Media

Rush: Obama’s Federal Pay Freeze is a Sham

While Democrats wince and Republicans rejoice about President Obama’s decision to place a two-year freeze on federal government workers’ salaries, conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh isn’t buying the hype. (video via Fox Nation)

The president plans to meet tomorrow with congressional leaders of both parties to discuss the future of the Bush tax cuts. Could today’s news of a federal pay freeze be just smoke and mirrors?

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., criticized the president’s plan for not including military personnel in the pay freeze, claiming the extension would have increased savings and added “an element of fairness.”

Meanwhile, ABC News’ Jake Tapper notes that members of Congress and their staffs are exempt from the pay freeze, even though they will be the ones voting on it.

During Monday’s White House press briefing, Tapper asked press secretary Robert Gibbs if the pay freeze meant President Obama agrees with his conservative detractors that the size of government is getting too large. Not so, said Gibbs:

TAPPER: Does the president believe that the size of the federal government is too big?

GIBBS: Well, let me say this, Jake, that we’re in the process of putting forward — putting together and ultimately releasing early next year a budget for the next fiscal year and which lays out several fiscal years beyond that. We have taken steps to, as you heard the president mention today, cut programs that are unnecessary and unwise, and believes that we should — we have to continue to do that. Our government should be lean and efficient. And the actions that the president outlined today and the actions that he has outlined in both previous budgets and in future budgets will meet that test.

TAPPER: But doesn‘t the president believe that you can’t really get ahold of the deficit or the debt unless you actually start making cuts in programs that are necessary and wise?

GIBBS: I don’t — I don’t think a — I think there is a whole host of decisions — as — again, as you heard the president say — that are going to have to be made in the next year or two years or three years to address a problem that took us many years to get — to get into.

Jake, I think it — look, the president did not say today that this action alone will solve our deficit problems. There are a series of actions alone that won’t solve our deficit problems, but we have to make a series of collective and very difficult decisions to get our fiscal house in order. Obviously, the deficit and debt commission will come back later this week, and the president will get a chance to — and the team here — to evaluate where we are in that process as we create a budget going forward.

And despite being a two-year freeze, the White House is claiming the plan will save the country $60 billion over the next ten years.

Comments (115)

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  • butler180
    Posted on November 30, 2010 at 12:27am

    Rush is right on when he says this is just a publicity stunt
    Fire all the new hires (100,000 ? I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong) and reduce the pay of Government workers to the average American workers salary and leave military personnel alone.

    Report Post » butler180  
    • Reagan/Demint.deciple
      Posted on November 30, 2010 at 7:46am

      EVERYTHING the messiah does, is a sham…This is nothing new… Thanks Rush, for being a stand up guy and having the Balls to speak out against this regime….

      Report Post » one years food ration like glenn says  
  • vennoye
    Posted on November 30, 2010 at 12:24am

    The following is according to “The Hill”:
    The base pay for House and Senate lawmakers is $174,000, though leaders earn a higher salary. The cost-of-living increase would have given lawmakers a $1,600 raise in 2011. By rescinding the increase, lawmakers saved taxpayers $850,000 for next year.
    The House voted not to give itself a raise for 2010. By rescinding the $2,610 salary increase for each member that would have gone into effect this year (a 1.5 percent pay increase above current salaries), lawmakers saved taxpayers more than $1.4 million.
    In 2008, members did not opt to rescind their pay and received a $4,100 increase, or 2.5 percent, amounting to more than $2.2 million.
    In 2009 members of Congress received an increase of $4,700 each, costing taxpayers about $2.5 million. More than a dozen members put forward measures that would have rescinded their automatic pay raise for 2010 or required members to vote for their pay raise. And more than a dozen members put forward similar measures blocking 2011’s pay.

    When you look at these salaries, and all the benefits we pay them for life–it is no wonder we are BROKE!!

    Report Post » vennoye  
  • poverty.sucks
    Posted on November 30, 2010 at 12:04am

    Federal pay raises while freeze imposed?

    Report Post » poverty.sucks  
  • Godzillalips
    Posted on November 30, 2010 at 12:04am

    Obama should freeze his lips together. Nothing but lies lies and more lies

    Report Post » Godzillalips  
  • neverending
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:45pm

    Everything this bastard in chief does is either a scam, a lie, immoral, outrageous or down right evil. He thinks the American people are totally stupid – well yes quite a few are -more than quite a few all the totally ignorant that voted for him in the first place. We are headed for a long, destructive, dangerous 2 years. Again, I say, please GOD help us all.

