Memo to the White House

Senior Correspondent Mike Causey is from the keyboard. While he’s gone, we present “The Most Popular Federal Reports of the Year”. This column was originally published on January 26th. sk

The decision to freeze salaries for highly paid ($100,000 and up) White House political staffers got people’s attention. Many applaud it. Others think it is a political stunt.

One former Clinton administration official said this action, impacting new political appointees, is further proof “that the Democrats eat their young.”

But the action got the attention of federal workers whose jobs and pay, so far, have been immune from the country’s housing/financial sector/job meltdown. Last week, in a column titled “Things to Come“, we asked career civil servants what they expect from the Obama administration. Here’s what some of you said:

• “Millions of private sector and local government folks have been laid off, furloughed, lost benefits, had their pay cut/frozen…. while the feds have been totally unaffected by the recession. I think President Obama’s action to freeze the salary of his senior staff was the right thing to do and it should get the attention of all feds who on the average are making a lot more than the private sector.” Steve
• “The hype given the White House pay freeze puzzles me. It’s a good sound bite, but it will have no practical effect… Maybe I’m missing something here, but politicians of all stripes are adept at playing such games, which is how this ploy strikes me anyway. Just sign me as “Perplexed, bothered, and bewildered”
• “I’m in my 35th year as a fed and have been thru many administration changes. Each President (and his administration, oh how I wish I could have said HER administration) brings a different ‘taste’ (if you will) to our Federal Gov’t. I don’t know what President Obama has in store but I know this… he will be my last administration change as I’ll retire in 2012. The past few years have been so negative for our country and government and I feel anything he does will be better. I hope the next (and my last 3.5) years will be ones of positive change and hope for our country and government. ” JLN, USDA
• “President Kennedy brought a level of pride to public service that I can only hope President Obama can emulate. President Kennedy stated ‘let public service be a proud and lively career. And let every man and woman who works in any area of our national government, in any branch, at any level be able to say with pride and honor in future years; ‘I served the United States government in that hour of our nation’s need.” The role of a federal employee began to greatly diminish under President Reagan whose joke line was always ‘I’m from the government, I’m here to help you.’ The Bush administration carried the federal employee to an all time low blaming every ill that plagued the country on scores of incompetent federal employees on the government payroll. That mantra served as the crux of his ill-fated campaign to try to push pay-for-performance throughout government. President Obama has repeatedly called for our country’s younger generation to step up to public service… If President Obama is going to restore that level of pride to public service that was so visible during the JFK years, he would be well advised to keep the scores of federal employee unions who campaigned so passionately on his behalf placated. I believe he is a man of his word and that he will value the role of the federal employee. Will federal employees see large pay raises? Likely not… but who in America will. The days of believing that free markets are disciplined, self regulating and do not require government intervention are over. It was an experiment that was tried and failed due to corporate greed. If better government is the solution, then the Obama administration must make government service an attractive career.” Gary
• “Since 1965 I have been either a college student, on active duty in the military (from which I am retired), or a civil service employee. As the Presidents come and go the one constant is the fact that they are politicians first and foremost. Politicians say what they have to say to get elected, and do what they have to do to get re-elected. It saddens me to think in these terms as I then have to think of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln as politicians. And when I do their stature is reduced in my mind. My father was drafted into the Army in World War II, went to Europe, and says it is the best thing ever to happen to him – aside from my mother. Thereafter he was a civil servant with Uncle Sam until his retirement in 1979. Over the years I would discuss changes in the Federal Government with him. He saw a lot, and I continue to see a lot. I fear the ultimate answer to your question as to what to expect this Administration to do to, or to do for, us as Civil Servants is a saying my father picked up many years ago: ‘Same whore – different dress!'” Mike in San Diego

Nearly Useless Factoid
by Suzanne Kubota

Women hit nails on the head more frequently when in light, but in the dark, men pound them better.

To reach me: mcausey@federalnewsradio.com

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