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In reply to the discussion: The Sugar Makes the Poison Taste Sweet [View all]"I'll tell you I saw a man talk like an Occupy protester while promoting the same tired, failed economic principles that spawned our yawning inequality in the first place."
...that's nonsense.
Executive order on federal contracting means real action on economic mobility
By Heather C. McGhee and Amy Traub
When it comes to boosting economic opportunity, President Obama isnt going to wait for Congress anymore...the President made a powerful statement about employers obligation to reward work -- starting with his own obligation as the executive in charge of millions of federal contracts.
In a study we released last May, Demos found that nearly two million private sector employees paid with federal tax dollars through contracts, loans, grants, leases and health spending, earn wages too low to support a family. These are people working on behalf of America, doing jobs that we have decided are worthy of public fundsyet theyre being treated in a very un-American way. Thats why federal workers have been walking off the job for the last year...Now the President has taken a major step to lift up hundreds of thousands of those workers. In the process, the president will help families work their way up out of poverty and give new momentum to efforts to raise the minimum wage for everyone laboring too hard for too little in todays low-pay economy.
The truth is that preferring contractors who pay workers at least $10.10 an hour will have benefits far beyond the workers themselves and their families. When our tax dollars subsidize and promote the creation of low-wage jobs rather than positions that enable workers to afford the necessities of life, there is a ripple effect throughout the economy: poorly-paid workers have less to spend in their communities, and businesses facing less consumer demand in turn hire fewer workers, stunting economic recovery. Low-paid workers also contribute less in taxes and more often need public benefits to provide for their families....From the 1931 Davis-Bacon Act onward, the idea that the federal government should be a model employer and that employees working on behalf of the public should have strong workplace protections has an extensive history in our country. The use of executive orders to improve the employment practices of companies granted federal contracts also has a long precedent. Beginning in 1941, successive presidents from both parties signed executive orders aimed at preventing employment discrimination by federal contractors. President Obamas order raising wages for companies that do business with the federal government follows this successful precedent.
If the cost of federal contracts is a concern, the spotlight should be not on the employees who will finally see a raise to $10.10 an hour, but rather on the over $21 billion a year the government spends on the pay of their bosses, the top executives at contracting firms. After Demos put a number on this subsidy of executive excess in a September report, Congress included a lower maximum pay reimbursement for contractors in its December budget deal. But even the lower cap still provides executives a roughly $234.00 an hour subsidy. When you consider that our current contracting system fuels inequality through both lavish compensation for CEOs and poverty wages for front-line workers, it becomes clear where cost-cutting efforts should be focused.
- more -
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/economy-budget/196837-executive-order-on-federal-contracting-means-real-action
By Heather C. McGhee and Amy Traub
When it comes to boosting economic opportunity, President Obama isnt going to wait for Congress anymore...the President made a powerful statement about employers obligation to reward work -- starting with his own obligation as the executive in charge of millions of federal contracts.
In a study we released last May, Demos found that nearly two million private sector employees paid with federal tax dollars through contracts, loans, grants, leases and health spending, earn wages too low to support a family. These are people working on behalf of America, doing jobs that we have decided are worthy of public fundsyet theyre being treated in a very un-American way. Thats why federal workers have been walking off the job for the last year...Now the President has taken a major step to lift up hundreds of thousands of those workers. In the process, the president will help families work their way up out of poverty and give new momentum to efforts to raise the minimum wage for everyone laboring too hard for too little in todays low-pay economy.
The truth is that preferring contractors who pay workers at least $10.10 an hour will have benefits far beyond the workers themselves and their families. When our tax dollars subsidize and promote the creation of low-wage jobs rather than positions that enable workers to afford the necessities of life, there is a ripple effect throughout the economy: poorly-paid workers have less to spend in their communities, and businesses facing less consumer demand in turn hire fewer workers, stunting economic recovery. Low-paid workers also contribute less in taxes and more often need public benefits to provide for their families....From the 1931 Davis-Bacon Act onward, the idea that the federal government should be a model employer and that employees working on behalf of the public should have strong workplace protections has an extensive history in our country. The use of executive orders to improve the employment practices of companies granted federal contracts also has a long precedent. Beginning in 1941, successive presidents from both parties signed executive orders aimed at preventing employment discrimination by federal contractors. President Obamas order raising wages for companies that do business with the federal government follows this successful precedent.
