Government
Fiscal Responsibility? Official Says Obama Will Freeze Federal Employee Pay
- Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:20am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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WASHINGTON (AP) — A White House official says President Barack Obama will announce a pay freeze for federal employees Monday.
The official wouldn’t say how long the freeze would be in place.The chairman of Obama’s bipartisan deficit commission has proposed a three-year freeze in pay for most federal employees. The commission’s report is due to be released later this week.
Obama previously froze salaries of top White House aides and political appointees across the government.
Obama is expected to announce the pay freeze at the White House. The official who revealed his plans spoke on the condition of anonymity so as not to upstage the president’s formal announcement.
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Comments (160)
JCoolman
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:40amThat’s a real hard thing to do when there is a freeze on what we give our senior citizens. You know, because there isn’t any inflation. Hey Obama, why don‘t you borrow one of Hillary’s balls and make some actual cuts that will do some good. A freeze doesn’t do a damn thing. This razzle dazzle of word spin is over. WE KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING. And we can see right through this crap.
Report Post »charliego
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:38amFAIR day‘s pay for fair day’s labor commiserate with the private citizen or just a freeze? What about the Congress who seem to take care of their needs–fairly or otherwise? How about a freeze or better yet killing redundant programs and illegal or superflous-wasteful spending. Just more of the same—pat the ignorant little citizen on their heads with platitudes and surface changes. As per Mr. Dean—different story—we are mindless idiots.
Report Post »Conserving Ink
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:38amWhen our 10% unemployment is in the Public Sector, then we’ll start to recover.
Report Post »__________________________________________________________________________
http://conserving-ink.blogspot.com
alcarfl
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:37amThat won’t buy him any votes. Maybe he should give all the bureaucrats a raise under executive order and blame it on the House Republican freshmen. How we doing on the money printing, Geitner? Full speed, 24-7, Mr. president. Good job Timmy.
Report Post »NeoFan
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:37amThe headline should read “Obama locks in Federal Employee Pay at 2 to 3 times the rate of private sector pay”
Report Post »Joseph
Posted on February 9, 2011 at 3:35pmBite me Neofan,
You sound a bit jealous to me. If federal jobs are so great why don’t you get one you can start here:
http://www.usajobs.gov/
And just to make you more jealous, I make over $200k a year as a federal employee ha ha And the pay freeze doesn’t include me, because I’m in a Union HA ha ha
Report Post »road2freedom
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:37amCode to Unions….Start your marches.
Report Post »espdude
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:35amMaybe if their salaries were tied to an average indicator of “public sector” salaries?
Report Post »Race
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:35amI’ll listen when he announces pay CUTS for fed employees including Congress.
Report Post »Larry Sheldon
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:35am“The official who revealed his plans spoke on the condition of anonymity so as not to upstage the president’s formal announcement.”
“The official” had been assigned the task of leaking the news and watch for muzzle flashes.
Color me skeptical, but I think “leaks”are the way Beltway Bandits communicate. And I did not say “except for the identified ‘leaks’ (nee ‘Press Releases’) in the news now”.
Report Post »Speak without Fear
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:34amWhen is that…..after he gives them another big fat pay raise?
Report Post »Dave M
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:34amAdd your comments
Report Post »booger71
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:34amThis is just a political stunt that will do little to reign in spending. To cut spending and pay off debt, Congress must start dismantling the huge government, business killing bureaucracy.
Report Post »AzDebi
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:31amOF COURSE they should be frozen AFTER they have received an increase! Grrrrr!
Report Post »Dave M
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:31amFunny how he doesn’t mention how much our benefits are going up at the same time. I don’t know who those folks are making an “Average” of over 100K, But is sure isn’t the workers at DOD.
If you add up all of the increases in costs to us, we have not seen didly for an increase in pay in years…Unlike Congress.
Report Post »crazytalk
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 8:41pmDitto, and for all you uniformed morons that have just pooled DOD with all fed workers…were the ones that make all that equipment that the military breaks shi_ with go. You know Aircraft, Carriers, Submarines, etc.. Been doing it for 32 years, and haven’t seen those wages show up on numerous pay scales. Sounds like some drank the media kool-aid again. Do your own reserch and STFU.
