House passes retroactive pay as shutdown enters first weekend
WASHINGTON— The fifth day of the partial shutdown of the U.S. government brought no signs of a breakthrough as House lawmakers passed a bill that would eventually reimburse furloughed federal workers for lost pay.
The measure, which passed 407-0 Saturday, was part of an effort to "ease the pain" of the first shutdown since 1996, said House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia. He and fellow Republican leaders called on President Barack Obama and Democrats in the Senate to negotiate on a spending deal.
The measure, which passed 407-0 Saturday, was part of an effort to "ease the pain" of the first shutdown since 1996, said House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia. He and fellow Republican leaders called on President Barack Obama and Democrats in the Senate to negotiate on a spending deal.
We've gone from unpaid government shutdown to fully paid government vacation! Genius!
This is what I love most about Congress. They tackle the really tough problems and always come out on top.
As shutdown drags, govt workers seek fast cash
ReplyDeleteLisa Braswell, a management analyst at the National Institutes of Health, said she's giving herself two weeks before she "pulls the panic alarm."
This is the perfect strategy. There's no point slowly transitioning into a state of panic. Give yourself some time. Let it come all at once. Genius!
Since the furlough, Braswell listed 28 items on eBay, mostly high-end evening gowns, with an estimated value of $15,000 to $20,000 to clean out her closet.
It can be tough to make ends meet when you've only got $15,000 to $20,000 in excess high-end evening gowns laying around. I think everyone can agree on that.
She really needs a better panic strategy. I suggest early and often.
ReplyDeleteFunny they call it a shutdown, when most of the government was not shut down. It was more of a slow down, but now they are recalling all the DoD contractors without funding. It can't even be slowed down for more than a week.
It's great everyone will be paid for not working so they can all buy more high end evening gowns.
Mr Slippery,
ReplyDeleteShe really needs a better panic strategy. I suggest early and often.
This would seem the better strategy.
The Department of Redundancy Department won't even respond to an emergency until the primary alarm is triggered multiple times *and* at least two of the backup alarms are also triggered multiple times.
To make matters worse, there is a substantial lag between the time of dispatch and the time of arrival. There are many redundant checklists and backup checklists which must be completed before the vehicles are even allowed to leave the emergency redundancy stations.
The good news is that once they do finally arrive on the scene they just keep coming. Can't ever dispatch too many redundant first responders, especially once the mainstream media's news helicopters begin to hover and the odds of a re-election photo-op therefore increase.
This commentary based on a hurricane hitting New Orleans in 2005. The Federal government did a heck of a job, lol. Sigh.
Gallows humor.
When I saw that yesterday I was absolutely disgusted. I figured they would cave and give the pigs their back-pay, but a guy could at least enjoy the shutdown knowing the govt workers weren't, as there was an ever so slight non-zero chance the Repub's would stick it to a Dem constituency just because. Heck, I'd have been happy with 50% back-pay. Meet 'em 1/2 way, what a fabulous compromise, no?
ReplyDeleteAnd all these tears over these over-paid prima-donnas, is ridiculous. They get their precious back-pay, what about the private sector employees that work at diners, and hotels, and charter boats outside national parks. They don't get squat.
Finally, I don't mind public employees so much, like the post above this one, they aren't makin' new jobs anymore, so it is better they work than be on disability, but for cryin' out loud, there's no reason they have to be bringing in 6 figure salaries and gold bricked benefit packages on top. I guarantee you could cut their pay by 33% tomorrow and not a single one would leave. They'd cry poor to no end, maybe do an even worse job, if such is possible, but they wouldn't leave. They are absolutely institutionalized. They hate their jobs, they hate their lives, and $20k in dresses shows the level of self-medicating that's going on, but they sure as heck ain't going anywhere. The ones that leave and the ones the stay -- it ain't about the money. That's what they tell everyone, most of all themselves, but it ain't about the money.
I say let Federal employees eat cake.
AllanF,
ReplyDeleteAnd all these tears over these over-paid prima-donnas, is ridiculous. They get their precious back-pay, what about the private sector employees that work at diners, and hotels, and charter boats outside national parks. They don't get squat.
Yeah, that's the part that absolutely disgusted me as well.
Finally, I don't mind public employees so much, like the post above this one, they aren't makin' new jobs anymore, so it is better they work than be on disability, but for cryin' out loud, there's no reason they have to be bringing in 6 figure salaries and gold bricked benefit packages on top.
Once again, complete agreement.
April 9, 2013
Despite salary rate freeze, average federal salary rises
The median salary — the point at which half are above and half are below — is now $74,714, up from $69,550 in 2010.
Good grief.
Here's the one that gets my goat:
ReplyDeleteThere are 4,744 more employees making $140,000 or more than there were a year ago
Have you seen the increase in Fed employees making 100k & 200k since Obama took office? Ridiculous. Private sector is scratching by at 2-3% raises and virtually nil promotions, went they aren't laid-off and then forced to take a relative pay-cut at the employer, I might add, and again Fed employees are openly gaming the system with promotions, and all the while crying poor about it.
Oh, but the Repub's are going to get tough on the budget. Puh-leeze.