    Report Post »  
  • Workforit
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:45pm

    Is anybody really buying this? Wage freeze? Gimme a break! This is not even a drop, of a drop, of a drop in the bucket called US Debt. It’s a start, I’ll give Obama that… but that is all.

    Report Post »  
  • Tri-ox
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:43pm

    Everything our failed “president” does is a sham. If obama was serious about reducing the deficit and spending, he would resign, as his entire “presidency” is based on wasting / redistributing taxpayer dollars. With only two years left of his single failed term, it would be quite easy to simply defund obama and his not-really-proud-of-America woman – do not let them spend another dime of taxpayer money. It is time for the American people to say “no more”; denounce, defund and dethrone our failed “president”.

    Report Post » Tri-ox  
  • ertzc2010
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:37pm

    This pay freez should be for ALL federal employes EXCEPT the MILITARY, NOT just for civilian federal employes. The SENATE and the HOUSE and the AIDES should be included.I would gladly give up $10.00 from my SS check for the MILITARY, would anyone else do the same.

    Report Post »  
  • Its Gonna Getcha
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:34pm

    Although Rush is not someone I always agree with, he does have the same feeling I’ve had about this hype. You know it’s already been prepackaged and sealed with a kiss.

    And also have a feeling about how POTUS stopped using Grecian Formula. Fake stress drama.

    Report Post » Its Gonna Getcha  
  • New-American-Saviors
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:18pm

    I’ll believe it when I see it. Also the figures in savings are minute to the spending !

    Report Post »  
  • imareader
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:15pm

    LOL..sham, indeed…Barry the Cutter grows more Shakespearean with every passing second..’an idiot, full of sound and fury, amounting to nothing.”

    Report Post »  
  • TxTWD
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:09pm

    It takes many streams to create a river, many rivers to create an ocean. I’ll take 60 billion from anyplace I can get it. We keep tweaking and we can soon find a trillion.

    Report Post » TxTWD  
  • BurntHills
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:48pm

    obama opens his mouth and the lies spill out like diarrhea. hurry up 2012. get that vile obamanation OUT of here.

    Report Post » BurntHills  
  • Conserving Ink
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:34pm

    Notice Obama freezes the salaries after raising them for two years. Its like having your mortgage company jack your rates and then say they’ll freeze them out of concern for you.
    ______________________________________________________________
    http://conserving-ink.blogspot.com

    Report Post » Conserving Ink  
  • mtnclimberjim
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:30pm

    So now the Fed employee unions will strike. Then fire all the chumps. Lordy I hate unions

    Report Post » mtnclimberjim  
  • grampydino
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:23pm

    How about cutting the 50 Billion in foreign aid to other Countries that dont like us.

    Report Post »  
    • lcassavaugh
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:51pm

      agree – and a bunch not only don’t like us but hate us and want to see us destroyed!

      Report Post »  
    • alcarfl
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:55pm

      Now you‘re talkin’

      Report Post »  
  • MeteoricLimbo
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:19pm

    Unions need a handle. Ask the EU, theirs is hot

    Report Post » MeteoricLimbo  
  • Bic
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:10pm

    Congress says, “Pay freezes for thee but not for me”

    Report Post »  
    • silentwatcher
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:15pm

      you can bet on that…..history has proven.

      Report Post »  
    • Silversmith
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:27pm

      Just when you thought that the nobility was a thing relegated to monarchies – here comes Congress.

      Wrong wrong wrong.

      Of the people, by the people, and for the people

      Silversmith

      Report Post » Silversmith  
  • alcarfl
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:09pm

    More flim flam. Congress has already voted themselves on going, structured pay increases and are exempt from the “freeze.” Rush is right. The new hires get two years of job security. I wonder if all the Obamacare new hires and multiple czars/direcrors are already locked in at inflated starting salaries, even thoughj none have been named nor vetted. Where do I sign up?

    Report Post »  
  • NickDeringer
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:04pm

    Rush Limbaugh is a talker. Glenn Beck is a doer.

