Read more @:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/04/u...cuts-obama-to-return-of-part-of-pay.html?_r=0
Hey i guess thats pretty humble and pretty cool :shrug:[/FONT][/COLOR]
Few thoughts on this...
In a general sense, good on the president. A fine gesture and one the congress..both parties...don't seem willing to make. As a federal employee I haven't really complained about my pay being frozen, reorganizations going on, furloughs, etc....but one thing that HAS bothered me is that each time there's a threat of those things happening, or ACTUALLY happening, congress sits there and gives themselves a raise. So I can appreciate him doing this.
In a political strategy sense, this is a smart move and a no-brainer. He doesn't really need that money given what he gained off his books and what history shows he'll be able to gain after the Presidency. At the same time, it looks like a wonderful frugal selfless gesture. Though I would say he probably should've gone higher than 5%.
(EDIT - Looking at this thread, looks like my political instints may be off a bit on this one. Wow. Though perhaps it will play differently to the every day person out and about)
In an actual nuts and bolts sense, that's nice and all but I'm kind of like Wiseone. Some actual solutions and efforts at finding the best way through this, not just telling us how horrible it will be and then agencies making sure that it's horrible, would be nicer. Especially since this somewhat feels like a cheap attempt to go "I feel ya bro" to all us Federal Workers while ignoring the trips to Hawaii or to Atlantis he and his family can make on the public dime, the golf outings and various celebrity interactions he has, etc. In a lot of ways its the same as when Rodger Goodell took a "$1" salary during the lockout...and made sure to publicize that fact quite a bit, like he was really giving something significant up.
It doesn't help that we routinely here how the money the "top 1%" has lets them suffer a tax hike without really "feeling it" where a normal person would be hurting.....and then watch the President's spin men come out and say he's taking a 5% hit as a move "in solidarity" to federal works who may be missing entire paychecks.
So there's a mixed reaction to this in me. I can respect the action itself, I can respect the political machinations going on, but I can also very much dislike the attempt to utilize it as a political tool and the disingenuous nature of the message.