Military To Get Pay Raise

One reason why the military overwhelmingly likes Bush is that he keeps giving them a pay raise. An E-1 now starts off at $1203.90 ... compared to the $830 something I received under Clinton. In 2000 the National Defense Authorization Act directed that pay raises for 2000 through 2006 would automatically be one-half percent above the private-sector wage increases.

This was a huge change in the way the military gets paid. Prior to that time the cap was one-half percent below the private-sector. The military just got a 2.2% pay increase in January, and Bush has asked for an increase of 3% next year. That is, of course, if his budget is approved.