Recession Proof: Obama Gives Fed Employees Raise

More non-transparency. He waits until late evening the day before Christmas Eve. I don't begrudge the military their raise. We've been straining them to the max around the world. But with so many Americans unemployed, do federal employees really deserve to get a raise right now? Obviously, Obama thinks so. h/t BJ in email.

President Obama on Wednesday evening issued an executive order implementing a 2.0 pay raise for federal employees and a 3.4 percent pay raise for service members in 2010.

The executive order reflects the pay rates included in the fiscal 2010 omnibus spending package and Defense Appropriations Act approved this month by Congress and signed into law by the president. Congressional appropriators honored Obama's request for a 2.0 percent increase in pay for civilian employees in the omnibus. Obama proposed in November that the entire raise go to base pay. But lawmakers instead devoted 1.5 percent of the raise to base pay and 0.5 percent of it to locality pay, a move federal employee advocates had recommended.

Comments

[NOrton]

I'm fine with a pay raise for Congress...as long as they vote themselves term limits as well.

TERM LIMITS, NOW! Put an end to "careers" in politics.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

Locality pay was going as high as 13% in some locations. Obie originally tried an 11th hour stop to locality pay raises, which he can do w/out congressional approval, but his union friends balked and he rolled over. So 2% of 37K probably wont beak the country. The majority of federal employees are not congressmen or even management......

[dave]

I'm a Fed. Obama decreased our projected pay raise from above 3% to ~ 2% due to the recession. The whole idea is to keep the GS pay rate in (alleged) competition with the private sector. As the private sector suffers so do we. We are the FBI agents that keep you safe, the EEOC investigators that keep employment practices fair, and the EPA scientists that keep your water clean.
Are you a dolt? If so I'll go about my merry way; but between now and then... pull your head out of your ass. You can hate Obama for any reason you like; don't start hating on civil servants just because your STDs has gone to your brain.

[moody maven]

Now I wonder...are they "counting" these pay increases as "jobs created and/or saved", as well??

[A_Nonny_Mouse]

Why no mention of Obama's 12/17/09 amendment to Executive Order 12425 which gives Interpol (which, hint-hint, has offices within the DOJ) ABSOLUTE IMMUNITY from FOIA requests, any kind of search or seizure?

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http://pierrelegrand.net/2009/12/21/executive-order-12425-what-the-hell-is-this-what-did-obama-just-do.htm

Pierre Legrand mentions "If any branch of government wants to keep documents out of the hands of the court system, just hand them over to INTERPOL until the smoke clears."

::

http://threatswatch.org/analysis/2009/12/wither-sovereignty/

This blog mentions a possible tie-in to the International Criminal Court and suggests "this immunity and protection - and elevation above the US Constitution - afforded INTERPOL is likely a precursor to the White House subjecting the United States under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC). INTERPOL provides a significant enforcement function for the ICC, just as our FBI provides a significant function for our Department of Justice." And also, "When the paths on the road map converge - Iraq withdrawal, Guantánamo closure, perceived American image improved internationally, and an empowered INTERPOL in the United States - it is probable that President Barack Obama will once again make America a signatory to the International Criminal Court. It will be a move that surrenders American sovereignty to an international body whose INTERPOL enforcement arm has already been elevated above the Constitution and American domestic law enforcement."