Pay Cut For Congress: Yea Or Nay?

[Quantum Windbag]

Two term limits. No pay.

Can't go no pay, but we can cut it to the point they won't think paying millions of bucks for the job is worth it.

 

[Politico]

Why not. School boards and local governments do it. I guarantee people would be lining up.

 

[Oldguy]

I'm a big believer in paying people that produce. So let's pay congressman commensurate with their productivity.

What would you like them to do? How would you measure it? More laws for us all to deal with?

Maybe we should ask voters to rate them when they vote. However, judging from the polls, they would would owe their constituent money.

We already have a voter rating system. It comes around every 2 years.

 

[Dugdale_Jukes]

Why not. School boards and local governments do it. I guarantee people would be lining up.

Exactly.

This thread is now two pages long and if there has been mention of ethics or criminal penalties for malfeasance it slipped my notice. Every important job in my life required signing an ethics (good behavior) clause with real teeth. It is an outrage that people - including volunteers - in public service are held to a LOWER standard (see, Clinton, Lieberman, Rostenkowski, et al).

Scum like Dan Rostenkowski and Duke Cunningham collect pensions despite direct use of their office to damage the United States of America.

The overarching point here is that public service work-for-pay should have clear responsibilities- and accountability. It is outrageous what the scum in congress can do that decent people in real life wouldn't accept if they knew.

The secondary point is that ethics went south overnight during the Reagan presidency when federal officials including elected officials were first legally allowed to have spouses (and children as well) employed in areas that presented possible conflicts of interest. What became legal, presumably on the basis spouses and children couldn't get jobs that don't require influence and present conflicts, was a crime in the minds of many of us.

One of the most amazing examples of all time is Joe Lieberman's wife. For many years he was an advocate of single payer national health. Then his wife "suddenly" found lucrative work (she made millions) in the health care industry and overnight the Zionist pig Lieberman took the nutball view. It doesn't get any more morally corrupt than that but it is perfectly legal. And the Lieb is one of many dozens with totally legal family conflicts, including Uncle Tom Thomas on the Supreme Court, Phil Gramm, Tom DeLay, Chick Schumer, Dianne Feinstein... the list goes on and on.

In a decent nation these people would be in prison but in today's United States they are respected and living off the taxpayers despite personal wealth until they die and are praised by media for how thoroughly they serviced the public.

 

[Two Thumbs]

On Thursday, Mega-Millionaire House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said she was against cutting Congressional pay because it would undermine the dignity of her job. But what do you all think?

I agree with her.

They should go unpaid until they pass a budget.

 

[rightwinger]

On Thursday, Mega-Millionaire House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said she was against cutting Congressional pay because it would undermine the dignity of her job. But what do you all think?

I think we should draw a huge "X" on the Mainland map between the northeasternmost edge of Maine to the San Diego southernmost beach And the northwesternmost tip of the Olympic peninsula of Washington to the southeasternmost tip of Florida. Where the "X" meets, all land for 25 miles radius from the point should be purchased at a premium and Washington, D.C. moved there to be the center of the nation and capitol, and leave the DC area as a national heritage museum center, if anyone dares to go there with the criminal element as it is.

I think from the new Capitol, also named "Washington Center," we should draw up new terms of contract to Senators and Representatives to serve for free. That would keep out those hoping to gain everything from their service to country to include all the amenities, of which there would be few in the middle of the USA. Then, knowing how the rest of the country lives, let them draw from their own experience the sacrifice that public service is, and that if they cannot act in an honorable manner, they are out on their ears.

I'm sick of fighting, spin rooms, lies manufactured for election time, and congresscritters lining up armored vehicles at the US Treasury to take home goodies to their states. I'm sick of unsportsmanlike conduct and congressmen and women acting like court jesters instead of the dignified people they should be.

And somebody, please spank Nancy Pelosi. If she wants dignity to be a part of the Congressional carryings-on, she should NEVER have told congressmen and congresswomen not to read the health bill, just pass so then they could know what was in it later.

That is the least dignified thing I've ever seen a woman congresswoman say or do. She will have dirt under her talons for the remainder of her animalistic life for the hatred and angst she has elicited by her planned avarice against the American taxpayer and withholding the informationn from the American people that she was foisting upon them the highest tax in the history of the United States Congress.

Snake snot has more dignity than Airforce jet heister Nancy Pelosi who demands personal safety for herself while she spends this nation into a disasterous oblivion that will result in international bitterness when America fails on account of her dishonesty.

/rant

I assume you are not serious

 

[rightwinger]

Two term limits. No pay.

Then we would have Congressmen voting on raising welfare benefits for their own families

 

[editec]

I think it's a bad idea.

Changing their RETIREMENT benefits does make sense, though.

 

[rightwinger]

I think it's a bad idea.

Changing their RETIREMENT benefits does make sense, though.

What do you want to change?

Take away Social Security?

 

[gallantwarrior]

On Thursday, Mega-Millionaire House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said she was against cutting Congressional pay because it would undermine the dignity of her job. But what do you all think?

Like she has any dignity? I don't think any of them should get one thin dime until they pass a balanced budget, at the very least. They are wilfully not doing their jobs, they shouldn't get paid.

 

[Redfish]

I think it's a bad idea.

Changing their RETIREMENT benefits does make sense, though.

What do you want to change?

Take away Social Security?

are you kidding? do you think congress only gets SS retirement? better look it up. They get a huge retirement for life plus free medical for life.

 

[rightwinger]

I think it's a bad idea.

Changing their RETIREMENT benefits does make sense, though.

What do you want to change?

Take away Social Security?

are you kidding? do you think congress only gets SS retirement? better look it up. They get a huge retirement for life plus free medical for life.

