11/29   Yup it's those darn terrorists...  (not those tax cuts at all...)
        http://www.kstp.com/article/view/62595
        \_ At least the president was able to find money for his own $200k
           pay raise, and $60k/year increase for each conressman, even if the
           $186/year for the average worker was out of reach.  Funny, the
           total cost of the two packages is on the same order of magnitude.
           Congress and the White House could have saved half the pay raise
           of the average worker by forgoing lining their own pockets...
           \_ Sorry.  The across the board pay raise would cost $11 billion
              using the 1990 plan outline, and $13 billion using the 1997
              additions Clinton was able to afford.  The total salary of
              the congress doesn't measure up even close to that.  That
              said, blaming this on terrorist rather than the failed
              economic policies and general economic depression is a
              blantly self-serving deception. -mel
        \_ idiot.  the tax cuts have nothing to do with it.  they're so tiny
           compared to the size of the federal budget.  get a clue before
           mouthing off stupidly.  better to keep one's stupidity to one's self
           than open one's stupid ignorant mouth and demonstrate one's idiocy.
        \_ *sniff* *sniff* Poor overpaid, lazy goverment workers. Never
           do get a fair break.
           \_ overpaid?  where?  have you compared civil servant salaries
              to the private sector counterparts?  Or are you talking straight
              from your ass again?
              \_ no bonus, no raises, 60k/year pretax for 8 years experience
                 doing systems development work.  name the employer.
                 answer posted on monday.
              \_ they get paid for what they do.  people in the private sector
                 have to actually work sometimes to earn their money.  this is
                 something a government worker bee slacker troll like you can't
                 understand.  work isn't something you'd know how to do.  the
                 people in private sector are lucky to have jobs right now.
                 no one is bitching about not getting a bonus for god's sake.
                 you're so selfish and ignorant and greedy it makes me sick.
                 go back to surfing and stop insulting people who actually do
                 work for a living.  when the federal government slackers are
                 at risk for random layoffs, no raises, no pensions, no bonuses
                 and have to actually put in an hour's worth of work a month to
                 suck money from my pocket then they'll have something to whine
                 about.  they get low pay because they don't fucking work.
                 \_ I've typically gotten excellent service when dealing with
                    federal employees.
                 \_ Hate to tell you this, but federal 'slackers' *are* subject
                    to layoffs.  They call them Reduction In Force.  Of course,
                    they make an effort to find you a job somewhere else, like
                    maybe, Alaska, if you're willing to move.  Furthermore,
                    I'd bet that gov't workers have about the same ratio of
                    people who work hard to slackers.  It seems to me like a
                    6 to 1 ratio of people who work to people who are worthless.
                    If the govt workers don't work efficiently enough for you
                    it's probably because they're hobbled by extreme red tape.
                    Also, fed workers don't get pensions anymore, they get
                    social security, like everyone else, no sweet
                    retirement pensions, and they'll match your contribution
                    to your retirement savings account up to 4.5% of your
                    salary

        \_ Except this is exactly what Presidents / Congress have done
           since 1990.  Exactly how does one 'slash a pay raise'?
           AP is full of stupid liberals.  Of course this won't change
           much, Bush is more pro-big government than Clinton.
           \_ Not true.  This is the first time in history that the
              'serious economic conditions' rule was ever invoked.  Note
              The it completely eliminates cost of living adjustments in
              New York, San Francisco, and Boston.  Sounds like a punishment
              for voting against him.