Since the economy is going gangbusters

[bobathon]

Trump has cancelled federal pay raises. Because of the dire financial situation the government is in. Because his actions have made this the biggliest economy evar.

[minx]

Haven't we already discussed that the tax cuts are only benefiting the people at the top? Trump's got his money, so why would he give some to you?

All joking aside, this is why government employees had things like automatic cost of living adjustments. Because politicians love to play political football with state and federal employees. Of course, those same politicians would pitch a fit if even half a percent of the perks of their office were cut.

[bobathon]

Best case is the Senate proposal carries the day. At 1.9%, it's only 1% *less* than inflation over the last year. Which will get worse because tariffs.

rally, that means I contribute less to our economy. I'd explain why that's a negative, but you're so smart you could tell me.

[minx]

Maybe they should look at pensions - that would definitely get Rally's attention

[bobathon]

Bets they already are?

[minx]

Oh you know it. Last I heard was that they wanted to raise the amount you had to contribute to your TSP in order to get a match, and they're looking at the formula for calculating the portion you get as a pension.
I'm sure that this will especially hit Congress in the pocket, because they would never ask someone to do something they wouldn't do themselves....

[bobathon]

IIRC, they also want to nix COLAs and replace high-three with high-five.

[rally2xs]

www.savingtoinvest.com/no-federal-pay-raise-in-2011-or-2012-as-obama-freezes-federal-employee-pay-increases/

[rally2xs]

Aug 30, 2018 13:13:44 GMT -5 bobathon said:

Trump has cancelled federal pay raises. Because of the dire financial situation the government is in. Because his actions have made this the biggliest economy evar.

Now that it'd a Republican administration, the left, that completely had its head in the sand as Obama doubled the National Debt from $10T to $20T, all of a sudden is all sideways about a Republican administration attempting to cut Federal spending.  Actually, I guess that is at least consistent... wanting to spend the gov't into total bankruptcy.   We're still waiting for the other shoe to drop, where no entity on the planet will buy another dollar of US Gov't debt.   Then a de facto balanced budget amendment will exist, and it should be really hilarious watching the scramble.   Maybe we can abolish the IRS and FBI and so forth.   It appears lately that we'd be better off without the FBI, and its obvious that we would have always been better off without the IRS.

[bobathon]

Show your sources vis a vis the debt. At least back to Reagan. I just think it's the usual lies you've been spoonfed over the air.

Obama froze raises when the economy was supposedly in the crapper. Trump is saying the economy is awesome and everyone is getting raises, and remember how the tax cut was going to magically fill government coffers? Oops, we can't provide raises due to the ongoing fiscal emergency.

Also, since when is something ok if Barack SADDAM HUSSEIN THE KENYAN USURPER Obama did it?

Now further nuance is that prior presidents have almost always avoided the automatic raises but proposed alternate raises. Both sides, for real. But, Trump is lying about something, and it's hurting us all. What do you think the collective impact of all those feds losing ground on inflation is? Is that good or bad for their locales? Hopefully they come for your pension so you get a taste.

[minx]

I'm kind of curious as to why the economy, regardless of what party is in charge, always seems to have to be balanced on the backs of Federal Employees?

I've met my fair share of government employees who are rude, or have no interest in their jobs, but in a total shocker, I've met the same percentage of rude and lazy employees in the private sector as well.

And people love to forget that without government employees their SS check wouldn't arrive on time each month, parks wouldn't be maintained, security would be non-existant, and many of the programs they use would not be able to function.

I say government employees, because this hatred extends far below the federal level - look at how many people complain about the DMV for example. I've had my share of hateful experiences there, but the state doesn't hire enough front-line employees to process the lines fast enough. It's hard to be witty and pleasant day after day to rude people who can't be bothered to bring the proper identification and paperwork, but still get in line anyway, AND also deal with people who are pissed off because the first group of people clogged up the line. While I hate taking time off of work to go to the DMV, at least in VA, they are really trying to make things easier - lots more options to do business online, express locations where easier things like tag renewal can be done, and they even have a fleet of RVs that go around to different areas to help people who might not be able to make it to a 'standard' office. And yet, people still put them down, and feel that they have every right to be rude and hateful to the workers there.

It amuses me, because the same folks who abuse the workers at the DMV are the first ones in line to say that police officers have to be treated with the utmost respect, and if you are rude and mouth off to one, than you deserve what you get. Interesting dynamics there.

[Dave's Not Here Man]

Oh. Hayell. Naw.

[rally2xs]

Sept 2, 2018 12:54:13 GMT -5 minx said:

I'm kind of curious as to why the economy, regardless of what party is in charge, always seems to have to be balanced on the backs of Federal Employees?

1) It doesn't get balanced.

2) Its easy.

3) People hate gov't employees anyway, so politically it's a winner.