Bush's Merit Pay Plan Is Stalled in Congress

[Khephra]

Bush's Merit Pay Plan Is Stalled in Congress

By Christopher Lee
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, November 3, 2003; Page A17


It looks as though the White House has failed to get the job done this year in promoting its proposed Human Capital Performance Fund.

The fund, announced early this year as part of President Bush's 2004 budget plan, was supposed to provide $500 million that agencies could tap to award higher raises to their best workers. Officials explained that the fund would help fix a "broken" compensation system in which most federal pay raises are determined by longevity rather than performance.

"The federal pay system has been in a time warp for over 50 years," Mark W. Everson, then the deputy director for management at the Office of Management and Budget, said in January. "The president is committed to fixing it."

MORE...............

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54728-2003Nov2.html

[radfringe]

1. if this ever passes

can we give Baghdad Bush a HUGE paycut for failure to perform?

errrr... or maybe he should have a raise for exceeding expectations, because in my opinion he has exceeded my expectations on just how much he would f*#k things up
:evilgrin:

[Vitruvius]

2. In industry, "merit" means "political merit" -- management passes out

the big bucks to themselves and their cronies. And nobody else.

If passed, Bu$h's "merit pay" will be a slush fund to reward deserving Rethugnican hacks working for the government. All at the expense of the taxpayer.

The civil service system was created to stop this kind of corruption.

But if anything can be corrupted, Bu$h will try and corrupt it.

Vitruvius

P.S: Remember Colleen Rowley? The FBI higher-up who blocked her investigation (that might have prevented 9/11) got a special merit award -- signed by Bu$h. If you LIHOP, Bu$h will pay you well...

That's "merit pay", Bu$h style.

[Divernan]

3. Program designed to promise GOP appointees much higher income

You give big bucks to the Bush campaign and not only will one of your undeserving and inexperienced kids or relatives get a high level appointment, or be hired by a political appointee, but nudge, nudge, wink, wink, forget about that GS level limit on range of salaries - they'll be getting another 30 per cent or so in the form of a "special merit award" or "merit" raise".

Civil servants have traditionally worked for noticeably less than their private industry counterparts, in exchange for job security and good benefits. There's also been a tradition of pride in public service. I liked it like that.

[Livadia]

4. if the above posters are correct

It would seem that George II is trying to set up his own Ba'ath party.

Rummy must have learned him a few things he picked up in Baghdad.

[TahitiNut]

5. Welcome to DU, Livadia.

:hi: Yes, it's typical for 'personality cults' to empower sycophants to throw candy to the hoi polloi from their passing limousines. It emphasizes the authoritarian culture when the boss (from whom all blessings flow?) distributes goodies from on-high.