Did Bush and the GOP succeed in cutting the pay raise for troops in harm's way that Dems wanted to give them?

Question

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/05/military_whitehouse_opposeraise_070516w/
White House opposes 3.5 percent pay raise
Troops don’t need bigger pay raises, White House budget officials said Wednesday in a statement of administration policy laying out objections to the House version of the 2008 defense authorization bill.

The Bush administration had asked for a 3 percent military raise for Jan. 1, 2008, enough to match last year’s average pay increase in the private sector. The House Armed Services Committee recommends a 3.5 percent pay increase for 2008, and increases in 2009 through 2012 that also are 0.5 percentage point greater than private-sector pay raises.

Answer 1

Wouldn't a pay raise support the troops? Isn't Bush than not supporting the troops?

Answer 2

You have to be kidding me, I served for 20 years in the military and Democrats would always give us the lowest pay raises. If we got 3.5% we were lucky. It was never set at the rate of inflation and i recall Democrats telling us we were setting a "good example" for the private sector by taking a lower than normal increase.( Of course they would give themselves a far higher pay raise) If Gore or Kerry was in office the military would be getting the same or lower increase and the libs would be happy to spend much more handing out benefits to Illegals.

Answer 3

initially, I strongly help the three.5% improve. whether, earlier I pay attention to all the President Bush bashers, i think of a short historic previous lesson touching directly to militia pay is so as. you're needless to say too youthful to undergo in strategies it so i'm going to enlighten you. In 1944, a private grow to be making $50.00 a month or $six hundred a 300 and sixty 5 days. In 1970, the pay had risen to $124.50 a month. under President Nixon, the pay of a private grow to be raised to $288.00 by 1972. Then, we had Jimmy Carter. on a similar time as inflation grow to be working at 15% or extra, President Carter and the Democratic celebration ruled Congress concept that 4.5% - 5% pay will improve have been sufficient for the militia. by the point Ronald Reagan grew to become President, the hollow between militia and civilian pay grow to be between 18% and 21%, in keeping with which figures have been used. Pay went up in 1982 by 14% and President Reagan grow to be customarily in charge for that improve. Over the subsequent 17 years, will improve for the militia have been capped 12 of those years and by 1998, had grown to 13.5%. commencing up in 2000, Congress finally took action to improve militia pay, giving the militia one extra .5% improve over annual value of residing. the hollow is now seen to be approximately 3.7%. What President Bush is doing i do no longer believe. whether, President Clinton and his cronies easily capped militia pay under inflation tiers. a minimum of the three% proposed by President Bush relies on the CPI fee, no longer the CPI fee minus .5% as were accomplished under the previous President.

Answer 4

in the larger view of things, that is a drop in the bucket to cost of the war. they need to retain their skilled members, that is a given. they need to entice new enlistees. doesn't make sense.

i heard about some larger bonuses and educational packages that are being offered now. i wonder where that money is coming from.

Answer 5

when the democrats have a bill that they know will fail, they hold their noses and throw in some support the troops language so that they can say "look what the president turned down".
only the very naive are fooled by this ancient political trickery,

Answer 6

Cutting? just sounds like dickering to me...everyone wanted to raise their pay...