Report Post »garyganu
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:29amA freeze is a good start. However, I would like to see 135,000 federal layoffs to compensate for the 135,000 new federal jobs that Obama created. I would also like to see a 50% pay cut for all federal employees to bring them to parity with those in the private sector. This would be a better start, with more cuts to follow.
Report Post »NEAF
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 3:16pm100% agreed!!!
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:29amFreeze it my butt. They have screwed us over big time. I think they should have to give it all back to help pay off the debt.
Report Post »Mr.Nick
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:29amThe average federal employee makes like 77k…
I think its a little too late to “freeze” anything because its already out of control.
Obama pretty much already has what he wants, so now hes trying to salvage his presidency by portraying himself as bipartisan…
Report Post »Disabledvet
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:47amI would like to know where you get the number $77K? I have been around government service for a long time, While in the Military a member with a wife and two kids could still qualifiy for food stamps, I now work on an Air Force Base as a federal employee, and with a masters degree I still don’t make your $77k, The only reason people say we make more is becuase they have never been a federal employee, we pay for our health insurance just like you, we can belong to a union just like you, we can not strike unlike you, The positions that some of us hold require a Security clearance and a higher education than most jobs, we still do not make 77K, there are some positions that make that money but their civilian counterparts would be corporation CEO’s making 200K plus benefits.
GhostOfJefferson
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 12:01pm@DisabledVet
I think you need to come to terms with the word “average”.
As in, yeah you as a soldier have a pretty meager pay, however, the *average* means that your admittedly meager pay is balanced by a lot of goons making $150k a year. Think about that a bit before snapping at the rest of us, we know what *average pay* means.
Report Post »hifi74
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 12:02pmVet I’m like you in this one, ex military and working on the civilian side for the government now. Their 77k number they are getting I believe is figuring in leave time and other benefits, but it still seems a bit high. I agree it is not as glorious as some people make It out to be but it isn’t all that bad either.
Report Post »John W. Creasy
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 12:14pmDisabled Vet,
From an article in USA Today 3/8/2010: “Overall, federal workers earned an average salary of $67,691 in 2008 for occupations that exist both in government and the private sector, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The average pay for the same mix of jobs in the private sector was $60,046 in 2008, the most recent data available.
These salary figures do not include the value of health, pension and other benefits, which averaged $40,785 per federal employee in 2008 vs. $9,882 per private worker, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.”
I have provided the link below, and urge you to read further.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-03-04-federal-pay_N.htm
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 12:16pm@hifi74
The same factors are taken into account when comparing private and public compensation. Many people are lucky in the private sector to get 1 to 2 weeks of vacation, many times only after they’ve been in employed at a firm for 1+ years. I know for a fact that even lowly soldiers get boatloads more leave than that (for I sir, was once a lowly soldier). Just as an example off the top of my head.
Report Post »hifi74
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 3:24pmSee that’s Tue thing Ghost, I’ve worked on the outside in the trades and am working in the trades for the government. I got paid more on the outside per hour then I do now. And that’s where I say their figure seems high, yes I get the other benefits but those tend to even out that curve between the two. Now don‘t get me wrong I’m not bad off but definitely not sitting anywhere near that 77k number.
