Members of Congress in both houses are playing the blame game. The Democrats led by President Obama want to get their grubby paws on a few more trillion dollars by raising the debt ceiling. That is money The United States would be forced to borrow. The National Debt Clock shows that we are already $14.5 Trillion in debt. That is $46, 000 for every citizen equal to $129,475 for every taxpayer.

Not once have the negotiators suggested that they themselves are to blame. They always blame someone else or the Democrats sob and cry that the Republicans want to take food and medicine from Granny or the poor children.

Our Federal government has a 2 Million-member workforce being paid on average nearly twice that paid to a non-governmental worker. Do not even think about touching the compensation paid to our fighting forces; they more than earn every penny they are paid. The latest complete table I could find was for the month of March, 2009. http://www2.census.gov/govs/apes/09fedfun.pdf

For the Month of March, the Federal payroll was $15, 105,511, 892 multiplied by 12 months equals a monstrous $ 181,266, 142,704. For a good start, the negotiators should propose an immediate compensation cut of 15% across the board, excluding the military. Such a step is not only fair but also necessary. The resulting savings would amount to approximately $ 27,189,921,405; that is 27 Billion Dollars immediately but a start, a very small but significant start.

However, to be fair, the leader of the rat pack is paid $400,000 per year; his VP receives $230,700. The Speaker of the House receives a pay package of $223,500 per year. The majority Leader of the Senate and of the House each receives $192,400. Each Senator and Representative (530) excludes leadership noted separately receives $174,000 per year. The Chief Justice is paid $223,500; Associate Justices (8) receive $213,900 per year; Judges (11) in the US Courts of Appeals are paid $184,500 per year. Federal District Judges (94) receive $174,000 per year. Cabinet members (15) receive $199, 700 per year. Total pay for the Federal leadership is $ 117,110,300 X 15%= $17, 566,545.

Grand Total in savings= $ 27, 017,566, 545 and that is just the tip of the iceberg. With a little diligent effort, I am certain more could be found.

OK, hold on a minute. Make the above-mentioned cuts for five years minimum just for starters. The savings noted above multiplied by 5 results in a savings of over $135 Billion. The figures mentioned will hardly make a dent in the 14 Trillion we owe. More cuts are required and that task is up to the Congress. No need to raise the Debt Ceiling; cut costs!

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