"What gets people upset, and rightfully so, is [Congressmen] being rewarded for failure. Especially when those rewards are subsidized by U.S. taxpayers," he said. ...
"For [members of Congress] to award themselves these kinds of compensation packages in the midst of this economic crisis is not only bad taste -- it's bad strategy -- and I will not tolerate it as president," he said.
Members of the House get an automatic pay raise every year through the passage of the Treasury bill UNLESS a majority votes to block the raise. As you can imagine, a direct vote on the pay raise rarely happens or passes.
There are few groups less deserving of pay raises than members of Congress. As I wish Obama had said, they are rewarding themselves for failure, in the midst of an economic crisis, with taxpayer money. Members got a pay raise of $4,700 at the beginning of the year, but it's not too late for them to vote to stop the pay increase for next year.
4 comments:
Interesting post here - keep up the great work!
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Good post Alexa. A few years ago the Michigan legislator voted itself a 37% pay raise. Since then we have bled jobs, people have moved out in droves, and sunk deep into debt. That pay raise got us the worst economy in the country. It was money well spent as you can tell.
And Pelosi sez; "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche!" - Let them eat cake!
We should be driving these monsters out of office with torches and pitchforks! As I alluded to here:
http://www.harangue.org/2008/12/let-them-eat-cake.html
I know this post is old but I just happened upon this while getting figures for congressional pay and other tidbits and I would like to leave this comment.
It's too bad WE can't pay Congress what the average American makes per year. The Department of Commerce says the average income between males and females over 25 (the age you need to be to be a US Rep) as of 2008 is $41,326.5. Seems like more than enough to sit around, talk, and not even read the bills you vote on. I'm required to show up to work to get paid. Members of Congress don't even have to show up to work. For instance; John Kerry was absent almost 90% of 2004. Senate salary in '04 was $158,100 (now $174,000). MA lost almost 1/2 of their Senate representation that year yet he still got paid. I know my employer wouldn't pay me if I was absent 90%, let alone keep me. I think if Congress was to be paid the average American's salary you'd have less looking for power and wealth running our country and more who are genuinely concerned with their country. I'm sure there's an easy million people in this country who would gladly take that $41.5k and better represent us than the clowns in there now. Well, this is a pipe dream anyway!
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