Report Post »1776Federalist
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 3:26pmThe problem with the “average” salary figures that they use for the federal employees is that a lot of lower paying jobs are contracted out to the private sector which helps to lower their average salary while raising the fed average. Add to this the top heavy organizations and managerial pay structures that exist and it bloats the figures unfairly for the average workers. As an Air Traffic Controller, I just had my pay frozen by the FAA for three years while they refused to negotiate a new contract. When we did get a new contract, I did not get anything for those three years without raises or increases. We didn‘t even get a cost of living raise like the rest of the gov’t. During that time my health care insurance and costs for services went up, my utilities and water bills went way up, and many other costs increased. Now after one cost of living increase the Obamasiah wants to freeze my salary for two more years? I do make a good salary, but nothing like some other controllers make, especially on the east coast. The FAA management will never allow controllers to make more than them, so for all of the many levels of management that exist you can add at least 10% to any of our salaries to get a starting point to figure where they are at. Never mind that we are the ones keeping the flying public safe, they just do managerial work for way more money. It takes anywhere from 2 1/2 to 5 years to learn how to be an Air Traffic Controller, it takes a few weeks to learn how to be a manager. Each level of management has to earn more than the levels underneath them, usually by at least 10%. I think our skills are worth far more than theirs due to the specialized skills and the complexity of work we endure each day, but our salaries don’t reflect that. Obama has done a good job of deflecting blame and dividing us with distractions like this.
Report Post »tierrah
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:11pmPrivate Sector female citizen here …. try living off $780/month disability based on SS paid in for 50 plus years and matched by my employers (thank you employers for without you, I would be receiving less than the aforementioned amount)!!! Remember folks, a lot of my SS retirement was based on salaries before the women’s lib movement. SS was supposed to be my Retirement Plan.
Just in case some of you young whippersnappers (& some older ones) didn’t know this. It’s easy to check out, if you don’t believe it.
Social Security Cards up until the 1980s expressly stated the number and card were not to be used for identification purposes. Since nearly everyone in the United States now has a number, it became convenient to use it anyway and the message was removed. The old SS cards (my card still has this message) actually contained the message: “NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION”
Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social Security (FICA) Program. He promised:
1.) That participation in the Program would be Completely voluntary … it was no longer voluntary when I started paying at age 14
2.) That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual
Incomes into the Program … it is now 7.65% on the first $90,000
3.) That the money the participants elected to put into the Program would be deductible from their income for tax purposes each year … No longer tax deductible
4.) That the money the participants put into the independent ‘Trust Fund’ rather than into the general operating fund, and therefore, would only be used to fund the Social Security … Retirement Program, and no other Government program, and, under Johnson the money was moved to The General Fund and Spent
5.) That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income. Under Clinton & Gore (Gore cast the deciding vote on this one) up to 85% of your Social Security can be taxed and IS taxed!
And my favorite:
Jimmy Carter and his Democratic Party decided to start giving SS annuity payments to immigrants who never paid a dime into the program!!!!!!!!!! That’s right … Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65, began to receive Social Security payments! The Democratic Party gave these payments to them, even though they never paid a dime into it!
I find it very difficult to sympathize with most Federal employees other than our Military. The only health insurance I have is Medicare which will now be financed with a $500 Billion cut to pay for heath care to ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSERS!!! I’m so frustrated and angry, I could spit!!
Report Post »moreteaplease
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:29amAhhh, but the cost of living will skyrocket. He’s going to break this country, as he has long planned to do, and do you think anyone up there is going to stop him? Doesn’t look like anyone has been trying so far.
Report Post »LoveMyFreedom
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:27amToo little… too late… and his ‘leftist’ buddies are not going to be very happy!
Report Post »Alvin691
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:27amFreeze means they can’t be cut, think govt employee unions.
Report Post »Rev. WC
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:27amSmoke and mirrors and three card monte, are good tricks too..
Report Post »Alvin691
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:26amHow about freezing them at 2001 levels.
Report Post »mikem1969
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 12:27pmYea, that would be good, but they were still high then. They need to reduce the federal salaries even further, and they need to include the memebers of congress and the white house.
Report Post »SPOT_OF_TEA
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 12:34pmThats the thing…government job salaries have skyrocketed since 2008…..now we are suppose to happy that they are freezing those highly increased salaries……they must think we are pretty stupid.
Report Post »bebeholmes
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:25amFederal employee salaries should be cut a minimum of 25%. Congressional salaries and expenses should be cut a minimum of 30% and their health care should be the same as our military families receive. Military salaries should be doubled immediately. Soldiers are truly the only federal employees in the REAL service of our Republic.