I'm sure you will be able to prove this

http://www.snopes.com/politics/socialsecurity/pensions.asp

 

[Harry Dresden]

I'm willing to pay CEOs what Congressmen make

Will that help?

Maybe we should hold politicians to the same standard that we hold people in the private
sector.In the private sector people have to produce,people want and expect results.
Politicians get to show up in Washington a few days a week and pretty much do nothing when there.They are well compensated for what they do.

Congressmen face reelection every 2 years. If they don't cut it, they are fired

They also do more than you see on the Capitol Floor. They have office hours, meet constituents an work with staff and committees

Conservatives elect their representatives to keep anything from being done. Why do you have a problem with that?

it sure doesnt seem that way......the same people seem to get re-elected every year.....the attitude is.....its your Congress person who is the problem....not mine.....

 

[Skull Pilot]

Congressmen and senators should be paid by the the people of their own state. After all they are the one who vote for them.

Why the fuck should I pay the salary of a person who does not represent me?

 

[Harry Dresden]

Yanno...............I don't really think that the problem is how much they are paid, but rather how long they are allowed to stay in Congress.

If we are to have a truly representative government, everyone should be allowed to serve, and you should only be allowed to serve no more than 12 years, that way, in addition to giving another person from that district or State a chance to serve, it would also cut down on the lobbyists having influence, because they'd have to buy a new congress critter every 12 years or so.

Shoot................there may actually be people who get elected who aren't interested in getting big bucks from corporations, but rather are actually interested in doing something good for their district, State and country.

We have term limits for Presidents, so why not have term limits for Congress and the Senate?

i agree.....i also think the Supreme Court should not be forever....

 

[freedombecki]

Really? I'm the only one as of now that says nay? The ONLY one?

My gripe is that we want our lawmakers to be the best and brightest... Most of the people in such positions are talented lawyers and communicators who could make a lot more in private practice as it is. Cutting their pay would be an insult ($174k for Senators, hardly Rockafeller money); and while most of them are already wealthy before they assume office, it's hardly due to the salary they make therein...

My take anyway. :shrug:

I don't necessarily want the best and brightest, not at all. I want them to be the most representativist, i.e. the most reflective of my wishes. That's what they're (supposed to be) there for. That doesn't take talent; it just takes integrity.

It's estimated that 37% of Congresscritters are lawyers. Lawyers make up 0.36% of the population. That means attorneys are overrepresented in Congress by a factor of a hundred. At least.

There are way too many damn lawyers in Congress. I understand the advantage of having one there; I don't understand the advantage of having a hundred times the population. That ain't representation.

We only know of Pelosi's overt wealth. She plays footsie with liars and obfuscators and is one herself. The truth may not be pretty as her "millions" when she is gaining wealth for others, who's to know if there are any kickbacks going into a numbered account somewhere "just in case" someone lights a fire under journalists to cough up the whole truth for a change. I'd go light on Paulitician. He's a no-nonsense man and doesn't want to take a chance if gut instincts cannot be proved. When you have one party pushing omerta, only the silent know for sure. Those saying they are gonna tell may wish to end it all like Hill Clinton's man, Vincent Foster, rather than get reamed as a traitor by a lying, obfuscating press owing their success to the carrot sticks distributed by the DNC omerta boys and girls.

 

[bigrebnc1775]

Pay cuts? Fuck that how about termination?

 

[paulitician]

Wow, not even close. Looks like people are pretty down on Congress.

 

[Synthaholic]

I think their pay should be cut in half and all perks eliminated. Also every bill they pass into law should apply to them just as it does for everybody else.

I agree except for the cut in pay. The Washington area is very expensive to live in.

Of course, their pay is the least of their concerns. Getting re-elected a few times so that they can later use the revolving door into a lucrative lobbying gig is their real goal.

Remove lobbying by former members of Congress or their family members would be the most effective.

Gee, I wonder why Washington is so expensive. I also wonder how all those people who aren't making hundreds of thousands of dollars manage to live in the area if it is so expensive. Could it be because all the congresscriitters really like paying for extra protection to keep the poor people who actually work in DC away from there house?

Well, dummy, it's because of all the lobbyists and law firms populated with people making large paychecks. Any area that has a lot of millionaires is going to have a housing market that reflects millionaire homeowners.

Plus, you have some fairly prestigious universities there which are populated with big money. Georgetown, George Mason, American University, etc.

• American University
• The Catholic University of America
• Corcoran College of Art and Design
• Gallaudet University
• The George Washington University
• Georgetown University
• Howard University
• Trinity Washington University
• University of the District of Columbia

• The Catholic University of America
  • Columbus School of Law
• The George Washington University
  • The George Washington University Law School
  • Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration
  • George Washington University Medical School
  • The George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development
• Georgetown University
  • Georgetown University Law Center
  • Georgetown University School of Medicine
• Graduate School USA
• Howard University
  • Howard University School of Law
  • Howard University College of Medicine
  • Howard University College of Dentistry
• Johns Hopkins University
  • Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
• American University
  • Washington College of Law
• Dominican House of Studies
• Institute of World Politics
• International Circle of Faith Colleges and Seminaries
• School for International Training Graduate Institute
• Washington Theological Union

• National Defense University
  • National War College
• National Defense Intelligence College

• University of the District of Columbia
  • David A. Clarke School of Law

That's a lot of well-paid professors and administration.


Congresscritters themselves have nothing to do with the high cost of D.C.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

I think it's a bad idea.

Changing their RETIREMENT benefits does make sense, though.

What do you want to change?

Take away Social Security?

Are you suffering under the delusion that all they collect is Social Security?