July 2, 2007
2007 CONGRESSIONAL PAY RAISE IS WRONG
Last week, without a lot of hubbub, the United States Congress served up a pay raise for itself. Yes, you heard that correctly. During a time in our country's history when we're spending billions upon billions of dollars oversea, all the while we have unbalanced budgets here at home, our elected officials have decided they should be handsomely rewarded for their near record-low approval ratings.
Without any public hearings or even so much as an open vote on the floor of the chamber where they do their business, members of U.S. House of Representatives grabbed for themselves another $4,400.00 per year, boosting their base salary to $170,000.00 per year, a level significantly higher than the median household income here in the United States ($46,326.00). And thatís not counting the perks: They receive an average annual pension of $60,972.00, free flights and other transit subsidies, gym memberships, choice parking spots in DC and at airports, just to name a few.
Under our current laws, members of Congress automatically receive a cost of living adjustment, unless of course Congress stops its own increase. The dance is set up this way so the pay hike itself never gets a direct up or down vote. And this year, both parties delivered majorities and a 244-181 vote stopped a move to block the pay increase.
Opposing the pay raise plays well with taxpayers. So well that during last yearís election, Democrats refused to take an approved pay raise and then bludgeoned Republican lawmakers who had voted for it. However, that was in an election year. This year, with no election on the immediate horizon, both parties participated in killing an effort led by Democratic Representative Jim Matheson of Utah to get a direct vote to block the pay increase. Next, the U.S. Senate takes up the hike and is expected to follow the lead of the House of Representatives and let the raise go through.
The pay increase matters because it sends a clear message to tax payers: Members of the United States Congress are out of touch... they are more interested in fattening their own wallets than helping tax payers who are struggling to balance their checkbooks. To be clear, I am not saying that members of Congress shouldnít ever receive a raise, but there needs to be open and honest discussion about whether or not a pay hike is justified.
There is no question that our elected leaders need to be adequately compensated, but a pay raise should be based on performance, just as it is for you and me. Congress should answer to whether it reached its objectives in a fiscally responsible manner, for example. We the taxpayers are Congressís bosses, and with average approval ratings at around 25 percent, it is clear to me that the boss does not think Congress is performing very well. For elected officials to not allow a vote on this matter is yet another example of why I firmly believe the nationally-focused legislative process in this country is broken beyond belief.
Posted by Mikal at July 2, 2007 7:41 AM
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Here here! Payraise is WRONG!
I've said so many times, even I'm getting sick of hearing it. One should serve their country because they love their country.
A Marine Private who volunteers for front line duty isn't there for the pay, that's for sure, being that he gets less than 1/10th the pay of the politicians who sent him there.
I agree that those who serve deserve appropriate compensation. But take away the pay, perks, and mafia-boss type power and see who's left. We (the people) are viewed as nothing more than puppets to most of these guys.
Okay, for anybody who wants to tell me I have an "ignorant opinion" of politics for believing corruption is rampant at those levels, let me have it.
Yes, the national system of politics is broken, though I'm not sure it was ever "fixed" or "right" to begin with. Lawmakers always get their raises. That won't change. Voters decide on general trends and impressions, very rarely on specific positions or votes. Carpe diem!
