Does it surprise anyone that while the average salary for a non millionaire in the U.S. is under $50,000, Congressmen earn $174,000 each year. This is what happens when congress has the power to raise their own salaries. What could wrong with that idea, right? Being Congress members, they even had the insight several years ago, to have it AUTOMATICALLY increase each year, so they would not actually have to ‘vote’ on such business - something that could be used against them in a re-election campaign.
This nearly 4 to 1 salary discrepancy begs the question “How can you claim to represent the taxpayer, when you believe that you are more deserving of a decent wage than the people that you are supposedly serving?”
Serving in Congress was never intended to be a career, nor a path to easy money. Representatives should have a pay package that is comparable with the average taxpayer so that they can relate to the issues we face. Why should a carpenter or janitor making 40-50K per year pay ever higher taxes just so that their representatives can continually feather their nests.
According to the North American Inter Press Agency,
Leaders in the U.S. Congress will earn more, with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi at 223,500 dollars, followed by House and Senate leaders, who earn 193,400 dollars.
In addition to their base salaries, lawmakers also receive hundreds of thousands — or millions if you are a senator — in what are considered legal campaign donations from businesses and individuals, that can be spent on a range of activities, including dinners and parties. The funds can be received and spent anytime, not just during election years.
For example, House Majority leader Steny Hoyer received 3,677,920 dollars from businesses that include JP Morgan Chase and Comcast during 2007 and 2008, according to Open Secrets, which tracks campaign spending.
Sen. Charles Schumer, a member of two finance-related committees, spent 16 million dollars in campaign donations in 2007 and 2008, and raised more than 13 million dollars. This was not an election year for Schumer, whose seat is safe until 2010. How he spent the money is unknown, because the Senate passed a law recently that exempts them from having to reveal how they spend their donation money.
Where is the oversight? They get to pass laws thae exempt themselves from being held accountable to the taxpayers that sent them to Congress to begin with? EVERY lawmaker that voted to approve that bill ought to be replaced. Period.
While congressional payouts are puny compared to some corporate executives — Franklin Raines,ousted head of the Federal National Mortgage Association, gets a pension of $114,393 a month — many Americans would eagerly welcome the pensions available on Capitol Hill.
For example, former presidents with as little as four years in office qualify for pensions of $180,100. Retired Supreme Court justices whose age and years of service total 80 receive pensions equal to full pay — $208,100 for the chief justice and $199,200 for associate justices.
Lawmakers who leave Congress are receiving pensions ranging from as little as $14,165 a year for six years’ service to as much as $114,102 a year for more than 30 years’ service.SF Gate
The retirement package includes automatic inflation adjustments and guaranteed access to post-retirement private medical insurance in addition to Medicare protection provided all Americans.
Congress has long been feathering their nest, but it is time to stop. in fact, it is time to Take A Bold Step Back and reduce the pay and benefits package to be much more in line with those that they are serving. It is also time to remove any automatic increases to these benefits.
Please read Take A Bold Step Back to see other ways that we can turn this country around and return to the intent of the founding fathers.