    Report Post » NickDeringer  
    • 102
      Posted on November 30, 2010 at 6:50am

      What is he doing? What he could do he said he wouldn’t.

      Report Post »  
    • RepubliCorp
      Posted on November 30, 2010 at 7:03am

      NICKDERINGER: sums it up…………..

      Report Post » RepubliCorp  
  • menotyou
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:03pm

    How about a pay cut?
    Look at the $$$ for these jobs:
    http://michaelrybin.blogspot.com/2010/11/federal-government-it-specialists-earn_16.html

    Report Post » menotyou  
    • vb58
      Posted on November 30, 2010 at 12:43pm

      Maybe you should go online an actually look at what those jobs entail. Those GS12 and up jobs are supervisor positions. I was recently hired into a federal position. Unlike what you hear on the news, it was needed. The workload of the people already working was causing customer service to suffer. The job entails a lot of travel around the state so more people are needed to supply decent service. I read the article you referred to. I fined it ineteresting that he only chose to show the supervisory jobs. He also said that there was no thorough comparative analysis. Entry level IT positions are more around the GS7 level which is a lot less than those shown.
      Do government workers make more than civilian counterparts? I don’t think so. I was working a non-government job before taking the position I am in now. I took a pay CUT to take this job. And I am doing more work now than I was doing before. Why did I take this job? There is less chance of me getting laid off from the government than the civilian sector. Also, when you look at the pay, keep in mind that the government salaries are the SAME in most parts of the country. There are very few places where a differential is paid because of higer cost of living. A person in a more depressed area makes the same as someone who lives in a higher cost of living area (excluding what was mentioned before).
      Pay cut? I don’t think so. I’ll take the pay freeze because I have to. I still have a job and will plan on spending less (that really helps the economy doesn’t it). I only wish that Congress and the President would take the same pay freeze. They are government employees also.

      Report Post »  
  • Mickeyd
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:00pm

    Congress is exempt from the freeze?????

    Report Post »  
    • Dale
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:07pm

      Do you think they could get the votes otherwise?

      Report Post » Dale  
    • snowleopard3200 {mix art}
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:08pm

      But of course, they already assume themselves to be above the laws they actually make. So they most likely will just vote themselves a bonus or some increase in wages to compensate themselves for any supposed cuts.

      Smoke and Mirrors.

      Watch for the Iron Fist to come.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Dakota
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:37pm

      Since when is Congress exempt from anything?

      Report Post »  
    • walkwithme1966
      Posted on November 30, 2010 at 12:44am

      Congress should be included in the freeze – and I bet they won’t even bring it up – they have to vote on the other freezes, they could just add themselves and their staffs. http://maboulette.wordpress.com

      Report Post » walkwithme1966  
  • kiwi1
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:00pm

    Politician and Federal Employee PAY CUTS.

    Report Post »  
    • CatB
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:49pm

      Including the White House and Congress! BTW … Rush is right .. freezing high salaries ..just keeps them HIGH!

      Report Post »  
  • silentwatcher
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 9:57pm

    do ya think? duh!!

    Report Post »  
    • silentwatcher
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:14pm

      by the way Obama,,,,,,I can’t quite remember how many maids and servants your wife has….can you refresh my memory?

      Report Post »  
    • Marylou7
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:28pm

      If they would just cut Michelle’s staff by half they could save millions. Just how many people does it take to order her lobster??

      Report Post » Marylou7  
    • thepatriotdave
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:37pm

      Marylou7,

      I think she has something like 40 people on her staff. That’s 40 over-paid friends, and friends of her friends.

      PatriotShops.com

      Report Post » thepatriotdave  
    • bullcrapbuster
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:44pm

      Yep he froze their pay until the present union contract runs out, probably two years from now. Duh way to save money. Mr president sir.

      Report Post » bullcrapbuster  
  • TruthTalker
    Posted on November 29, 2010 at 9:55pm

    I’m not impressed Rush.

    Report Post »  
    • snowleopard3200 {mix art}
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:07pm

      White House logic is freeze spending on salaries for 2 years will equate to a savings of $60 billion over ten years; somehow that does not compute out no matter how you work the math. Unless his excelency the President plans to actually FIRE some people.

      Say what they will about Rush, he calls them as he sees them.

      Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • geminisailor
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:14pm

      Limbaugh is to radio what Beck is to T.V.