If the cost of federal contracts is a concern, the spotlight should be not on the employees who will finally see a raise to $10.10 an hour, but rather on the over $21 billion a year the government spends on the pay of their bosses, the top executives at contracting firms. After Demos put a number on this subsidy of executive excess in a September report, Congress included a lower maximum pay reimbursement for contractors in its December budget deal. But even the lower cap still provides executives a roughly $234.00 an hour subsidy. When you consider that our current contracting system fuels inequality through both lavish compensation for CEOs and poverty wages for front-line workers, it becomes clear where cost-cutting efforts should be focused.
- more -
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/economy-budget/196837-executive-order-on-federal-contracting-means-real-action
On the lower cap for maximum pay...
Varied views on new contractor-pay cap
By Josh Hicks
Federal worker unions have applauded a new limit on pay for government contractors, but one industry group has warned that the arbitrary cap will cause problems for those who do business with federal agencies.
The restriction, which came as part of the new budget deal Congress and President Obama approved last month, reduced the highest level of contractor compensation from its previous annual limit of $952,000 per individual to $487,000 per individual, a drop of nearly 49 percent.
The Professional Services Council, a group that represents the professional- and technical-services industries, said in a statement on Friday that the rule will inhibit the ability of companies to attract top talent.
<...>
The American Federation of Government Employees has argued since at least last year for lowering the limit to $230,700, which would match Vice President Bidens salary in 2013. The organization included that proposal in its list of 2014 legislative priorities.
- more -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2014/01/03/varied-views-on-new-contractor-pay-cap/
By Josh Hicks
Federal worker unions have applauded a new limit on pay for government contractors, but one industry group has warned that the arbitrary cap will cause problems for those who do business with federal agencies.
The restriction, which came as part of the new budget deal Congress and President Obama approved last month, reduced the highest level of contractor compensation from its previous annual limit of $952,000 per individual to $487,000 per individual, a drop of nearly 49 percent.
The Professional Services Council, a group that represents the professional- and technical-services industries, said in a statement on Friday that the rule will inhibit the ability of companies to attract top talent.
<...>
The American Federation of Government Employees has argued since at least last year for lowering the limit to $230,700, which would match Vice President Bidens salary in 2013. The organization included that proposal in its list of 2014 legislative priorities.
- more -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2014/01/03/varied-views-on-new-contractor-pay-cap/
Obama pushes to limit federal spending on corporate executive pay
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022927167
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Will's point is that this young man should NEVER have been sent on 10 deployments
Lydia Leftcoast
Jan 2014
#67
Yes sadly we have a society that promotes those sacrifices. Propaganda portrays being a fighting man
rhett o rick
Jan 2014
#112
but THAT doesn't give ANYONE the right to call him a "tool or prop" He wasn't forced to be there...
VanillaRhapsody
Jan 2014
#218
Honored him? By having him blown up instead of brought home like the majority has wanted since
grahamhgreen
Jan 2014
#101
Are you expecting people to change their minds for political reasons? I know I won't, I haven't
sabrina 1
Jan 2014
#229
He understands perfectly. And just for the record. The Iraq War was NOT a mistake
sabrina 1
Jan 2014
#110
Thank you Titonwan. I agree with everything you said. It is cruel to send soldiers into that
sabrina 1
Jan 2014
#227
I agree with you,MM. Remsburg was not ignored but honored. Showing him and the horrors of war
The Wielding Truth
Jan 2014
#209
Why, what do you think will happen? I will tell him what I think then. I will
sabrina 1
Jan 2014
#111
It's much easier to follow a strong leader than to think for yourself. nm
rhett o rick
Jan 2014
#192
No they did not. Airc using troops at the SOTU used to cause major OUTRAGE on Democratic forums.
