To tackle the federal deficit EVERYONE must suffer some.

Here's an analysis from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget which lays out how federal employees have fared over the past few years compared with employees in the private sector. In my view, federal employees should share in the pain to avoid an angry backlash from the American taxpayer in the future.
But, so should everyone else. AARP should take a leadership role here, but I'm not holding my breath.