Possible cuts in pay and benefits for all federal employees except congress

[excerpt] The amount, approximately $1.3 billion, is a fraction of the trillion dollars in annual spending by the federal government. But who cares if it hurts the very people who actually work for the American public. All they have to do is ask their landlords for an extension.

The denial of bonuses and step increases would be considered a "significant political victory" for congressional Republicans, many of whom last year campaigned on the idea of cutting the pay and benefits of federal employees, but not their own pay packages.

In a move to appease the GOP shortly after the 2010 midterm elections, President Obama froze the pay of federal employees for two years. Now the GOP wants to tighten the screws despite their own pathetic job performance.