sabrina 1
Jan 2014
#230
calling someone a prop denies their independent agency or is an attack on their choices
arely staircase
Jan 2014
#50
It is sickening. There has been a lot of sickening stuff around here lately. Good to see it out
sabrina 1
Jan 2014
#113
How many times are you going to drag right wing sites like Breitbart to DU? I thought
sabrina 1
Jan 2014
#237
You were calling out Breitbart? I and many others thought you were calling out a DUer!
sabrina 1
Jan 2014
#242
breitbart, fox, frerepublic etc who are saying the president is using a wounded vet as a prop
arely staircase
Jan 2014
#243
I wouldn't know, I don't frequent such vile Right Wing garbage. Rep Peter King and Sarah Palin agree
sabrina 1
Jan 2014
#245
As I said, I give no time, hits, credit to Right Wing garbage sites, why are you doing so?
sabrina 1
Jan 2014
#247
Why is the entire Republican establishment of morons on the same side as the President on
sabrina 1
Jan 2014
#251
I don't put anyone on ignore. I can stand up for what I believe in and have no fear of defending my
sabrina 1
Jan 2014
#262
Maybe he just wanted to give you the opportunity to post another not so subtle name calling OP
cui bono
Jan 2014
#275
Well said. Politicians love to get all weepy over soldiers and corpses they sent to kill and die.
Tierra_y_Libertad
Jan 2014
#25
no, he's whining because the President didn't use the soldier as a prop, because
geek tragedy
Jan 2014
#63
Cindy Sheehan is the mother of a dead soldier who died in Bush's war. You are revealing
sabrina 1
Jan 2014
#255
She is a fucking insane LaRouchie. Her being the mother of a dead soldier
geek tragedy
Jan 2014
#256
She is a grieving mother, a victim of Bush's lies. I fucking don't CARE what her politics are.
sabrina 1
Jan 2014
#258
Cindy Sheehan also has a very moving story, maybe you should read it sometime. So does every
sabrina 1
Jan 2014
#266
When DU still believed that unjust wars and liars who promoted them should be called out
Generic Other
Jan 2014
#293
Cap is being facetious, it's his or her schtick whenever Will is criticized.
great white snark
Jan 2014
#64
Well that's different then....he isn't really Capt Obvious....he is Capt. Obtuse!
VanillaRhapsody
Jan 2014
#66
Nice that this time, you used Sgt. Remsburg's name...but here's a better-written article about
msanthrope
Jan 2014
#39
Okay. I'm sorry. I was about to get all disgusted with this thread and then I saw your post
Number23
Jan 2014
#100
The people who NEED to read this, the whores who occupy Congress and Washington
DainBramaged
Jan 2014
#46
Shame you're delving into fiction now and doubling down on the hatred is deplorable.
great white snark
Jan 2014
#58
You have your opinion, I have mine which is radically different. I won't insult you but tell you I
uppityperson
Jan 2014
#65
I verge on agreeing re:Pitt. Over time, political opinion writers seem to just write to their
KittyWampus
Jan 2014
#289
The only reason I would have the draft is because that would end the war tommorrow.
marble falls
Jan 2014
#117
History shows it never has and rather than working to get congress to pass an equitable draft none
uppityperson
Jan 2014
#197
The loyalists dont recognize that rhetoric is a tool used by politicians in speeches.
rhett o rick
Jan 2014
#128
The haters are too busy spewing hatred toward whistle-blowers. Asking for
rhett o rick
Jan 2014
#195
I agree with your post and hope you didnt think I was calling you a loyalist.
rhett o rick
Jan 2014
#295
The gains? Oh that's right corporate profits are at an all time high. The Corporatists
rhett o rick
Jan 2014
#236