Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson said Monday he wants his colleagues in Congress to block next year's automatic pay increase.
We agree with him wholeheartedly -- and, in fact, we agree with his prior vote to end the automatic pay increases once and for all. Automatic increases are a cowardly way out for a cowardly Congress.
However, Isakson was upstaged and outdone Monday when Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Ariz., filed a bill to actually cut congressional pay by 5 percent.
We like that even better!
If someone wants to come along and suggest 10 percent, they've got our vote for that too!
Most folks in the country have taken pay cuts, furloughs and even layoffs in the past couple of years. It won't hurt those serving in Congress to cut their salaries too.
Fact is, it's high time. These are the same people who are spending you and your family to oblivion.
Consider what Isakson says: "Our economy is still recovering from one of the worst recessions in our nation's history. American families aren't spending far and away above their means, but Congress continues to spend money at an alarming and unsustainable rate. I can't think of anyone less deserving of a pay raise in this economy."
"Families across the country," said Kirkpatrick, "are getting by on lower wages and finding ways to cut back during the downturn -- and these are the folks that pay our salaries."
Eureka! Finally, a cause for bipartisanship!
Any representative or senator who does not hop on this bill to cut his or her pay should be forced to write a 500-word essay explaining why. And should start looking for another job.
Be wary of politicians making false claims in the coming election.
These folks are smart & they'll tell us exactly what we want to hear so we vote for them. They know that congressional pay decreases, opposing healthcare, cutting spending & limiting govenment are hot topics & they'll stand on their pulpit promising those things, even if they have no intention of following through or if they know that it is so far fetched no one will go for it. Do you really think that Congress will vote themselves a pay cut? Ann knows they won't but she's gonna run on that anyway to get votes.
Examine their past carefully. What they've DONE is more important than what they say they'll DO. A leopard doesn't change its spots.
Right on Chillen! Good piece CDS! Yes, just consider Mr. Hussein. Before he was elected, he was the most liberal senator in the senate, and yet many people are disappointed in his liberal agenda? Guess the change you can believe it, just couldn't be believed? If it walks like a duck..... Besides, cutting pay and perks is only part of the improvments that are needed. Term limits would solve most of the others.
Chillen says : These folks are smart & they'll tell us exactly what we want to hear so we vote for them.
Isn't that the same as saying the American voter is as dumb as a bag of hammers to keep believing that garbage.?
Unfortunately, Chillen is right either way.
Good editorial. Of course, I also see Chillen's and Federalist's points. It's great to campaign on this position but it take the entire Congress to make this happen. If the lone voice crying in the wilderness gets re-elected and then nothing happens, Congress will be to blame, of course.
Past performance is indeed a better predictor of future performance.
I see everyone is being honest today,so far. In a congress where no politician can be held accountable, except by his peers, what difference does it make what he says. Actions speak much louder than words. The fact that there's an automatic raise speaks volumes. Honor and honesty have long been almost nonexistent in those halls.
Dems and Repubs get a "talking sheet" from their "party" everyday. There is no independent thought in D.C. "Automatic Raises". How deceptive? "I didn't vote to raise Congressional Salaries". Right, you thief. You would have had to vote to not get a raise. "I didn't vote for that bill". I knew it would pass without me. When women/men are "immersed in feces", they become feces. When women/men are "immersed in politics", they become feces. If Billy Graham had gotten mixed up in politics, he would have lost his ministry. The most honest, ethical of humans are absorbed by the "filthy game of politics".
I suspect that everyone who posts here is genuinely honest every day. We just don't always agree.
S. 102:
A bill to repeal the provision of law that provides automatic pay adjustments for Members of Congress
111th Congress
....I strongly recommend everyone contact their Senators to support this bill. Only two sponsors to date and none from GA or SC.
"I suspect that everyone who posts here is genuinely honest every day..."
Not me.
And if you really wanted to cut Congressional salaries, it would be done behind the scenes where everyone would be given credit for its authorship.
Forget the pay raises. They are trivial. Term Limits, Balanced Budget Amendment, and Flat Tax. Take the temptations away from this group of traditionally corrupt and greedy people who think little or nothing of taking, stealing, and wasting our money. They no longer look at being elected as a chance to represent the people. They think they have been sent to Fantasy Land where the streets are paved with gold.
The pay raises are irrelevant, and indeed, their entire salaries are irrelevant compared to the oppurtunity to "train" in the system. The current salary is $174,000 per year. You can double that by being a lobbyist, esp one who has held senior leadership positions.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/21/AR200506...
Saxby, irrelevant lying moron that he is, is simply trying to distract you from paying too much attention to the natural history of the current economic crisis and the fact that it mostly occurred on his watch. The Chronicle (how unexpected!) fell for the distraction. Most of it's readers will too.
As noted in this editorial, U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Arizona) is sponsoring a bill to cut Congressional pay for all its members (House and Senate) by 5% starting next January. Her bill would also block any automatic pay increases for 2012. U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming) is also supporting this bill. Unfortunately, Chillen's statement (9:27 pm) is close to the truth of the matter. However, it is not important to me as to who proposes this bill, or for whatever reason they see fit to make the effort; what IS important---for all of us---is to be aware of those that would vote against the bill if it ever reaches the yea or nay stage. This one ought to be pretty interesting. GGpap
Actually, Isakson's posturing aside, this idea is moronic. $174K, while make you rich in Augusta, is decidely middle class or worse in Washington DC, where the average home is $1M and even a 1500 ft condo is half a million. The value of cutting their salary 5% would save a grand total of $4 million, less than 1/1000th of 1% of the budget. The average Augustan would not save a penny on their tax bill from such a cut.
Moreover, why make the job less attractive? If one assumes that the current occupants of those positions are the problem, then asking them to live in relative poverty will attract less desirable and qualified people. Chief Justice John Roberts was recently quoted was saying the federal judges salaries are so low that if you are dumb enough to take one, you might be too dumb to be on the judiciary (paraphrased). From this editorial, you have to figure that the AC editors don't make much at all.
I be completely satisfied if they all are required to have the same social security-medicare retirement benefits as every other American retiree, and before retiring, tall of them and their families would get nothing different that the exact same health care program they finally foist onto the rest of us.
I really hate it that they get such dream deals on health care and retirement. They ain't royalty and they ain't better or more deserving that the rest of us, no matter what they think.
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