In trying to cut Federal Deficit, Obama and Legislators grow fat on Moral Deficit

President Obama has announced a salary freeze for "most" civilian federal workers for two years. Based on the data, it appears that the average salary for federal workers is in the $65,000-$70,000 range. This appears to be rather high. The Senators are celebrating the move. "Republicans cheered the pay freeze while noting that some of them had called for such a move for months. “We are pleased that President Obama appears ready to join our efforts,” said Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia, the incoming Republican majority leader...NY Times.

On the other hand, it is interesting to see the salaries of Senators in recent history.

From 2008 to 2009 the salary increased from $169.3K to $174K, an increase of 2.78%, at a time when millions of Americans lost their jobs and many millions had wages decimated.

From 2000 to 2009, the Senators' salaries went up by more than 23%, or at a compound annual rate of more than 2.34%. This during the time when Bush and these politicians were calling for sacrifices.

Are all Legislators forgoing their raises? Are they taking pay cuts, to reduce the deficit?

1992 -- $129,500 per annum

1993 -- $133,600 per annum

1994 -- $133,600 per annum

1995 -- $133,600 per annum

1996 -- $133,600 per annum

1997 -- $133,600 per annum

1998 -- $136,700 per annum

1999 -- $136,700 per annum

2000 -- $141,300 per annum

2001 -- $145,100 per annum

2002 -- $150,000 per annum

2003 -- $154,700 per annum

2004 -- $158,100 per annum

2005 -- $162,100 per annum

2006 -- $165,200 per annum

2007 -- $165,200 per annum

2008 -- $169,300 per annum

2009 -- $174,000 per annum

Federal Pay Freeze: Obama Administration Announces Plan To Freeze Salaries Of Federal Employees: "The Obama administration announced on Monday an ambitious plan to freeze the salaries of federal employees for two years in an effort to address massive deficits and get a handle on the country's unsustainable fiscal path.

The proposal calls for a two-year pay freeze that would save the country $28 billion in the next five years and $60 billion over the coming decade. It would be applied to all civilian federal employees, including those at the Pentagon, but not to military personnel"

Obama Orders Pay Freeze for Federal Employees - NYTimes.com: "The pay freeze Mr. Obama announced wiped out plans for a 1.4 percent across-the-board raise in 2011 for 2.1 million federal civilian employees, including those working at the Defense Department, and it would mean no raise in 2012. The freeze would not affect the nation’s uniformed military personnel, and civilian workers who are promoted would still receive the higher pay that comes with the higher grade or position.

The move would save $2 billion in the 2011 fiscal year that ends Sept. 30 and $5 billion by the end of two fiscal years. Over 10 years, it would save $60 billion, according to Jeffrey Zients, deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget and the government’s chief performance officer."