Posted on 07/11/2011 12:13:05 PM PDT by John Semmens
With the federal debt bumping up against the legal maximum, the federal deficit exceeding a trillion dollars each year, official unemployment at 9% and unofficial unemployment twice as high, one might expect some belt-tightening among the governing class. Such expectations have not borne out when it comes to Obama’s minions. More than 75% of the White House staff got raises this year. The average salary increase was 8%. These statistics would seem to contradict Administration claims that salaries have been “frozen.”
Presidential Press Secretary Jay Carney contended that “in the context of the nearly four trillion dollars being spent by the federal government this year, the salaries paid to the White House staff can be said to be relatively ‘frozen’ by comparison. I mean, federal spending went up by 10% versus only an 8% boost for salaries.”
“Then too, there is the issue of merit,” Carney added. “The White House staff is comprised of the nation’s best and brightest. They are already making a great sacrifice working for the public good. Whatever we pay them, it’s got to be far below their worth as human beings.”
By way of reference, salary hikes among profit-making private sector firms this year have averaged 3%.
read more...
http://azconserv1.wordpress.com/2011/07/09/president-admits-mistakes-on-economy/
You almost got me!
If satire, good one!
If not, I work for a top tier research university, and our ‘raises’ were less than the cost of living raise from the article.
Now, I could make more money elsewhere, but I wouldn’t have the perks (environment, people, technology) that I have.
It’s worth it, but after 3 years of no/sub COLA raises, it’s definitely starting to squeeze the wallet.
And neither has it impacted spending on government office buildings. I was in one today, we were summoned by the kings men, nothing was solved, we got no guidance and no agreement... a waste of time and some $15,000 in manpower and travel.
Anyway, I had not been in the building in couple of years (best I stay away from the kings men, someone may be injured) but the transformation is MAGNIFICENT! They now have all the latest and greatest stuff including a reception with a well fed civil servant behind 1-1/2” plexiglass. Nobody knew how to hook up the new AV rack for the slide presentation but by George, they have bought the biggest baddest pile of flashing lights, flat screen monitors and smoked glass cabinet tax payers contributions can buy!
Wonderful, the economy has been stimulated and so have I. Well, sort of. I certainly know I’ve been screwed.
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