Government Workers and the Six Figure Question

An article came out in the Federal Times a couple of days ago questioning the salaries of government workers who made over a $100,000. Apparently a couple of Republican Senators, Scott Brown of Massachusetts and Joe Barton of Texas have a problem with rank and file government workers who make over six figures. I have to agree that $100,000 is above average, but if you live in one of the major metropolitan areas where most of our Federal Government Offices are located, a $100,000 ain't a heck of a lot of money.

Now then, these Republican Senators that I speak of are the ones responsible for our speedy economic recovery, right? I don't hear any forthcoming responses. Let's examine something. Their suggestion is that we should go even further and slash those same bloated salaries. Let me workshop this one for a moment, because I may fit in the class of people my hasty lawmakers refer to.

Ok cool, I get my salary cut. Now instead of going out and buying that shiny new fire engine red Chevrolet Tahoe I had my eye on, I tighten my belt and decide I won't get a car. After all, it's hard economic times. Besides, I live in the city and I might as well not have a car and take public transportation. So now Honest Joe, the salesman at Moe and Joe Motors, has made one less sale. Instead of taking his kid out to Chucky Cheese to get some pizza, he stays home and makes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I don't even want to talk about the auto worker who won't be making that extra truck and the fact that he's going to miss the next mortgage payment on that ramshackle abode he lives in, in beautiful Flint, Michigan.

Listen, I work for the Federal Government. Anybody that thinks my job is like taking up residence at the local country club is dead wrong. Yes, we actually work pretty darn hard for our money. It's not like we are a bunch of slack jawed automatons. I am not complaining. The money is pretty decent, but we do work for it. Here's a thought Senators:

If we should have a little extra money lying around, chances are that we might spend it and stimulate an economy that is kind of cruddy right now. After all, if nobody isn't spending any money then we are not going to get out of the mess that your party was actually responsible for.