Pity The Poor Congressfolk Who Cannot Get A Pay Raise

[Arrian]

I wish I was smart enough to figure out a solution.

It's probably something for psychologists to tackle... but then I don't really trust psychology, so... meh.

-Arrian

[Aeson]

There are people out there who would gladly serve their country. The public scritiny a rep goes through might be bad, but they aren't out there risking their lives every day like a soldier, policeman, fireman... not to mention our entire culture is based off the desire for fame and the spotlight anyways. Come to think of it, the scrutiney would be it's own drawing point. (Though to the wrong people admittedly...)

I would much rather have honest representatives who are serving their country and fellow citizens... rather than greedy bastards, no matter how much better the greedy bastards are at what they do. (That just makes them better at taking advantage of the American public, as anyone with half a clue knows ripping off the government you're running is easier than ripping off competitors.) We can hire competent lawyers if they're needed to help the reps achieve what they want... but there's no chance in hell of hiring a conscience for a rep.

Give reps minimum wage, give them the same minimum benefits that such a worker enjoys, have them work a 40 hour work-week minimum. (If they aren't legislating, let them work janitorial duties, or give tours of the Capitol, or whatever.) Pay them overtime if they're working it. Turn the Capitol (and White House) into a tourist attraction and move congress into a no-frills high-security office building... maybe even bunker. Give them each a cubicle. Provide them low-income housing that is deducted out of their pay, disallow any "private" spending while in office. Meaning they would keep their private holdings, just not live off of them while in office. They live off their rep paycheck. Security would be their only "luxury" provided by the government.

You'd still have problems with corruption of course, but the corrupt ones wouldn't stay for very long. They'd want back to the posh lifestyle ASAP after bilking the country out of the money for their friends. At least we wouldn't be paying so much to have them do so.

[Fake Boris]

Lawmakers' pay will be frozen at $165,200 for this year in the dispute, in which Democrats violated a yearslong understanding that the competing parties would not use the pay raise issue in campaign ads.

Poor Repugs, victim of cheap electoral tactics.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Jaguar
Congressmen should be paid more. Then maybe smart people would want to be congressmen.

QFT. Congressional salaries are absurd[ly low].

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Aeson
I would much rather have honest representatives who are serving their country and fellow citizens... rather than greedy bastards, no matter how much better the greedy bastards are at what they do.

Because that's obviously the result.

[Kuciwalker]

Consider: we take people, give them enormous power, and then pay them an order of magnitude below what they could be making. What exactly do you think is going to be the result?

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
Consider: we take people, give them enormous power, and then pay them an order of magnitude below what they could be making. What exactly do you think is going to be the result?

Behavior similar to that of Ming's??

[Kuciwalker]

Thank you, exactly my point

[Jon Miller]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
Consider: we take people, give them enormous power, and then pay them an order of magnitude below what they could be making. What exactly do you think is going to be the result?

Same theory is applied to CEOs, so we have CEOs that make insanely large ammounts of money. And still suck.

JM

[Tattila the Hun]

Eh, they should re-instate draft... To congress. And make it universal, women too. Just random people, though, few basic requirements. I would not want my budget to be decided by someone, who failed basic math.

[Timexwatch]

Everybody thinks that Congressfolks have it easy and are overpaid, but you have to remember that they're often on call for many hours of the day (floor and committee votes occuring often after midnight), have to digest voluminous amounts of information, make important decisions on public policy while maintaining accessibility to the folks back in the district and keeping a family. I have yet to meet a member who is just 9 to 5. I've seen them coming and going from roundtables, fundraisers, think tanks and the capitol at all hours of the day and night.

And they pay? Anyone tried maintaining a family over a huge distance? Imagine you're a representative from California or Washington. You have to maintain a house in the district (and a mortage) and an apartment in Washington, D.C., Maryland or Virginia ($900 - $1500 a month at the bare minimum in one of the most expensive areas in the US) while paying your family's bills, saving for you kids college, paying your own bills and occasionally flying them to DC so that you can spend at least a few hours a week with them. Like it or not, the pay is commisurate with the time and effort involved with being a member of Congress.

The people who ***** about this usually don't know how hard most members work.

[Dinner]

I hope the ****ers don't get any raises for the next 100 years. They're already way over payed and underworked.

I had to admite I had a huge laugh when some Republican Congressmen claimed the Democrat's new rule about Congress working 40 hours a week was just unfair and hurt the families of Congressmen. "Snivel, those evil task masters are making me work a standard work week! That just unfair!"

Of course not even I believe the Democratic controlled Congress will actually work 40 hours per week. They'll keep it up for 6 months then change the rules allowing drinking cocktails at the local club and recieving bribes/"donations" to be "work" then go on with business as usual.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Jon Miller


Same theory is applied to CEOs, so we have CEOs that make insanely large ammounts of money. And still suck.

JM

QFT

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by Timexwatch
Everybody thinks that Congressfolks have it easy and are overpaid, but you have to remember that they're often on call for many hours of the day (floor and committee votes occuring often after midnight), have to digest voluminous amounts of information, make important decisions on public policy while maintaining accessibility to the folks back in the district and keeping a family. I have yet to meet a member who is just 9 to 5. I've seen them coming and going from roundtables, fundraisers, think tanks and the capitol at all hours of the day and night.

And they pay? Anyone tried maintaining a family over a huge distance? Imagine you're a representative from California or Washington. You have to maintain a house in the district (and a mortage) and an apartment in Washington, D.C., Maryland or Virginia ($900 - $1500 a month at the bare minimum in one of the most expensive areas in the US) while paying your family's bills, saving for you kids college, paying your own bills and occasionally flying them to DC so that you can spend at least a few hours a week with them. Like it or not, the pay is commisurate with the time and effort involved with being a member of Congress.

The people who ***** about this usually don't know how hard most members work.

I agree absolutely ... honestly, Oerdin et al, the people this is affecting are not the rich $%#holes, but the congressmen/women who are NOT rich, and actually need the money. The $2800 will have no effect whatsoever to the millionaires one way or the other. It just means a few more people will decide they can't afford to run for congress ...

[Addled Platypus]

Originally posted by Wezil
Politicians should not be allowed to set their own pay.

agreed


and they only work 7 months of the year, and get per diem


those bastards