us peons.

[spanone]

16. now that's a proposal congress can get behind.

[LiberalLoner]

17. I've come to agree with the conclusion that Obama was picked to bury the D party, to

kill liberal hopes forever. To make us all just give up and play dead and accept our miserable lots in life.

I truly believe he is no liberal at all - he is doing the bidding of the most right-wing billionaires and that's all.

I am VERY disappointed in him.

You know, much of the screwing over of the middle class and dismantling of safety nets has been under recent D Presidents....where are the FDR type D's? Nowhere to be found.

End of empire, starting to collapse. Next 10-20 years will be very ugly and very hard. Many people will die I believe. The oligarchs are cementing their power and draining our nation of all wealth. We will all be working 18 or more hours per day, sleeping on the floor or in the woods with only a handful of rice and beans for our daily rations. No health care. No housing. Only work until we die and no birth control so that more slaves can be born all the time, more slaves and more cannon fodder.

We are truly fucked.

[Javaman]

18. Meh, my employer did this 3 years ago...

I haven't had a raise since.

Big fat deal.

And honestly do you really believe that congress would actually suffer by not taking their annual pay raise? Oh please.

our congress, which amounts to nothing more than middle management, are only out to save their necks and please their coporate masters. They don't give a damn about us.

[tammywammy]

23. Congress hasn't taken a pay raise in two years. n/t

[Javaman]

27. And I'm sure that millionaires club is suffering like the rest of us.

how very noble of them. :eyes:

They should take a pay cut and try living like the rest of us.

[L0oniX]

20. Hey ...how's that vote thingy working out for ya?

We are their enablers.

[bvar22]

21. Keeping money OUT of Working Class hands that WILL spend it....

The Obama Anti-Stimulus...
.
.
.
but the Rich Money Hoarding Overlords will be happy. :)


"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans. I want us to compete for that great mass of voters that want a party that will stand up for working Americans, family farmers, and people who haven't felt the benefits of the economic upturn."---Paul Wellstone



"By their works you will know them."

[Tuesday Afternoon]

22. but, of course

:puke:

also remember that they have health insurance for life.

[pa28]

24. Seems to be in keeping with the ethic of "shared sacrifice" we're hearing about.

:eyes:

[MichiganVote]

25. Way to fuck up Obama. This ought to really go over big.

[Kat45]

26. They should be the first ones to have a pay freeze.

I believe members of Congress are paid way too much. Their pay puts them at a level closer to the well-off than to the people they supposedly represent. They have no idea how the other half, ie most people, live.