Republicans muscle tax cut bill through House

[James48]

6. VETO- please!

Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan, senior (D) lawmaker on the Ways and Means Committee, displayed a placard that said:

"Seniors sacrifice: $31 billion. Federal workers sacrifice: $40 billion. Unemployed Americans sacrifice: $11 billion. Millionaires and billionaires sacrifice: $0."

As a federal employee, I am not happy that this bill:

#1. Freezes my and other employees pay AGAIN for the third year straight;

#2. boosts the employee contribution from 0.8% of pay, to 4% of pay towards the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) pension;

#3 reduces the pension calculation of FERS from a High-3 to High-5 calculation, meaning a cut, on average of about 10% in the value of the pension payment;

#4. A reduction of 1% per year credit for years worked to 0.7% per year credit (pension becomes 21% of high-5 years pay, instead of 30% of high-3 pay)

#5 the elimination of the FERS supplement for retirements before age 62. (Currently, if you work over 30 years, you could retire as early as age 57, and receive 30% of your high-three years pay, plus a small supplement until Social Security kicks in at age 62.)


Sure, make me pay. And don't go bothering those millionaires and billionaires. They already pay enough, right?

What about "shared sacrifice?"