Target Dems Back Pay Raises for Government Bureaucrats

May 28, 2010

FYI, a version of the release below went out to the following districts: John Adler (NJ-03); Jason Altmire (PA-04); Michael Arcuri (NY-24); Tim Bishop (NY-01); John Boccieri (OH-16); Leonard Boswell (IA-03); Rick Boucher (VA-09); Allen Boyd (FL-02); Dennis Cardoza (CA-18); Russ Carnahan (MO-03); Chris Carney (PA-10); Ben Chandler (KY-06); Gerry Connolly (VA-11); Jim Costa (CA-20); Joe Courtney (CT-02); Mark Critz (PA-12); Lincoln Davis (TN-04); Joe Donnelly (IN-02); Steve Driehaus (OH-01); Chet Edwards (TX-17); Alan Grayson (FL-08); John Hall (NY-19); Martin Heinrich (NM-01); Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD-AL); Baron Hill (IN-09); Jim Himes (CT-04); Steve Kagen (WI-08); Paul Kanjorski (PA-11); Marcy Kaptur (OH-09); Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15); Larry Kissell (NC-08); Ron Klein (FL-08); Frank Kratovil (MD-01); Rick Larsen (WA-02); Dan Maffei (NY-25); Betsy Markey (CO-04); Jim Matheson (UT-02); Michael McMahon (NY-13); Jerry McNerney (CA-11); Chris Murphy (CT-05); Scott Murphy (NY-20); Patrick Murphy (PA-08); Bill Owens (NY-23); Ed Perlmutter (CO-07); Tom Perriello (VA-05); Gary Peters (MI-09); Earl Pomeroy (ND-AL); Nick Rahall (WV-03); Ciro Rodriguez (TX-23); Mike Ross (AR-04); John Salazar (CO-03); Loretta Sanchez (CA-47); Mark Schauer (MI-07); Kurt Schrader (OR-05); Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01); Ike Skelton (MO-04); Zack Space (OH-18); John Spratt (SC-05); Betty Sutton (OH-13); Tim Walz (MN-01); Charlie Wilson (OH-06); David Wu (OR-01); and John Yarmuth (KY-03).

For Immediate Release: May 28, 2010
Contact: Press Office (202) 479-7070

Driehaus Backs Pay Raises for Government Bureaucrats
Ohio Democrat Blocks Effort to Trim Federal Spending in Face of Overwhelming Deficit

Washington– Steve Driehaus sent a loud and clear message about where his priorities lie this morning when he joined his party to vote against consideration of a common-sense proposal to cut spending and move the country one step closer to fiscal stability (House Roll Call 334). Republicans offered legislation to freeze an annual pay raise for federal employees, but Driehaus and his fellow Democrats tossed the measure aside in an attempt to continue their brazen spending spree with money the country doesn’t have:

“The House GOP’s YouCut program this week seeks to put next year’s proposed 1.4 percent civilian raise on the chopping block. And so far, it’s the top choice to be cut — House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., said today that 40 percent of the half-million votes cast so far this week were in favor of eliminating the 2011 raise.” (Stephen Losey, “GOP’s YouCut Targets Federal Pay Raises,” Federal Times, 5/25/10)

Driehaus’ rejection of fiscal responsibility comes just days after the national debt hit an ominous benchmark of $13 trillion. With the country sinking deep into the red, experts have declared that this massive debt is officially a drag on economic growth:

“The gross U.S. debt is approaching a level equivalent to 90 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, the level at which growth has historically declined, said Carmen Reinhart, a University of Maryland economist.

“When gross debt hits 90 percent of GDP, Reinhart told the commission during a hearing in the Capitol, growth ‘deteriorates markedly.’” (Walter Alarkon, U.S. Debt Reaches Level at Which Economic Growth Begins to Slow,” The Hill, 5/26/10)

“Steve Driehaus likes to talk about fiscal responsibility, but he just failed at making an easy choice on behalf of Ohio taxpayers,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “Instead of taking a step toward economic stability, Driehaus refused to break ranks with Nancy Pelosi by choosing to protect pay raises for government bureaucrats. It’s time for Driehaus to stop throwing away taxpayer money and start following the same rules as Ohio families who realize that responsible budgeting is a necessary way of life during these difficult times.”

When will Steve Driehaus finally realize that Washington shouldn’t follow a different set of rules than the rest of the country?

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