Subsidizing Pay for Soldiers
 

http://www.jsonline.com/news/ozwash/jun05/337006.asp


This story had me wondering because two people I work with spent two years in Iraq without any compensation. Their families had to rely solely on the military pay and whatever their spouse brought home to support the family. I would like to see this type of support become federal law. Since the employer must return the person to their job anyway, why not help the family while that person is out of the country on military orders?

I laugh at these neo cons and their continuous want for bigger federal tax cuts.....

The cities, counties and states just raise theirs. And it is sad that now cities and localities have to "subsidize" our military and the men/women have to buy their own gear.

This is going to go on for years? Yeah, right.

If we continue this war the federal tax rates will have to go up. Communities doing things like this, while nice in gesture will not last (there is no feasible way the can do this indefinitely) nor will the people's blindness to the fact that the administration is more worried about Haliburton making it's billions than our men and women's safety and the families ability to afford to live.

I see, so you are saying employing a reservist should be a burden on the employer?

Think about it and the implications.

You know, posts far less then this in the 'non-contributing' factor have gotten me warned. Whats your secret pan?

Perhaps we could cut spending else where, like the entitlement programs.

I work for a Fortune 500 corporation that has always done this. National Guard and reservists submit paperwork claiming their service pay, my employer pays them the difference from their regular pay. It is considered another benefit (and one that I support). They also continue to carry corporate insurance for their families.

While I wouldn't want to see it made into law, it seems like responsible corporate citizenship.

I work for a similar employer.

I also agree that it should not be mandatory.

What is mandatory is signing a contract committing to your national guard or reservist responsibility which could very well involve activation and deployment. This righteous indignation of a burden placed on those who volunteered and signed up KNOWING the implications is concerning to me.

Good for the city of Cedarburg. Nicely done. Hopefully they can afford it.

-bear

For state or city jobs I don't see a problem with it. Thats what it is in this case.

And the reservist is already a burden on the employer, they're not exactly working while they're out shooting people on the other side of the planet.
Same goes for the thousands of other folks over there now and the businesses they're taken from. I don't think it should be law for regular businesses, the war already has them taking an employment hit. But for city/state/federal jobs, yes i think it should be law. The individual has shifted from an every day government job to one where they are running a major risk of getting killed, they should atleast make what they made at their other government job. To pay them less is an insult.

There are already a number of laws concerning reservists as employees. granting extended leave can be a huge burden for a company that has to find a reliable temp, and still keep the job waiting for the reservist when they come back.

that said, i think the proper funding source for making up this shortfall is not the employer, but the federal government. i'd like to know what it would cost before endorsing it, but as a concept it seems reasonable.

I think it's great when a corporation sees its way clear to do such things.

On the other hand, I'll say the same thing I always say in regard to making it mandatory for government jobs.

This is addressed to the people who would like to give away the taxpayers' money:

"It's not YOUR money. It's wrong for you to give away other people's money."

How is demanding soldiers get paid liveable wage and not have to pay for their supplies out of pocket, wrong? Because one of the purposes of government is to protect and a well equipped, well paid military is vital for that.

Well equipped so that the they may fight they enemy with at least the weaponry the enemy has............ Well paid because I don't want soldiers out there worrying whether their wives and children have enough moeny to pay the mortgage/rent, utilities and food.

Or are you discussing a possible demand from corporations? In which case you are right, it's cool a company will pay and help but to expect or demand is not right nor acceptable.

It's not my money? I didn't pay federal income taxes (wages and cap gains)? I didn't pay my state government either? And my landlord didn't take a portion of the rent to pay the local and county governments?

Yeah, that is MY money. I paid my fair share in to the system, and as such, i think i have a right to have a voice opinions about spending priorities.

I think that claim is such a distraction.

Good point! Tax money exists and is collected from all of us. It seems reasonable to voice opinions about spending priorities. People do it all the time.

I could have worded that more clearly. The politicians, who love to beat their chests about all the good "they" do, are not the owners of the money. The taxpayers are.

It was never the intent of the founding fathers that our government take money from some to give to others. In fact, it was anathema.

Thomas Jefferson was once called to task because he wanted to give government funds to a widow. He was told in no uncertain terms, "That's not a proper function of our government." I hope that clears up my statement.

Back to the discussion at hand: You will not find a bigger supporter of our military than I. However, if you require "pay supplements" to all government employee reservists, you've just screwed over all of the self-employed and non-government workers.

You want to give reservists a raise? Fine by me.

Just give it to ALL of them. Don't create a favored class of government workers.

(Corporations can do whatever they want. They're not tax-supported.)