Why in God's name do politicians get paid so much?

[Immortal Wombat]

Originally posted by Wraith
--"Of course, if you give them to a teenage boy who doesn't drink and won't drive without a licence, it's not so bad..."

And how many teenage boys like that have you known?

Hello

And this question is not applicable in the UK, politicians don't get paid overmuch.

[orange]

Originally posted by Wraith
And how many teenage boys like that have you known?

How about me, Wraith. I fit the description.

[RGBVideo]

Q : Why in God's name do politicians get paid so much?

A : Because... Who decides how much politicians get paid?
Thats right : the politicians!
(Hyvä Paavo Väyrynen! Hyvä Iiro Viinanen! Hyvä Paavo Lipponen! Hyvä Juusto Höylä!)

[- Groucho -]

Politicians get paid butkus for the crap they go through. They have to quit their existing job, campaign, maybe get elected maybe not. If not, they are likely personally in debt and at best they are now a year behind on their old job's career track - at worst it's "find a job" time. If they win, they then have to set up another residence in DC (many state representatives live 3 to an apartment in DC because they can't afford anything better while still making their mortgage payments back home) and could very well lose the next election. All that time, they have to live under constant big-brotheresque scrutiny and work 70-80 hour weeks.

That sounds like a crap job to me for any price.

[Clear Skies]

Originally posted by Wraith
--"Of course, if you give them to a teenage boy who doesn't drink and won't drive without a licence, it's not so bad..."

And how many teenage boys like that have you known?

I am one. Your point?

[Al B. Sure!]

slave-drivers...

[Imran Siddiqui]

Echinda, exactly. I mean, I don't think I'd want to go into politics at all. I mean, when I graduate from law school, my starting salary might be lower than them (though maybe not, if I'm lucky ), but in the long run, I'll probably make much more than a career pol. Why would I want to have my name run through the mud, and have every decision I've made hyperanalysized so that I can take a substantial pay cut and try to decide what is best?

If the pay was $30,000... there is no way I'd even consider it. Hell, at $133,000, I find it hard to consider it.

[Bereta_Eder]

politicians are payed sop much so that they will not become corrupted.

(true).



















KRMFP

[Immortal Wombat]

I am one. Your point?

Your point methinks. mhm mhmm

[- Groucho -]

Come to our firm after law school, Imran, and, bonuses in, you will be making more than a representative in your first year. And when you see how far that goes in New York you'll find it hard to contemplate making less.

[Transcend]

Just like politicians, the corporate executives also set their own salaries. Hewlett Packard's management recently filed with SEC to annouce the doubling of their salaries and BONUSES if the merger with Compaq goes through. As a side note, they plan to lay off at least 15,000 employees. Firing people and raising your own salary at same time, that's a pretty good deal.