Earning That Congressional Raise

NY Times ^ | 7/13/06 | NYT Editorial Board

[Oshkalaboomboom]

Congress has just chopped a week off what already is a notoriously skimpy work calendar so that lawmakers will have extra campaign time at home this fall. The Capitol will recess at the end of September, leaving a world of unfinished business. You’ll be relieved to know, however, that among the House items already seen to was a pay increase — 2 percent over the current base salary of $168,500.

Pay raises are a classic bit of passive-aggressive legislative behavior in Washington: they’re automatic, unless Congress takes a vote to block them. In the past 16 years, the two houses have passively accepted 11 of the cost-of-living raises while actively rejecting five.

Although we have always believed that lawmakers should draw decent salaries, it is hard to have patience with a body that allows its own pay to rise automatically while systematically stonewalling any increase in the national minimum wage. The private-sector workers who need a pay raise the most have been waiting nine years and counting for some kind of increase to offset the rising cost of living. But there has been no sign of mercy yet from the Republican leaders. They warn of raising “the first rung of the economic ladder” beyond a noble striver’s reach — as if that rung is securely anchored at $5.15 an hour.

For a family of three, the minimum wage of $10,700, set in 1997, is now more than $5,000 below the federal definition of poverty. In that same time, a lawmaker’s salary rose $31,600— better than 20 percent — while the purchasing power of a minimum-wage earner deteriorated by 20 percent.

Is it fair to make comparisons between working poor in the private sector and the lawmakers with power over their salaries? Congress would be wise to face that question

[Oshkalaboomboom]

Other than an example of using class warfare to make a point one issue has absolutely nothing to do with the other. I agree qith the premise that backdoor raises are a cowardly way of padding Congressional paychecks but I could think of plenty of other pressing issues besides minimum wages, which are controlled by the market no matter what congress does. How about Earn your pay and pass sensible immigration reform that protects our borders and doesn't reward criminal behavior for a start?

[Crazieman]

I fail to comprehend the cluelessness of the left in regard to hiking minimum wage and its obvious effect on inflation.

More than that, don't these retards realize that in doing so, they raise most union pay too? (Probably do).

[Shimmer128]

Since Congress got a raise, my husband should get a raise.

huh? You're right, it makes no sense.
Although I love it when my husband gets a raise. (no, i don't rush out and spend it, we're into debt reduction)

[txroadhawg]

How about we give them a 4% raise if they never come back?

[Nip]

When people start talking about the minimum wage I get the giggles. When congress critters start talking about it I break out in hysterical laughter.

Can I have my reality check please?

In the mid 1960’s, when I was in high school and was very interested in what attracted girls the cost of a pack of smokes and a gallon of gas were nearly the same. They were also about a half an hour’s work based on the part time job I held,

Forty years later the relationships haven’t significantly changed, yet the minimum wage has gone up how much?

Oddly enough I learned this relationship while studying American History in a liberal arts college. During the California Gold Rush the medium of exchange was an ounce of gold dust. A good suit of cloths ran about two ounces. Using that exchange rate what does a good suit of clothes cost today? About the same.

Bottom line - never use a nation’s currency to define a wage - use its historical purchasing power. Doing this makes you realize that any change you make for political gain, like raising the minimum (aka “living”) wage, will quickly disappear as the cost of everything else goes up.

[Stallone]