The FAA funding extension, once again before congress, presents an ideal opportunity for a bi-partisan resolution addressing the big government/streamline process that the President stated was needed.
With 4,000 workers furloughed over an extended period of time and no planes falling from the sky or airports shutting down, there is obvious redundancy within the FAA.
By ‘streamlining’ and permanently furloughing just half of the 4K workers not missed would not only aid the President in attaining what he said was needed but more importantly aid the American taxpayer.
Not to mention creating a prototype demonstrating how streamlining and consolidation within the government is done. It’s a small step but nonetheless a step.
Numbers behind a FAA 2 thousand-worker cut:
Average Salary Per Year $80K X 2000= $160 million
Benefits (Healthcare)/year $3K X 2000= $6 million
Savings over 10 years $1.66 Billion
Pension (70% salary $56K/yr over 15 years)= $112 million X 15yrs = $1.68 Billion
So bingo, there you have it. By ‘streamlining’ just one mid-size government agency the total savings reaped over 10 years exceeds the President’s savings plan ‘streamlining’ the entire government by $334 million. It’s also a deal he can’t refuse lest expose the fact he really wants to cut nothing.
This is just one goldmine the taxpayer can claim among thousands. Many are also far, far larger than the FAA.
The average taxpayer needs to never forget that when raising the debt limit was being fought over, it was Social Security and Military checks that were not going to be sent out.. Not a peep over civilian government employee checks including Congress and the President’s. Of course, as a safety net, a Super Committee was formed, that true to form did nothing so now we’re back at square one only a trillion and a half is already gone and they’re back begging for more. Sad but truth be told, excluding IOU’s there are more assets in Federal Government pension funds than there is in the Social Security trust.
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