Return to Article: President moves to limit 2004 federal pay raise
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3017
As a federal employee for more than 25 years, starting out as a GS-3, always feeling adequately compensated, with opportunities to progress, never having had to go hungry, without a roof over my head, or no clothes, with health care and retirement benefits that well exceed those of many of our compatriots in the private sector, I cannot but ask why do we complain? A GS-5 secretary in Miami with five years of service makes close to $30,000, a GS-11 in Washington, DC, with the same tenure, almost $55,000. Do you know what your peers in private industry make? Do you know what hours they work? What benefits they have? Let's get a grip on it. President Bush has shown unparalleled leadership, resolve and strength during the most challenging presidency in recent history. I am more than willing to give up my pay raise to support the war on terror and the preservation of our freedom. As a civilian, I have not been asked to serve on the front lines but I consider going without a pay raise a very minor sacrifice when remembering Sept. 11 and honoring what our troops are doing for all of us. Have we all forgotten to not ask what our country can do for us but what we can do for our country?
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1947
I totally DISAGREE with this proposal. The government is so corrupt and biased when it comes to giving out promotions to their friends, friends of friends and family as it is, now you want to approve a bill where they can GIVE more money to their picks! Enough is enough! If there was a "full proof" way of tracking this and ways to pursue actions against this I would be all for it, but when they decide who gets the special projects and who gets in the spotlight without ever having the rest of the workforce aware of the opportunity, if the opportunity was ever "FOR REAL," this is just another tool to lower, even more, the morale of the workforce because we all could go from section to section and tell you exactly who will be getting the monies. I vote NO!
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1523
I love the comments from the individual who warns current and potential employees that you better not plan on a decent raise for the next 14 years (2017) until the deficit is eliminated.
First thing that came to my mind was, don't worry, they'll all be contractors..... man o' man.
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1521
Mr. President, remember those pesky guys/gals that are always hanging around you? You know, those feds otherwise known as Treasury Agents? You're slowly starving them along with the rest of us. Since you apparently consider federal employees to be worthless, faceless civil servants why not release them back to Treasury for other duties. You could replace them with some A-76 types. By the way, you and the VP could also help the war effort by not clogging up Walter-Reed for your medical care. Pay your own way via Blue Cross or another of the "fabulous" health care program feds can choose, at the very least, go to a VA Medical Center. They take "good care" of all us vets!
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1513
It looks like we all got "Bush"whacked along with Gore in 2000; all of us need to remember Bush's love for us in November 2004.
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1511
I sincerely hope that I am offered early retirement next year, because I am fed up with civil service and don't have the desire of working for the federal govt till I'm 56. I should have listened to my mother and gone to law school.
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1509
In reading some comments I have to wonder if some aren't paid advertisements. I don't think most federal employees would mind not getting a decent pay raise or going deeper in the hole with such things as health care if they believed in the cause; that everyone was also sharing the load and that eventually things would turn around and get better. I've got over 32 years in and for the majority it's been the same old story. For years we've been told that we as federal workers would have to shoulder the burden of the national deficit. Eventually we were told the budget was balanced and there was a huge surplus. But before we could straighten our stooped shoulders, Bush quickly found another way to create a record breaking deficit and we were being told the same old poor mouth story. When does it stop?
Based on projections the budget isn't expected to be balanced until the year of 2017??? NOW.......As a civil service employee or prospective civil service employee and knowing you don't have a snowball's chance of receiving a decent raise for the next 14 years, do you stay with the job or as a potential employee, consider a civil service career? ONLY IF YOU'RE IN TOO DEEP OR IT'S YOUR LAST CHOICE!
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1508
I disagree with some of the comments mentioned. I don't know about who they work with, but most if not all of the people I work with are very professional and deserve a much needed pay raise. What some of you seem to be forgetting is some of us civil service workers work side by side with the military and as such are in just as much danger as they are, the difference being we are unarmed. Also be reminded that even the Pentagon became a target.
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1500
Most federal employees I've seen deserve a pay cut, not a pay raise, especially the so-called supervisors. I'd much rather have a real merit pay system than an automatic pay increase for everyone regardless of performance. However, there's no need to worry; Congress always comes through for us (bad cop-good cop), which is how they plan it up on the Hill - the president wants to look like he's holding down spending, but the Congress has pity on us poor folks.
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1498
I can't wait to see how much our health premiums go up again this year, and with less and less coverage. Civil servants and retirees keep going backwards.
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1496
Are we at war or not? Bush has stated that the reason he is stealing our pay raises is to pay for the cost of the war. However, he continues with A-76 contracting out measures when the regulations clearly state that A-76 procedures don't apply in times of war. What will he take next to pay for his oil exploration progran, Medicare or Social Security? We can't rely upon the law to protect these programs because he has demonstrated that if he doesn't like the laws in place he will just ignore them.
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1482
First we began contracting out possibly 450,000 federal jobs. Thereby, losing retirement benefits, health insurance and peace of mind for our families. Now we are spat on once again! I don't mind having my pay frozen if it will ease an economic crisis and bring our great country out of this slumping economy, but when I continually see billions of dollars wasted overseas to protect our so called interests it upsets me. These countries continue to thumb their noses at us and at the same time have their hands out for billions of American taxpayer dollars. I have traditionally voted a straight GOP ticket, but I have been looked down upon once again. Most of my co-workers voted GOP and the only talk you hear at the water cooler is how we have been betrayed by this administration. I cannot wait until November 2004. Then my cries of enough will be heard at the polls.