Report Post »OK3Wire
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:37amGotta keep that in mind. Any freezes or cuts in pay for “federal employees” will necessarily include our military, unless they are specifically exempted. That means no promotions for personnel and stagnation of any progress being made in the war. It also then follows that our trained but exhausted military members will begin a mass exodus from the ranks.
Remember that before cheering Obonzo on in this declaration in the name of “fiscal responsibility”.
Report Post »HillBillySam1
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:41amI absolutely agree.
Report Post »kaye286
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:44amThe problem with this is that not all fed employees are the same. Political Appointees, Federal Union Members, Congressional Staff are all considered Fed Employees and are the ones usually paid at the higher end, with the better benefits and exemptions from pay freezes, etc. Then you have members of the Army Intelligence community, who by the way, were cut 30% during the Clinton years and we’ve never brought those levels higher, even with 9/11. They are not part of the Federal Union, and were on a hiring freeze/pay freeze for almost 15 years during the 80‘s and 90’s. They will be the first affected by this. Many of these men and women are in DIRECT support of the war effort, but get lumped into the “Evil, overpaid, federal employee” pile.
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 12:08pm@OK
How would it mean no promotions? Seems to me it would mean that, say, the E-5 pay band would be the same tomorrow as it is today. So if you’re an E-5, you don’t get a raise. But that doesn’t prohibit an E-4 from ranking up to an E-5.
Report Post »101
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 12:58pmWASHINGTON — President Obama on Monday morning said that he wants to freeze pay for federal employees for the next two years, a move the administration says would save more than $5 billion between now and 2012.
The freeze would not apply to military personnel but rather to all other civilian employees on the federal payroll. Congress would have to approve the proposal in order for it to take effect.
The plan is part of Obama’s effort to contain the $1.3-trillion federal deficit, and will be followed by more proposals for spending reductions over the next few months, White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer said Monday morning.
The president’s announcement lands as a pre-emptive strike on congressional Republicans, who are preparing a plan to slash federal pay and workforce next year. It comes in advance of a meeting between the Democratic president and GOP leaders at the White House on Tuesday.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sc-dc-1130-obama-freeze-web-20101129,0,1853157.story?track=rss
Report Post »confederacyofdunces
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 1:56pmAnd what civillian pays them, and cuts the travel orders. or provides them medical care at the hospital, or repairs the barracks or military housing, or cuts the grass on the base, or takes care of them at the VA, or teaches the kids at the base school. I understand the “were first because we give the most” mentality. I was in the service for saddams first party. I used to be a federal employee for the navy and then the army. The military always says the wife and kids didnt come with your seabag so they arent the navys problem. In fact it is difficult to support a family if you are an e-5 and below. When the military member gets discharged they may apply for that “excessively paid” federal position. Then you will see the other side of the coin. People who are too immature to have kids doing just that expecting the military to be the answer to their situation. Kids running wild in military housing. Military spouses who are unfaithful to their deployed service member. Utilities and rent not paid by the service members wife and eviction notices on the door folllowing every deployment ( my EX wifes favorite). Because I was an E-4 with a wife and kid. It was no fun. Dont blame people who have earned their position for having succeeded. Except for officers ( the bottom for them is pretty good compared to enlisted) everyone starts at the bottom. If you destroy the middle, what do you have to aspire to?
Report Post »oldoldtimer
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 8:27pmok3wire This is the same thing Nixon did to us in the 70′s. It demoralized the trops during a war. So yes look for it to include the military. It seems there is nothing Obama will not do to destroy this country. Want to save some real money? Defund all Obama radical czars. Any one not vetted by Congress must go. All positions that Obama created that did not exist before must go. Those 17,000 executive jobs created in 2 years by Obama must go. Freeze the pay of Congress until unemployment drops below 6%. Cut out all the expensive lush extravagant parties at the WH.
Report Post »espdude
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:25amAlrighy, follow through on the layup and……make them all pay their back taxes.
Report Post »john seven eighteen
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:24am……not to include the illustrious members of Congress, no doubt!!!
