What's your take on the President returning a portion of his salary while Federal workers are on furlough?
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SABOTEUR (
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April 5th, 2013
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22 Answers
It’s a good public relations gesture, and it will get him a couple of headlines. Now there might be some pressure on Congress to do something similar (although I doubt it – they don’t take responsibility for the messes they make).
But is it meaningful? Not at all. Obama is a millionaire from the books he has written, so he won’t miss the 5% at all.
Politics is about show, not substance.
Eugh, I couldn’t read past how “our elected representatives” in Congress make $179,000 a year.
I just got a raise myself for the first time in 3 years… From $14,000 to $15,000 a year, before taxes. I didn’t even get a tax refund this year, because I had the audacity to win a $4000 grant for research last summer.
I’m sure it’s a noble gesture.
I’m sure the President won’t miss it.
Gesture or not, he didn’t have to do it…
…especially when you have elected officials who make decisions that negatively affect citizen’s income…
…while allowing themselves raises each and every year.
I’d like to see more such “gestures”.
Well, the cons already think that he should give back all the money he earned and some even say he should pay back double of what he made.
It’s an empty gesture, but I supose I appreciate that it is a gesture.
@ragingloli I would expect nothing different. Nothing Obama does is right from their perspective. It’s something I can’t figure out. I understand being on opposite sides of the political fence, but to be willing to hurt the country to spite one man is beyond my comprehension.
Guess I’m just naive.
@SABOTEUR
and barely a day after Roger Ebert’s death they are already foaming at their mouth at what a horrible communist he was and that they are happy that he is dead.
You’re kidding. Tell me you’re kidding.
It may be a gesture but he didn’t have to do it and 5% is somewhat significant to anyone’s pay. I applaud it and would like to see members of Congress do the same.
@ragingloli Wow. This trends repeats itself ad nauseum. It’s not enough to just dislike someone…you have to ridicule and malign their character so much that no one else likes them either. It’s like watching the Presidential election all over again. What did this guy do to be attacked so viciously?
@janbb Congress follow suit? That would be too much like supporting the President.
It’s a far more significant move politically than financially for the president. It would not even have much impact on federal spending if every single federal worker not getting furloughs followed suit, and that ain’t gonna happen.
But may I remind all my right-wing friends who say that 5% is nothing when it comes from a millionaire that you also said and actively campaigned for the presidency on the claim that raising the top marginal tax rate of 35% to 39.6% (an increase of less than 5%) was going to bankrupt the millionaire job Creators and kill jobs everywhere—the end of the world as we know it… Destroy America, that 4.6% would.
Would that Congress would follow suit.
@bookish1 I would fight fist and nail for the right of you to not have your research funding taxed!!!! Stupid and UNFAIR!
@ragingloli They didn’t send that out in the Cons email chains ....where do you get this stuff, honey child? :)
@KNOWITALL
Sodahead, where all the true conservatives meet and show their true faces.
@ragingloli LOL, that’s funny stuff right there, although I’m not sure it was meant to be.
It may score him some minor political point, demonstrating that 5% doesn’t actually change how a rich person like him lives at all.
I’d be far more impressed if he was like José Mujica who has given up 90% of his $144k annual salary.
I would be more impressed if Congress actually worked for the people instead of some political agenda, but they won’t. Let’s just continue this game of “we don’t care what Obama does…let’s criticize what he doesn’t do.”
(And no matter what the guy does, it’s never gonna be enough.)
I’d bet my paycheck that if Obama decided not to accept any pay whatsoever, he’d be accused of grandstanding.
I’m surprised the guy doesn’t throw in the towel and say to hell with you all.
@KNOWITALL Newsflash. The fact that you are not on someone’s newsletter distribution list is not prima facia evidence that the newsletter doesn’t exit.
@ETpro Did I say that? No I didn’t, and I’m tired of your ugly comments to me and others, please stop it.
My point was that not all conservatives feel the same, as everyone on fluther seems to like to insinuate or state as fact, it’s ignorant.
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