Name: David
Period: D
Current Event Posting #2
Topic: Leaders (national)
Title: Amid Deficit Fears, Obama Freezes Pay
Writers: Peter Baker and Jackie Calmes
Publication Name: NY Times
Date of Publication: 11-29-10
Length: 1,192 words
URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/30/us/politics/30freeze.html?_r=1&ref=us
President Obama announced on Monday that he is in favor of a pay freeze for federal workers for at least two years. His goal is to save government money and try to limit the national debt that is currently growing extremely fast. If the plan is adopted and kept for ten years, there is a potential for the government to save over $60 billion, although right now it is only a two year plan. Obama’s pay freeze will eliminate a 1.4 percent pay increase for 2.1 million federal workers, and there will be no pay raise in 2012. However, this plan does not affect the military wages, which will continue the same way they have been. This issue is sure to be on the agenda this week for the House and Senate, who will have a say in the matter. The issue is very controversial because the debt was over $1 trillion in the past two years. The amount of money that the government will save with Obama’s two year plan is only $5 billion, just a fraction of the national debt. Many people opposing the plan think that it will not have any significance in the long run because it is such a small proportion of the debt. However, the plan looks fairly promising because many Republicans have been supporting this pay freeze for months, and if Obama can win support of both parties it should be passed relatively soon.
In conclusion, Obama is trying to take steps to help minimize the national debt that is growing at an immense rate. This shows that although nothing has worked extremely well yet, the national debt and government spending is one of the government’s top priorities. Everyone is in favor of eliminating the debt, but some people just don’t think that Obama’s two year plan is a good way of doing it. Obama’s plan may be passed very soon if the House and Senate are in favor of it, and could take effect this year.
I think the entire governement could do with a little less money. I think they should still be able to complete their jobs without getting that one bonous. This is economicaly wise of Obama.
ReplyDeletei think that this was a smart move, though federal workers wont be too happy, at least he is trying to do something to cut the national debt. though this would only dent it, it is a huge leap forward
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