To the Telegram:
Times are tough. Many of us have friends or family who are experiencing the pain of unemployment. We know others who are under-employed - working reduced hours because of cost-cutting measures by their employers. For many of us it will be another year without a pay increase. Local unions are including wage concessions in contract negotiations. In fact, even those on Social Security felt a hit last July when the cost of living increase was repealed by the administration, the first time in decades that has happened.
Times are tough. We understand. What we do not understand is why in this dire economy did Congress not repeal its own automatic pay increase?
First of all, why is it automatic rather than voted on each year? More importantly, why was it not repealed this year? Eight times the repeal was brought to committee and eight times the repeal was rejected. Our own Dave Obey, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, did nothing to bring this repeal to the forefront. Does he have no shame? Does he not have even a shred of integrity? He could have used the repeal as a grandstand play citing "being in touch with his constituents" and "sharing their pain." But no.
He did nothing. He sat quietly by and included the raise as part of the spending bill. The average increase is $4,700. If our Social Security retirees were denied a cost of living raise, on what basis does Congressman Obey and his cohorts have for giving themselves a raise?
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Certainly, they do not consider it a pay for performance increase! This arrogance and elitism must come to an end!
For some of us, November cannot come soon enough!
Sandy Johnson,
Lake Nebagamon
