Congressional lawmakers "will get a $4,700 pay increase, amounting to an additional $2.5 million that taxpayers will spend on congressional salaries..."
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/with-economy-in-shambles-congress-gets-a-raise-2008-12-17.html
A little history for you:
In 1789 Congress was paid only $6 a day.
In 1965 members were receiving $30,000 a year.
Currently the average lawmaker makes $169,300 a year, with leadership making slightly more.
Anyone else want to barf over the hypocrisy in all of this?
5 comments:
Oh yeah, I'm barfin with you! That's INSANE!
(by the way, I noticed I didn't have you listed on my blogroll...I fixed it though!!!)
I agree with you!
And that's not adding in all the perks they get!
Hi! I love your blog and my husband and I are volunteer youth pastors in Washington, DC. I work for a member of Congress on Capitol HIll when I am not volunteering at church and there are a lot of things that are terrible about the way government works. However, it's helpful sometimes to stop and think about the life of a member of Congress. They are required by law to have a home in their home district or state. Many of them have families living in those homes whether they be in Northern Virginia or Hawaii. Many fly into DC every Monday and have to have a place to live in DC as well. I don't know if you have looked into the cost of living in DC any time recently but its not cheap. It's difficult to find anything with a parking spot or more than one bathroom for less than $400,000 unless you want to live somewhere with a high crime rate. Members of Congress have to own or maintain two residences. Those who choose not to spend their salaries that way have to sleep in their offices and shower in the gym. They often vote late into the night. Some who have close elections every two years have very little job security and have to campaign and attend events etc. on the weekends in their districts when they are not in DC- many times to the detriment or neglect of their own families. All of this is compiled with the pressures of the office like feeling responsible to solve the world's financial crisis and having your personal and public life constantly scrutinized by the press. It's not a job I envy and its no wonder more good people don't run for office.
Many members forgo their pay increases because of the public outrage against them but I don't think they make too much money. I'm thankful that some people (many good people whose stories aren't press worthy enough to talk about) receive compensation for the intense life and job that they have. We should focus our energies on prayer for public servants- that those who are corrupt would be run out of town and that those who seek to do good would have the grace to do it.
Bethany, you have some very valid points and I'm glad you shared your perspective - it is one I did not think about! At this point with our economy and bailouts and the national debt, it just seems like very poor timing to get a raise.
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