      Limbaugh is still very relevant — brilliant, but Michael Berry might just replace him.

      Report Post »  
    • snowleopard3200 {mix art}
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:21pm

      Imagine this scene after the 2013 inaguration of the newest POTUS…Soros is invited into the White House for a ‘most private’ meeting with the administration where he will explain ‘how it really works here in the capital.’

      (Soros ‘aka Spooky Dude’ “Ah my young President, you will now do exactly as I come to say, and will pass without question every thing presented before you this day onward…what it this…”

      (Chair of POTUS turns: “Hi Spooky Dude, guess you lose after all…”

      (New POTUS and VP – “Glen Beck and Sarah Palin.”

      (Soros new home; “Prison for life and beyond.”

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Dustyluv
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 10:28pm

      No Federal worker to make over the average salary of the workers in the private sector who pay their bills. About 52K I think. Senators and Reps work for love of country…No salary

      Then you start cutting out entitlements including MY soon to be Social Security. I will just keep working.
      Only the ones fully incapable of work get anything at all…
      Drug tests for anyone getting assistance too…
      Section 8 housing? Nope…Make them pay or live in the streets and you will see them get off their asses and work.
      Unemployment? hahahahahahahahahahaha NO!

      Report Post »  
    • niagra
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:32pm

      I really wonder what the f…… most of what is commentend on is bull…..do all of these people on the comments really listen to glen or do they just want to be the first to run there mouth.
      I hope that all of you are here for the same reasons that this site is avallible to you.

      Report Post »  
    • thepatriotdave
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:34pm

      I am impressed Rush!

      This one sentence ****** me off… “House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., criticized the president’s plan for not including military personnel in the pay freeze, claiming the extension would have increased savings and added “an element of fairness.”

      Especially the last 4 words of the statement. How does Military pay being one third of that of a government paper pusher, that complains if they break a nail, while the ones protecting them and doing the dying for them sleep in the most dangerous places on earth. Mr. Hoyer, you sir are a pathetic JOKE!

      PatriotShops.com

      Report Post » thepatriotdave  
    • poverty.sucks
      Posted on November 29, 2010 at 11:45pm

      @TruthTalker not impressed? Rush isn’t out there to impress you. Obviously you can’t handle the the Truth.

      Report Post » poverty.sucks  
    • Huckabee Gingrich 12
      Posted on November 30, 2010 at 12:34am

      You’re a little slow on the uptake, Miss Jessup. Most of us here (yes, I’ll presume to speak for others) were listening to Maharushie say this live while you guys at The Blaze were busy counting up the cost of the “12 Days of Christmas” items. Just sayin’.

      Report Post » Huckabee Gingrich 12  
    • jzs
      Posted on November 30, 2010 at 12:48am

      Rush is an incredibly impressive person. Here’s a man with no formal education at all beyond high school. Despite that lack, he has risen to the be the right’s answer to all the elitist educated mumbo jumbo. He never took so much as a single class in geology, but he is the knows more that any PhD climatologist on world climate. He may have only taken home ec in high school, yet he is the supreme authority on the world economy (can you believe he hasn’t been honored by academia for his knowledge?). He avoided serving in the military, yet he has no peer when evaluating the value of torture gives to the stature of the US in the world. Does anyone in the entire world have the depth of understanding that Rush does on any single issue? I think not, unless it is Glenn Beck, another person with no formal education and no experience or knowledge of anything except talking for a paycheck. God works in mysterious ways, and why he chose two people who talk for a living to be his Profits is beyond me. Praise be just the same though.

      Report Post » jzs  
    • RedDawg
      Posted on November 30, 2010 at 1:47am

      Unless government employees get a raise commensurate with the proposed cut, this represents money they will not only fail to receive for the next 2 years but will never receive in the future.

      Simply every year they aren’t paid 5 Biliion in extra salary is 5B saved, into infinity.
      So the $60 B math is correct.