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1479
This President starts a war for personal reasons aided by the worst SecDef we have ever had and now he is capping our pay. Where is the surprise? The civil service attrition rate is 1.7% no surprise there either, there are no real jobs in the US anymore. The people that this administration buddy up with have managed to send any real jobs overseas. What major items are still made here? Even vehicles by the Big 3 are assembled from parts made offshore. The only jobs left are the ones where you ask the customers if they want fries with that. I like another writer have almost always voted the GOP. Not this time, I only hope my fellow civil service employees see the light and vote for anyone but Bush.
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1478
As long as the proposed raise of 1.5 % or 2 % is equal to or more than the CPI I have no complaints. I always viewed this raise as a "cost of living" raise, not a merit increase. I remember years in the Reagan Administration when we got NO raise. Now that hurt. Some of the comments I read lead me to believe that some people feel they are entitled to more. I know how my salary compares to the equivalent private sector job in the area in which I live. It'a a favorable comparison, and my benefits are way better.
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1477
Funny how we can absorb the cost of (OUTSOURCING) but not pay raises!!! NO FAIR NO FAIR!!!
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1472
I have always been a devoted Republican and voted accordingly. I am embarressed with this administrations treatment of federal employees. The President's wrecking-ball policies regarding feds are shameful. He dosen,t want to give us a good raise because he does not want us working for the government and our country.
When I go to the polls this upcoming election I will not forget A76 and all of the other slaps in the face we have gotten from this President. I hope the 850,000 of my federal co-workers victimized by A76 feel the same way. And by the way, all federal employees who are considered inherently governmental sure do seem to be quiet all of a sudden. Got any backbone? I hope you like working with money hungry contractors. If not you need to speak up and be heard.
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1471
I'm a DoD employee. The way I see it, Mr. Bush is stating, all government employees NOT part of the uniformed military are not worthy of the remaining 2.1% increase.
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1469
Spend billions on "his" war and make sure the federal employees pay for it. Forget the law, do what you want and lie about it as you have on almost everything you do.
I will vote for "snoopy" if he is the Democratic candidate. NO more Bush for me. He wants us to follow the laws but they are not for him to follow.
Bush makes law from the oval office with input from the "undisclosed location" and secret meetings with corporate executives. Is there any reason to continue supporting this kind of administration?
I grew up with the idea that charity begins at home. Mr. Bush grew up with the idea that charity begins in the corporate board room, this is what sets him apart from the rest of America.
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1465
As a federal employee, I am grateful for my job with or without an automatic pay raise. Thank you George W. Bush and the people of the United States of America.
As far as automatic pay raises for all, with no relation to performance. It's just like the majority of federal union members that robotically vote Democrat, the worst candidate often outshines the best.
As far as the troops getting more of a pay raise than civilians like me. Fine. Any person whose choices in air travel is limited to either a jump seat or flag covered metal box deserves more than me. Even if I do fly coach.
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1463
No one should be surprised at this latest slam to federal employees. The president has always made it perfectly clear that he has no use for government workers and believes that everything should be turned over to contractors. He has helped me make my decision to retire early next year. I also agree that Dean is looking better all the time.
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1459
Before the President breaks his arm patting himself on the back for a 1.7% attrition rate, why not look at why that is? The economy is in shambles, the President has the distinction of presiding with the largest deficit in US history, (a record previously held by his father, I beleive) and there are no jobs. So it seems to make sense that if your retirement fund has been greatly depleted by the economy and there are no jobs to go to thanks to high unemployment rates, yes, you will have a low attrition rate. You will also have a low morale rate. What price tag does one place on that? Or does anyone care about the employee anymore?
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1457
Just more laid on the door mats of the Bush administration.
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1456
All I can say is Howard Dean is looking better all the time!
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1454
Once again the federal employee becomes the whipping post for this administration's political whims. If Donald Rumsfeld's arrogance in facilitating the General Pay Schedule abolishment wasn't enough, now his boss joins the pity party and rests 9/11's consequences, namely the war on terrorism, on the collective wallets of the govt worker. Too easy a decision to make, right? Especially from a selected . . .er, elected leader!
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1453
Don't get me wrong, I am elated to have a federal job that I love and would not trade for the world. However, with the rising cost of gas, which in turn affects the price of everything else, the Congressional 4 percent makes more sense than the President's 2 percent. If the 1990 Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act is a law, and we, the citizens are bound to obey the laws we do and don't agree with, why not hold our leaders' feet to the fire? Go win the war against terrorism (and hats off and applause to our military), but balance that with the morale and welfare of those at home also fighting the war.
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1452
Why am I not surprised at this decision. There always seems to be money for everyone except federal employees. This is just the tip of the iceberg. It's only a matter of time before this president pisses away our social security and retirement benefits. This administration is a complete joke, only I'm not laughing because this joker is probably going to be re-elected.
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1450
This is yet another attemp to downsize the federal workforce, and dump more money into contractor's pockets. Prior to reading this article I had just finished reading an article in the Washington Post, "Halliburton scores big off Iraq."
"Halliburton, the company formerly headed by Vice President Cheney, has won contracts worth more than $1.7 billion out of Operation Iraqi Freedom and stands to make hundreds of millions more dollars under no-bid contract awarded by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, according newly available documents."
Now this administation wants us to believe that the war on terror is the reason for limiting pay raises. I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, and I am not paranoid, it just doesn't take a smart person to figure this one out. I hope the rest of the people in this country wake up before election day.
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