Sunday, December 30, 2012

Obama Orders Pay Raises Mocking Fiscal Cliff

Believe it or not the left leaning Huffington Post reported yesterday that resident Barack Obama gave a New Year's gift to returning members of Congress, Vice President Joe Biden and a slew of other federal workers. On Thursday Obama , signing an executive order calling for an end to a years-long pay freeze. By taking this action while many Americans are suffering and America's budget is out of control Obama makes a mockery of claims that he is concerned.

Obama's order made no mention of the merit for these raises, HuffPost's Amanda Terkel reported on Friday that the 112th Congress is set to end the session as the most unproductive since the 1940s, with only 219 bills passed by the body becoming law. The raise will effect the incoming 113th Congress, outgoing members will see no effect from the order. Obama ordered the raise as he continues to negotiate unsuccessfully with congressional leaders to find a deal in order to avoid the fiscal cliff at the end of the year. If no agreement is met, over $500 billion in planned tax increases and spending cuts will be implemented. 

As of March 27, 2013, federal employees will see a half-percent to one percent pay increase, marking the end of a pay freeze that has been in place since late 2010. According to the order, Biden's pay will increase from $225,521 to $231,900 a year. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) will see his salary increased to $224,500 and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will take home an annual pay of $194,400 after his raise. While the raises are small this again shows Washington has no interest in finding a serious starting point in addressing the nations problems, it is always somewhere else, it is always starting at some later date. 

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