      Report Post »  
    • sclibertymom
      Posted on November 30, 2010 at 2:26am

      Oh yes lets get all the Government employees pissed so they riot in the streets! Great Idea, Why not just take away their kids insurance, oh yeah they did that too. Maybe we should put fluoride in the water to dumb them down so they don’t even know that we are feeling them up and radiating them at the airport. Humm they did that too. How much more are we willing to take wake up your friends and loved ones. This is the loooooongest but most interesting documentary I have ever seen if every American or for that matter anyone watched this the game would be over get educated as Glenn would say just watch it The Money Masters http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-515319560256183936#

      Report Post » sclibertymom  
    • Polwatcher
      Posted on November 30, 2010 at 6:24am

      @JZS

      Ordinary folks go on and on in life until they know absolutely nothing about everything and Intellectuals go on and on in life until they know absolutely everything about nothing. It’s good to have a few like Rush and Glenn who know how to sort through all the BS layed down by the government.

      Report Post »  
    • CultureWarriors
      Posted on November 30, 2010 at 10:14am

      Obviously it’s a sham. Name ONE THING about this President that isn’t a sham.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8DnA4Ro9tQ

      Report Post » CultureWarriors  
    • Dandylyon
      Posted on November 30, 2010 at 10:21am

      “PatriotDave” very good,it would seem a few noticed what this clown Hoyer said in compareing Military personal and there job to politicians and what they do.

      Just shows you the mindset of todays politicians and there arogance.A politician would not make a pimple on an Vet or serving military person’s backside.

      Report Post »  
    • Deuteronomy22
      Posted on November 30, 2010 at 10:24am

      “Senators and Reps work for love of country…No salary”
      Bad idea. If you did that only the extremely wealthy will be able to serve. Campaign finance reform, term limits would be better with a $50,000 salary, dormitory housing and a meal plan.

      Report Post » Deuteronomy22  
    • casey1
      Posted on November 30, 2010 at 10:54am

      I am not impressed with Obama!

      Report Post »  
    • Partygirl
      Posted on December 1, 2010 at 12:49am

      I worked for the government. What happens is you forgo the yearly contract raise. However, you still get the bump up from seniority. So you still get your let’s say 3 percent seniority raise but not your 3 percent yearly raise. At times your seniority raise can be alot more than the 3 percent. It can be as much as 10 thousand a year, depending where you are on the seniority chart. The contracts and the seniority are two different things.

      Report Post »  
    • Donald J
      Posted on December 2, 2010 at 12:39am

      The freeze is ridiculous. If, or when I run for president as a middle to lower class citizen here is where I would place the majority of my emphasis with cuts:
      1: Politician Pay, enough is enough. They come into office rich to keep middle class American citizens on the sideline like you and I. They serve us as do Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen. I have 20 years of service and they make 3 times as much as I do and how many of them were responsible for a Company of Soldiers and their well being while driving down IED laden highways?
      2: Department of Education that has milked money for too many years now. Education begins at home, transfers to the schools and the competent teachers. The county and States need to be responsible for educating the youth. We all know teachers and county and state officials are not longer held accountable for performance, much like the the idiots we have in DC right now.
      3: Unemployment would not be extended but overhauled. How would that be? If an individual gets 70% of his income as unemployment, lets say $4000 a month, hence an unemployment check of $2800. This individual is not forced to work if the unemployment office sends him out to a minimum wage job…hmmm. Force this individual to take the minimum wage job, full time and bring earn $1200 a month and then the taxpayer will pay $1600 to cover the difference for three months, $1200 for three months and $800 the final three months before cutting it off. Individuals have 3 months period to find work otherwise all benefits end. There is no work that is too low for me to have to do to survive. So, 6 months at $2800 =$14,400 or extended to a year $28,800. So with my plan, 3 months at $2800 plus 3 months at 1600, three at 1200, and three at 800=$19200 saving over $9,000 taxpayer dollars a year and allows the individual to make life-style changes.
      4. Next I would implement flat tax, period. I have never paid taxes in my life but always have received enough tax credits to receive money. I have always used it to pay off credit cards to run them back up by the next year. I have always claimed zero so I would be taxed at a higher rate which usually is around 22%. I would be more than willing to pay a flat tax across the board, every American at 6% initially until the deficit gets into the black. I would have to do further check to see how long that would actually take. And to ensure it has an effect see #5!
      5: No more earmarks, no more out of control spending, no more. The government is ridiculous when it come to being a frugile shopper. This has to cease. Again, more research by me to look at some of the ridiculous crap the govt overpays for. Its a plethora of garbage and I know that.
      You will hear more from me soon.

      Report Post »  
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