Pay reductions for Government Employees

Government employees salaries continually grow unfairly even during down times, while private sector employees face reductions in pay. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that federal employees in occupations that exist in both the public and private sectors made an average salary of $67,691 in 2008, USA Today reports. The per capita personal income in the United States was $39,138, down from $39,392 two years earlier, according to data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis in March of 2010.

The per capita personal income in the Unites States shrunk by more than half a percentage point, or $254 a year, from 2007 through 2009, according to the U.S. Dept. of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis.

And, members of the House and Senate saw their salaries go up by more than 5 percent, or $8,800, from the time the recession began through 2009, according to the federal government. The Congress pay figures do not include the generous perks and health benefits provided to lawmakers.

Benefits and other compensations are rarely reported as part of the compensatory package received by government employees. Government data shows federal workers received benefits valued at $40,785, compared with benefits valued at $9,882 for private sector workers. *March 5, 2010 3:27 PM "Does the Government Pay More than the Private Sector?" By Stephanie Condon CBS News

Considering cutbacks within NASA and the space program, engineers within the US government continue to benefit, while in the private sector where most engineering jobs have moved overseas, engineers now make less than $25-$35/hour, versus $48/hour in 2009 . For instance, those employed by the US petroleum and natural gas industry had a median income of $120,000, and engineers in communications services made $115,576. Those working in the US transportation services industry had a median income of $87,000. Meanwhile, private sector workers in those occupations made $60,046. *March 5, 2010 3:27 PM Does the Government Pay More than the Private Sector? By Stephanie Condon CBS News

Earnings for federal political offices are as follows:
Congress Members (Representatives and Senators): $174,000 Senate and House Majority/Minority Leaders: $193,400
Cabinet Members: $199,700
Speaker of the House: $223,500
Vice President: $230,700
President: $400,000

According to PayScale.com, the median earnings for people in the US between the ages of 55-64 (which is the median age of US Congress and Cabinet members) who hold at least a bachelor's degree and work full-time is $73,700. This income is far below what Congress and Cabinet members earn. Those with the biggest pay boosts are the 31 senators and representatives who have only a high school diploma, certificate or associate’s degrees. Others earning more than expected are the 13 members of Congress with master’s degrees in social work, education, or divinity.

Twenty three million Americans are unemployed in 2012., Nearly 10% of American households are hungry.Young adults age 25-34, living with their parents, had an official poverty rate of 8.4 percent, but if their poverty status were determined using their own income, 45.3 percent had an income below the poverty threshold for a single person under age 65. *US Census Bureau

We want our US elected officials to put in place a bill that regulates government pay and compensation to match that of the private sector. The upward increase of salaries by those employed by federal and state agencies is bankrupting the country in much the same way as California's retirement pensions have bankrupted the state. Three million employees at an average of $67,000 reaches an annual debt of
$201,000,000,000 (two hundred and one billion) dollars. Remember, this is not the governments money to spend on itself, but should be used to rebuild our infrastructure and economy!