Really dirty stuff – for women only…

If you are a G-man, a male, a guy, sorry!

The headline was misleading. Intentionally so. It was intended to trap, as in lure, men this far. Dirty, and I apologize.

But it worked…

Gotcha.

So now you are sweating profusely, probably looking around see who’s looking and wondering how you will explain this to your wife, significant other or your woman supervisor who’s probably got you figured out by now. You are flashing your best, sheep-eating grin.

So man up, read on…

What we’ve got is a list of the dirty dozen (actually 31) bills and proposals that, if enacted into law, could ruin your whole day. Cost you a lot of money, continue your pay freeze and cut your take-home pay anywhere from 1.2 percent to 5 percent. For life.

The list, compiled by Federally Employed Women, includes a bill that would extend the administration-imposed federal pay freeze for another year. Plus, a bill that would extend it for another two years. Another that would freeze salaries until 2015. Another that would … well, you get the idea. Things like health-insurance premiums, gasoline and food would continue to go up. But you — worst-case scenario — would be paying 2015 prices with 2010 dollars.

One of the bills on FEW’s dirty 31 list would force new hires (after 2012) to kick in an addition 2.3 percent of pay toward their retirement package. Another would raise the contribution of all federal workers under the FERS retirement plan — current and future — from 0.8 percent to 6.25 percent.

Another pending proposal would eliminate the FERS annuity supplement (a cash payment to early FERS retirees until they qualify for Social Security benefits). Yet another plan on Capitol Hill would take away the defined benefit feature of the federal retirement program, and eliminate health benefits for retirees.

Today at 10 a.m., FEW’s Janet Kopenhaver will be the lead off guest on our Your Turn radio show. She’ll talk about the impact of each proposal and tell us where they stand. At 10:30 a.m., will talk with Federal Times reporter Sean Reilly about how serious the threat to feds is.

Congress is clearly preoccupied with the November elections. Members are rarely in town these days. They hardly meet long enough to get anything done. And if the GOP-run House passes it, the Democratic-controlled Senate stamps it DOA.

So what are the threats and how serious are they. Which are the two that are most likely to succeed.

Listen if you can (1500 AM or online), and if you have questions email them to me at mcausey@federalnewsradio.com or call in during the show at (202) 465-3080. The show will be archived here.

Tune in for the latest on the threat assessment to you and yours.

NEARLY USELESS FACTOID

By Jack Moore

What’s the most viewed image of all time? According to Mashable, Charles O’Rear’s photo, Bliss, has been viewed by 1 billion people. Microsoft chose O’Rear’s photo as the default desktop wallpaper for its Windows XP operating system. (Click the link to view the picture — there’s a 99.9 percent chance you’re familiar with it!)

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