@TBPInvictus here:
On Presidents Day, it is noteworthy that the current President feels compelled to cap the salaries of those employees who work for the government, who perform duties in the national interest, and operate essential services for the benefit of the nation.
Salary increases limited to 1% annually. That ought to teach the Deep State!
Read Trump’s February 11 tweet below and try to reconcile it with the Feb 10 excerpt from a White House transmittal to Congress the day before.
Trump tells us — constantly and incessantly — that he has created the “best economy in history.” Let’s ignore the fact that he inherited a robust GFC recovery from Obama, and then temporarily goosed it with an unfunded trillion dollar tax cut that never got us over 3% GDP on a sustainable basis, and which has since worn off, leaving us at a 2% or so GDP.
While we’re all enjoying the greatest economy ever, could he possibly – unilaterally, no less – cut the proposed pay increases (to 1.0%) for the nation’s Federal employees?
I don’t profess to have any other answer than that the man is a stone-cold hypocrite and liar. I’m open to other possibilities.
BEST USA ECONOMY IN HISTORY!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2020
The previous day, February 10, 2020 (emphasis mine):
I am transmitting an alternative plan for pay adjustments for civilian Federal employees covered by the General Schedule and certain other pay systems in January 2021.
Title 5, United States Code, authorizes me to implement alternative plans for pay adjustments for civilian Federal employees covered by the General Schedule and certain other pay systems if, because of “national emergency or serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare,” I view the increases that would otherwise take effect as inappropriate.
[…]
We must maintain efforts to put our Nation on a fiscally sustainable course; Federal agency budgets cannot sustain such increases. Accordingly, I have determined that it is appropriate to exercise my authority to set alternative pay adjustments for 2021 pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5303(b) and 5 U.S.C. 5304a.
Specifically, I have determined that for 2021 the across-the-board base pay increase will be limited to 1.0 percent and locality pay percentages will remain at their 2020 levels. This alternative pay plan decision will not materially affect our ability to attract and retain a well‑qualified Federal workforce.
This is rank hypocrisy. I don’t know who else is flagging this, but:
In the “greatest economy ever,” Trump is limiting Federal pay raises because of “national emergency or serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare.”
You literally cannot make this stuff up. pic.twitter.com/ZkYXNWYto5
— Invictus (@TBPInvictus) February 11, 2020
Greatest. Economy. Ever.
