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The Federal Budget, Government Shutdown and the 2008 Pay Raise

1995 Furlough

Nameless, Faceless Nobody
DOD
Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:37 AM

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Several of us "non-essential" personnel were temporarily replaced with military while furloughed. We were smart enough to leave them our phone numbers. It was a tough recovery when we got back, but it helped that the more confusing aspects of what we did daily got "talked through" with us by our military counterparts over the phone. Just the boxes of paper that waited for our return were depressing. I hope the government is a lot smarter this time and doesn't go this far.

Finances

Examiner
IRS
Fri Nov 30, 2007 9:41 AM

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I have an idea that would help solve the financial problem.
First get out of IRAQ with the Deomcrats plan. We were lied to when the administration said we are going in there due to nuclear weapons etc. None of this was found and the intelligence agencies did not support this assertion. This is not to say that Hussein was good, but the US does not invade a country just because the leader is bad. Also a great deal of money would be saved.
I agree that we should raise taxes on the wealthy. They got permanent (through 2010) tax decreases such as rate reductions, reduction in capital gains and dividend tax reductions. The middle class got less or nil rate reductions, child tax credit (through age 16), college credit (not permanent). In addition the middle class must deal with the alt mini tax.
I propose that the higher marginal rates be set at 40% for tax. Income over 400000 and 45% for taxable income over 750000. I propose the exemption for the alt mini tax be 150000.

Shutdown essential

Project Manager
Air Force
Fri Nov 30, 2007 3:33 PM

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I know I was considered as an essential body. It was rather nice to come to work and find parking places near the building not filled by everyone, or the traffic in and out was even better than holiday weekends around here.

There are certainly pros and cons to shutting down. The biggest danger being the sense and loyalty that politicians will loose from governent workers by playing with their lives to the point of a shut down. I recall a tremendous anger from employees over their representatives back at the last shutdown. I think that is why those representatives "paid" the non-essential employees while they were off, to buy back their favor.

I say, quit playing games. Quit trying to stash pork barrel spending in bills that don't deal with the bill in question. I also say, LINE ITEM VETO power to filter out the BS that is inserted into these bills, and use wise discretion to filter out the crab polititians try to sneak in. It's the sneaking that is causing much the mess

2008

Unit Coordinator
Department of Veteran Affairs
Sat Dec 1, 2007 8:01 AM

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I think we Federal Government retirees are the ones who are suffering the most. Our pay raise should be more than the employees because we are already cheated out of receiving our full Social Security because of that GPO law.

Re: 2008

Admin
DOS
Mon Dec 3, 2007 9:49 AM
Can't understand why the folks under the old retirment system complain about be shorted on Social Security. They didn't pay into it so why should they get payments from it. I am under FERS and 90 percent of my retirement contributions go into Social Security and 10 percent into FERS. If I retire at 55 I can't draw SS until I turn 62 even though I have paid into it for 25 years. Instead I get a SS suplement that is about 70 percent of what I would get at 62 when I am eligible for SS. Then after 62 the supplement stops and SS kicks in. At 30 years the maximum I can get is far less than CSRS employees including the TSP.
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