This really is getting out of hand. And as this editorial points out, “lawmakers should share the pain. Whatever cuts in pay and benefits and staffing they impose on federal employees should also be imposed on Congress and congressional staffs.”
Federal employees are outraged and dispirited, understandably.
While lawmakers can’t agree — in the name of deficit reduction — to cut subsidies for oil companies making record profits, they appear plenty ready — even eager at times — to cut pay and benefits for federal employees.
Last week, news leaked that bipartisan budget negotiators led by Vice President Joe Biden are embracing a proposal to increase federal employees’ contributions toward pensions. The effect would be a 5 percent pay cut for everyone covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).
Federal employees are acutely aware that budget deficits are out of hand. They understand this is a national problem and that the nation faces difficult choices and that sacrifices must be made all around. But somehow, they keep getting singled out as the easy targets for lawmakers who seem otherwise afraid to impose sacrifices on any other constituency.
Cuts to feds salaries and benefits will save SO MUCH MORE federal money than continuing to subsidize oil companies and the Bush tax cuts? Or does it just appease the teabaggers who have somehow decided that government employees are bad and corporate CEOs are good?
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