Are members of Congress paid enough? BARF ALERT!

Yahoo News ^ | 08/29/11 | Chris Moody

[SoCal SoCon]

A few lawmakers have suggested in recent months that despite a $174,000 annual salary, generous health care and pensions, and perks for things like travel and mail, being one of the elite 435 ain't always what it's cracked up to be. And when you calculate the hours they put in, the pay isn't stellar either, they say.

This talk probably won't help Congress' approval rating. The federal government is the worst-rated industry in the country, viewed favorably by only 17 percent of Americans, according to a new Gallup survey.

[Darksheare]

They should be paid far less, be under the same health care rules we are, pay into their own retirment like we do, and live under the same laws we do.
This isn’t Soviet Russia, we don’t have party apparachiks , zampolits, or a politburo yet..

How about paying them the LOWEST wage from their districts based off their actual hours worked at the LOWEST pay rate from said districts?
Also, take out in taxes from said pay just like we get..

[HiTech RedNeck]

I say pay them twice as much for the time they are on vacation than for the time they are sitting in Capitol Hill. The less time for mischief in DC the better.

[napscoordinator]

It really isn't that much of a salary when you look at some of the qualifications they have. Most could be lawyers in a big law firm making huge money. It is always difficult to decide to make the big bucks or sacrifice for the country.

[napscoordinator]

Isn't that unfair? First of all most of the wives don't work. We make more than 174,000 if you include both spouses together. A few years ago I didn't but a few years we have. It doesn't take much to make 174K if you have TWO people working together if they have any professionalism in them at all. Yes I know there are couples making 60K out there because they work in restaurants and such type places.

[FlingWingFlyer]

And when you calculate the hours they put in...

There's the problem right there. They should only be in Washington for a week twice a year. Americans would probably be willing to let them keep what they are making now just to get them the hell out of there and leave us alone.

[steelyourfaith]

Not paid enough? Ha ! Don't make me laugh. A significant number of those in Congress should be in the slammer, frankly, for petty crimes (not even including treasonous disregard of the Constitution).

[steelyourfaith]

Not paid enough? Ha ! Don't make me laugh. A significant number of those in Congress should be in the slammer, frankly, for petty crimes (not even including treasonous disregard of the Constitution).

[jonascord]

Congressmen have no shame. If they did, they would be working in a gay whorehouse, just to rebuild their reputations.

[liberalism is suicide]

They haven’t done anything to merit the pay they get now.
If they were the dedicated public servants,they make themselves out to be, then they should consent to work for an hourly wage at a rate most Americans are paid. Let them earn it.

[boop]

That's the dirty little secret. They don't just get their salary. They get housing allowances, travel expenses, meals, re-imbursement for all kinds of things that WE pay out of our salaries. If I didn't have to worry about food, clothing, transportation, entertainment and housing myself, I could live very comfortably on 174K/yr.

The boo-hooing about how low the salaries are makes me wonder how often congresspeople start out from modest backgrounds, but somehow are millionaires when they retire or are voted out.

[reg45]

Their pay should be multiplied by the percentage of surplus in the budget. When there is a deficit, they have to pay us.

[Venturer]

Most of them couldn’t make it in a law office, theirs or someone else’s. They sucked as lawyers and ran for Congress.

If it so damned bad why do they spend millions to get the job. Why do they stay until they are run off?

Steny Hoyer for example has been either a State legislator or a United States one almost from the day he graduated and passed the bar. Over 30 years in the Congress and is the most traveled Representative in the Congress. he has made a fortune at his $174,000 dollar job. Nancy Pelosi a Multi Millionaire.

Yes It’s terrible they are paid so little. /s/

[Ronin]

And junkets. Lots of interesting “fact-finding” trips all over the world, on Air Force jets... God’s TEETH!!!

Who can ever forget San Fran Nan’s chocolate-covered birthday strawberries, courtesy of the USAF.

These hypocrites make me nauseous!

[Ronin]

And junkets. Lots of interesting “fact-finding” trips all over the world, on Air Force jets... God's TEETH!!!

Who can ever forget San Fran Nan's chocolate-covered birthday strawberries, courtesy of the USAF.

These hypocrites make me nauseous!

[gaijin]

I believe they’re immune from insider-trading charges —they can know ALL MANNER of inside company info, trade on that basis, make MILLIONS and it’s all legal.

That’s a huge source of income.

[funfan]

In all fairness Obama is only worth $25.00 a year.:)

[newzjunkey]

With all their perks? They should cut it by $100K.

[haroldeveryman]

“the pay isn’t stellar either, they say.”

A community organizer can make more, for goodness sake.

[metesky]

The federal government is the worst-rated industry in the country...

BS! Government isn't an industry, but they're sure doing a job on us.

[afraidfortherepublic]

ROTFLOL! Good point, fanfan!