Report Post »HKS
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:39amWell, isn’t that special, now that the horse is out of the barn let’s close the door. sort of.
Report Post »JKN
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:40amA pay freeze for federal employees… How about cutting down the astronomical number of federal employees while you’re at it… And you could cancel all health care benefits, pensions and perks for all members of Congress until our fiscal house is in order…
Report Post »dwh320
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 12:05pmThis is all fake and for show. Be sure to watch the other hand as he stabs America in the back again fo the benefit of his Union friends.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 12:10pmYes they got the pay out of sight of the private sector and then freeze it HIGH. How about cutting it back to par with us peons who pay for it! These people are so out of control and touch with America it is downright sad ..for the country!
Report Post »orkydorky
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 12:25pmHe could freeze their pay for the next ten years and it still wouldn’t be in line with the private sector. Get a clue, this little charade is only to create the appearance of responsibility, but will have no real effect! Watch the other hand, it’s getting mighty close to your junk!
Report Post »Bluebonnet
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 12:33pmThis is a start, but he should also announce that all federal employees are getting a 10-20% pay cut, then a pay freeze.
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {mix art}
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 12:51pmOne word definition “HAH!!!”
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 1:03pmOne would think that the logical place to start would be dumping the perks the CONGRESS gets like FREE Healthcare.. pensions etc.. but NO lets start with the LITTLE GUY at the bottom.. is that to piss them off so they take to the streets??? How about MR. OBAMA or as he calls himself GOD quits spending money on his flying all over the world..
Report Post »docvet
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 2:30pmWell, ya have to give him that one – that’s one in a row. That is, until the govt unions get a hold of him. Probably last1-2 hours – probably one mailroom clerk won’t get his $.25/hr pay increase. Quick, lt‘s pay off China while we’ve got the money!
Report Post »Fedworker
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 2:58pmHi Bluebonnet, this is a good idea and I am a federal worker – have been for 22 years. I am willing to take a pay cut and the freeze and I make no where near $150,000, but regardless of my job I love my Country. I think those in the WH need to take a big big paycut.
I agree I see a lot of fraud, waste and abuse and I wish I could stop it.
Report Post »Peters
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 5:01pmThe language of “pay freeze” is an illusion. The pay grade structure and advancement within the structure is still in place.
In other words, when annual reviews are due, pay increases can still be awarded but will be done by raising the grade level of the employee such as an e4 can get promoted to an e5 which includes a jump to the next higher pay grade, or an increase in pay. The pay in each grade is what was frozen. It‘s just another liberal game of manipulation and deceit we’re all too used to seeing.
For more on that, see Limbaugh‘s transcript of today’s show; he had a caller that reviewed the particulars of this latest piece of Obama liberalism.
Report Post »mcjj
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 5:26pmAND I do believe they just got a HUGE increase the past year or so right??? Oh yeah, and they want to include the military – the military who are way underpaid? Half of whome are living off food stamps cuz their pay is so bad?
Report Post »Compete or Lose
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 5:59pm.
.
.
THIS IS A SCAM
They should CUT federal pay by atleast 10% AND convert all FEDERAL PENSIONS to 403(b) –the government version of ordinary folks 401(k). Lets see an appropriation every year for the employers contribution to the 403(b) plans instead of the fraudulent government accounting that doesnt recognize or fund pension liabilities currently in a manner consistent with Generall Accepted Accounting Principles.
Good luck America
RGS
Report Post »AmericanSoldier
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 6:54pmDoesn‘t mean they can’t just increase their benefits to cover the difference lost
Report Post »oldoldtimer
Posted on November 29, 2010 at 8:12pm.0002% of the 2011 spending. And that is the total saved. BS!BS!BS! Meaningless dribble. Yes i said dribble as in leaking lips. Evidently Obama really thinks we really are stupid mindless fools. Is there any one that really thinks this is a savings? Where is the GOP on this?
Report Post »Promotefreedom
Posted on November 30, 2010 at 10:18amJust more smoke and mirrors.
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