Lebanese Politicians Just Got a Raise

So the cabinet finally approved a draft law last week to increase the salaries of public sector employees after disputing over the issue for months.

And to boot: they included themselves in the pay raise (so as to continue this awesome pattern of receiving disproportionately higher wages that the rest of the country).

Here’s the breakdown, according to Naharnet:

President Michel Sleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri and Forbes billionaire/Prime Minister Njaib Mikati will collectively receive an increase of around 6,200,000 LL ($4,133).

Ministers and MPs will earn an extra 4,300,000 LL ($2,866).

In Sum:
Step 1. Become a politician
Step 2. Profit

According a report in Al Bawaba newspaper, the salary hike is set to cost the treasury an additional $1.2 billion and subsequently cause the deficit to rise higher than the 26 percent by the end of 2012.

Why? Because incompetence, that’s why.