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Lit Apropos of Nothing - ACKBAR IN CAPITALS - The Lit Forum Social Thread, v2.0.15

Discussion in 'Literature' started by Master_Keralys, Jan 1, 2009.

Thread Status:: Not open for further replies.

Page 346 of 1007

AdmiralWesJanson Force Ghost

Registered:

May 23, 2005

GrandAdmiralJello said: ↑

I keep hearing that -- but I don't think people realize that congressional pay is not part of the yearly federal budget appropriation, but is part of a separate appropriation. The suggestion that you offer -- that Congress not be classed as essential -- would mean that were congressional pay to be part of the standard appropriation, it would be illegal for them to work. If they did not work, they could never pass a budget.

There have been several attempts over the years to tie Congressional salaries to the timely passage of a budget, but that is a provision in a separate law that triggers when the budget isn't passed and not part of the budget itself. Furthermore, the 27nd Amendment would require any changes to Congressional pay to take effect in a following session, meaning that it is utterly irrelevant to the situation at hand.
Click to expand...

No need to get pedantic. It's an expression of frustration with the partisan crap that creates unnecessary gridlock, not a policy statement.

AdmiralWesJanson, Oct 1, 2013

#8626
CooperTFN TFN EU Staff Emeritus VIP

Registered:

Jul 8, 1999

Oh, I think most of the people who say it really believe it.

CooperTFN, Oct 1, 2013

#8627

GrandAdmiralJello likes this.
The Loyal Imperial Manager Emeritus VIP - Former Mod/RSA

Registered:

Nov 19, 2007

CooperTFN said: ↑

Oh, I think most of the people who say it really believe it.
Click to expand...

It's definitely been put forth as a serious proposal.

The Loyal Imperial, Oct 1, 2013

#8628
Gorefiend Chosen One

Registered:

Oct 23, 2004

So since I just had a marathon sitting to finish Breaking Bad, totally worth it btw., any other shows currently worth watching, preferable ones that are finished or just finishing so one can watch them in one go?

Gorefiend, Oct 1, 2013

#8629
GrandAdmiralJello Comms Admin ❉ Moderator Communitatis Litterarumque Staff Member Administrator

Registered:

Nov 28, 2000

Yeah, there are a lot of people proposing ridiculous things as if they know what they're talking about, or as if what works in the business world would work there. Many of them involve Congressional pay, as if congressmen were working men and women whose primary concern was around their compensation... I guarantee that they have other, more lucrative sources of income than their federal salary

But my favorite is where someone said like "Congress should have merit-based pay, then I guarantee they'd have a 500% increase in efficiency!" There are so many things wrong with that one that I don't even know where to begin.

GrandAdmiralJello , Oct 1, 2013

#8630

jSarek likes this.
anakinfansince1983 Skywalker Saga/LFL/YJCC Manager Staff Member Manager

Registered:

Mar 4, 2011

From my perspective as a government employee, it seems that there are a lot of little pots of money and that each little pot must be allotted and voted upon separately, which does seem really inefficient. It gets frustrating when I only have two dollars per student to spend on books but other departments have more than they need due to each allotment having to be dealt with separately although the money comes from the same source.

As far as the shutdown, I'm glad my Dad got out of the Coast Guard when he did and took a civilian job so he doesn't rely on that pension as his sole source of income.

anakinfansince1983 , Oct 1, 2013

#8631
CooperTFN TFN EU Staff Emeritus VIP

Registered:

Jul 8, 1999

PS, I still have to do court filings because it's the county courthouse not the federal one GOD DAMN IT.

CooperTFN, Oct 1, 2013

#8632
MercenaryAce Chosen One

Registered:

Aug 10, 2005

I do have to admit I find it rather silly that Congress gets to decide its own pay.

I mean, I understand why they did it, as English Kings used their control of Parliament's pay to shut down opposition at times, but the negative effects seem rather obvious.

...Course, I am not really sure who should decide their pay then.

MercenaryAce, Oct 1, 2013

#8633
GrandAdmiralJello Comms Admin ❉ Moderator Communitatis Litterarumque Staff Member Administrator

Registered:

Nov 28, 2000

Yeah, that was the biggest problem with that dude's merit suggestion. Forget the insane metric of deciding what merit is, but whomever got to decide Congress's merit pay would become more powerful than lobbyists ever were

GrandAdmiralJello , Oct 1, 2013

#8634
Jedi Ben Chosen One

Registered:

Jul 19, 1999

Trust me, having your reps set their own pay and claim expenses on "honourable grounds" alone is a disaster.

I know of what I speak!

Jedi Ben, Oct 1, 2013

#8635
Lugija Jedi Grand Master

Registered:

Oct 3, 2009

I may have watched the new Hobbit trailer a few too many times, but... can't we just shoot black arrows at the problem?

