GOP Congress gives military brass whopping pay raise

[cal04]

GOP Congress gives military brass whopping pay raise, while troops on the ground gets next to nothing

Republicans in Congress have passed legislation giving some of the military's generals and admirals a whopping 8% (plus) raise come this January.

The rest of the troops, the ones who are making next to nothing, the ones whose families back in the US just barely get by, the ones who are actually risking their lives for us in Iraq - they're getting only a 2.2% raise, that would be around one-quarter of the raise the big boys are getting.

That's because George Bush and the Republicans don't give a damn about our troops (that's why they've cut veterans' funding as well). They only care about the wealthy and the connected. And if you're not a general, you ain't nothing to the Republicans running Washington (though they do love to have you at a good political rally).

For the love of God, if you're in the military, former military, or have a loved on in the service, stop voting for the Republicans. They keep screwing you and screwing you and then come election time they tell you how much they love you. They don't love you. They use you. It's time for a change.

Some real service members weigh in on Military.com

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2006/11/gop-congress-gives-military-brass.html

[Squatch]

1. Despite assessed home values climbing at rates up to 30% / yr

BAH has barely been adjusted. The Army is moving me and my family to DC, but my BAH will allow me to only a buy a house in the mid $200,000's.

Here's the official answer on BAH:

"BAH is based on rental data. Homeowners' monthly mortgage payments are not used in the computation because the monthly cash outlays of homeowners are not a good indicator of the economic costs of home ownership. (The variables needed to compute this include such difficult to measure factors as the expected appreciation in the value of the residence, the amount of down payment, the opportunity costs of interest from down payments, settlement costs, and the tax savings due to the deduction of interest payments.) Therefore, BAH reflects the current rental market conditions not the historical circumstances surrounding various mortgage loans."

[photogirl12]

2. I think that it is horrible

that our government continues to treat the men and woman who put their lives on the line everyday. But still find it within the goodness of their hearts to vote a payraise for themselves. Just doesn't seem right!

:wtf:

[NOLADEM]

3. Hush money n/t

[porphyrian]

4. Yeah, they deserve a raise for cutting veterans' benefits during wartime.

Wait, did I say raise? I meant fucking court martial.