WaPo article today about Military Pay increase proposal by Kerry

[TayTay]

Democratic Senators Push for Military Pay Increase That Exceeds Bush's Proposal

By Stephen Barr
Tuesday, February 21, 2006; B02

Ten Democratic senators are urging the Senate Budget Committee to provide military personnel with a 2007 pay raise higher than the 2.2 percent increase proposed by the president.

The senators, in a letter organized by Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), call President Bush 's pay proposal "a paltry increase" that "neglects the value of their service and the very real challenges of recruiting and retaining an all-volunteer military in time of war."

The proposal in the president's fiscal 2007 budget, if enacted, would be the smallest pay raise for the military since 1994, the letter said.

"Our troops are sacrificing so much, in every corner of the world. Shortchanging them and the families who love them is a lousy way to say thanks," Kerry said in a statement. He pledged "to fight for a fair military pay raise until it becomes a reality."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/20/AR2006022001307_pf.html

[wisteria]

1. I like this type of coverage- it says a lot about the integrity of the man

and also shows his concerns.

[nolies32fouettes]

2. see this...and maybe post it there?

http://www.progressiveu.org/160000-how-much-does-our-government-care-about-the-veterans

It's also posted at KOS (open thread) and in GD. (support our troops)

[kerrygoddess]

3. Note the WaPo columnist to Debunk JK's letter

Steven Barr used the story in attempt to debunk JK's letter - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=2009

It's great the strory made the WaPo but read it carefully, because they only picked up on it days after the story made the rounds on the liberal blogs. The story presses the issue that thet JK's claims are wrong.

[wisteria]

4. Well, it is trying to present both sides of this issue, but it is trying

to discrediting our senators. I have to laugh at the rate of increase being based on "growth in private sector wages", when their hasn't been much movement with private sector wages. They also don't mention who received much of the pay increases since 2001. I bet it is the career officers and not the enlisted soldiers. All and all, for the average reader, they may just pick-up on the headline and first paragraph. IMO anyway.

[ProSense]

5. I agree.

And the soldiers and their families don't want to hear the excuses. I remember a story on CNN (from 2004) a pro Bush military wife complaining about pay.

[karynnj]

6. They also don't mention that with soldiers away far more

often and for longer, their families need more - I know they get more when they're on duty, but if soldiers' families need and qualify for food stamps - there's a problem.

Be suspicious when they hide the argument in terma of rate of increase. The real question is how the actual wage compares. Frankly, it doesn't sound like they are overpayed. (Maybe people heading Arabian Horse Associations are)