Lugija, Oct 1, 2013

#8636

Barriss_Coffee, Gorefiend and anakinfansince1983 like this.
Jedi Ben Chosen One

Registered:

Jul 19, 1999

Lugija said: ↑

I may have watched the new Hobbit trailer a few too many times, but... can't we just shoot black arrows at the problem?
Click to expand...

"It's a million to one chance, it might just work"
"What if it's not?"
"What if it's a 999,999 to 2 chance?"

Jedi Ben, Oct 1, 2013

#8637

blackmyron and anakinfansince1983 like this.
blackmyron Chosen One

Registered:

Oct 29, 2005

Fortunately, I'm State government, so all I have to do is field questions about whether we're shut down. (Answer: we're not)

blackmyron, Oct 1, 2013

#8638

anakinfansince1983 likes this.
Barriss_Coffee Chosen One

Registered:

Jun 29, 2003

Lugija said: ↑

I may have watched the new Hobbit trailer a few too many times, but... can't we just shoot black arrows at the problem?
Click to expand...

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!!!!!! I had completely forgotten this was supposed to come out today. Thanks for reminding me -- I'm off (on an internet adventure) to find it!

EDIT: AWESOME!!! I much watch it again immediately. I'm surprised they'll have enough to do a third film after this -- the Battle of the Five Armies looks like it was practically underway already.

Barriss_Coffee, Oct 1, 2013

#8639
jacktherack Jedi Master

Registered:

Mar 19, 2008

Oh are we talking about Lord of the rings/The hobbit? *Yawn*
Wake me up when the discussion is over. Or when you start talking about about one his good films, Like Braindead/Dead Alive

jacktherack, Oct 1, 2013

#8640
instantdeath Jedi Grand Master

Registered:

Jul 22, 2010

jacktherack said: ↑

Oh are we talking about Lord of the rings/The hobbit? *Yawn*
Wake me up when the discussion is over. Or when you start talking about about one his good films, Like Braindead/Dead Alive
Click to expand...

instantdeath, Oct 1, 2013

#8641

Ulicus likes this.
Trip Force Ghost

Registered:

Dec 7, 2003

lol philippa boyens gtfo w/ ur legolas/oc fic

Trip, Oct 1, 2013

#8642
krtmd Jedi Master

Registered:

Sep 5, 2012

Having a paid legislature is the only way "average people" could ever do it. I realize that most who do it these days are most likely wealthy or upper middle class simply because of the way our system has gone, but yeah, it's kind of important that it be possible for someone to be a Representative or a Senator as their job.

It's just too bad that it has come to this. I know many fine people who are furloughed right now. Folks who have already suffered under sequester and pay increase freezes. You all are very polite here in Lit. It's a jungle out there in Facebook land.

krtmd, Oct 1, 2013

#8643

Barriss_Coffee and anakinfansince1983 like this.
Lazy Storm Trooper Jedi Master

Registered:

Sep 18, 2012

It would be nice if you all could vote or something:
http://boards.theforce.net/threads/game-of-the-month-october-2013.50015439/#post-51032993

Lazy Storm Trooper, Oct 1, 2013

#8644
GrandAdmiralJello Comms Admin ❉ Moderator Communitatis Litterarumque Staff Member Administrator

Registered:

Nov 28, 2000

Don't spamvertise, dude.

GrandAdmiralJello , Oct 1, 2013

#8645
anakinfansince1983 Skywalker Saga/LFL/YJCC Manager Staff Member Manager

Registered:

Mar 4, 2011

krtmd said: ↑

Having a paid legislature is the only way "average people" could ever do it. I realize that most who do it these days are most likely wealthy or upper middle class simply because of the way our system has gone, but yeah, it's kind of important that it be possible for someone to be a Representative or a Senator as their job.

It's just too bad that it has come to this. I know many fine people who are furloughed right now. Folks who have already suffered under sequester and pay increase freezes. You all are very polite here in Lit. It's a jungle out there in Facebook land.
Click to expand...

I only looked at my Facebook feed once today. Looking again would involve copious amounts of wine.

anakinfansince1983 , Oct 1, 2013

#8646

Barriss_Coffee likes this.
Barriss_Coffee Chosen One

Registered:

Jun 29, 2003

Barriss_Coffee, Oct 1, 2013

#8647

Lazy Storm Trooper and anakinfansince1983 like this.
Lazy Storm Trooper Jedi Master

Registered:

Sep 18, 2012

Wow. Best RT Podcast ever.

Language Warning:

Lazy Storm Trooper, Oct 1, 2013

#8648
Gorefiend Chosen One

Registered:

Oct 23, 2004

Gorefiend, Oct 2, 2013

#8649

Barriss_Coffee and Ulicus like this.
Ulicus Lapsed Moderator VIP - Former Mod/RSA

Registered:

Jul 24, 2005

THE FOGGY WINDOW IN ACTION!

Ulicus , Oct 2, 2013

#8650

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