Comment by Dale — July 30, 2007 @ 12:44 pm

How much do you think it costs just to live in Washington? I would bet that answering the phones, diving into the mail bag, and logging and reporting all of the gifts and crap that come into the White House is a huge job…boring, soul-sucking thankless work at that.

Comment by Master Shake

Unless you can’t even afford a raft. Then it’s just “Sorry, but you’ll have to swim! Do watch out for the sharks.”

Comment by missmolly

At a minimum, staff should be getting a true cost of living increase that would allow their salaries to be constant, which was the point of the article. Some White House staff (at the top of the scale) get significant increases while the frontline staff isn’t getting enough to keep up with inflation. It’s a simple matter of fairness.

Comment by Dale — July 30, 2007 @ 12:44 pm

The cost of living in Washington DC is about 50 to 60% above the national average. So the phone answerer at the White House is able to support a lifestyle in Washington that about $20,000 would buy in middle America. Admittedly this is higher than minimum wage, but I doubt they’re living large.

And how much is the Congress getting extra this year?

http://infowars.com/articles/us/congress_membes_give_themselves_pay_raise.htm

Looks to be about $4,400

Dale, you have a habit of changing an original posting’s words to craft a lame strawman argument. He didn’t say it was “objectionable.” He said it was possibly a “waste of time.” I understand his position. Often with trolls around here, you can present factual data and they simply ignore it and continue with their narrative.

Does anyone else here think it’s a waste of time to back up our ‘claims’ with verifiable facts for the benefit of some idiot trolls?

Comment by Eggeggious — July 30, 2007 @ 1:31 pm

AND if you are so concerned with income disparity, why you schill for a criminal like Edwards?”

I would like you to offer some proof to your assertion that the less fortunate are better off today than under Clinton. Poverty rates have been climbing for 6 years now after dropping every year for 8 years during Clinton. Most middle-class working pay has dropped or has been stagnant for the last 6 years. College costs and healthcare costs have risen at 4 to 5 times the rate of inflation. I’m not sure why you would even try to make your argument unless it’s just something you’re pulling out of your ass.

And, please. What crime has John Edwards committed? Is it the crime of being a self-made wealthy man and then continuing to care and argue in behalf of those less fortunate than he is? I call that a sign of good character. Are you so sick and perverted inside that you can’t even imagine a wealthy man caring about the poor?

Does anyone else here think it’s a waste of time to back up our ‘claims’ with verifiable facts for the benefit of some idiot trolls?

Comment by Eggeggious — July 30, 2007 @ 1:31 pm

Not at all… so who’s going to distinguish the trolls from the non-trolls? Will we take a test to determine who’s who? What’s to stop someone from posting under an assumed name?

What’s so objectional about having facts to back up your positions?

The largest tax increase in history on working people in America was brought to you by Ronald Reagan in 1983.

This year, Dems are talking about recinding the top marginal rate cuts in the last round of Bush tax cuts. Unless you make over $400K a year, this won’t affect you a bit.

AND if you are so concerned with income disparity, why you schill for a criminal like Edwards?

Um, no Dale. I posted nothing about silencing anyone. What I said was that if religion was going to get involved with politics, religion needs to pay taxes. That goes for all religion in my book, left or right.