http://nationaljournal.com/congress-legacy/federal-workers-to-congress-leave-us-out-of-deficit-deal-20121120Not in my backyard!
Not from my paycheck!
Not my job!
Yawn. Whatever.
Boeing engineers don't get to say that. IT geeks don't get to say that. Car salesmen don't get to say that.
According to the coalition, federal employees have funded $60 billion in budget savings in 2011 and 2012 as a result of their ongoing pay freeze and an additional $28 billion in savings will be derived from the freeze extension through March 2013.
Federal workers also contributed $15 billion toward the budget in 2011 when the contribution rate toward retirement pensions was raised to 2.3 percent for new employees.
So... Federal workers only account for $60 + $28 + 15 = $103 billion of the 2011, 2012 and 2013 budget overrun?
Pray tell, what capital expenditures (since it isn't the holiest-of-holies Federal Employee budget
) account for the remaining annual $1.2 trillion (of $1.3 trillion total annual deficit as of 2011... and granting that the "sacrifices" of these employees can be applied in sum to only 1 year's deficit rather than 2-3 years as is reality) deficit?
The government buys "stuff" and "labor." That's it.
Did we buy $1.2 trillion too much "stuff?" Or employ $1.2 trillion too much labor?
Reality sucks. Reality is layoffs, just like Boeing, Lockheed, seasonal agricultural employers, or Christmas season retail sales jobs.