If there is one group of people on the planet who absolutely, positively, do not deserve a pay raise under any circumstances right now, it would have to be members of the United States Congress.
Well, them or Rod Blagojevich, his wife, any member of the Bush administration, GM, Chrysler, Ford (the Detroit Lions), AIG, Fannie and Freddie or any of those Ebenezers over at Citiscooge.
Anyway these big government buffoons have joined forces with Jorge Dubya – the biggest imbecile/ GOP sellout to ever occupy the White House – in losing over 2 million jobs and nearly half the value of the U.S. stock market over the past year.
They’ve also added around $2.6 trillion to the national debt – in the last three months alone.
All the while, of course, these elected officials have continued to rake in the campaign contributions from the same government-sponsored (now government-owned) mortgage morons whose Enron accounting and PC lending practices started this whole disaster.
Not to mention all the special interests getting cush Congressional bailouts.
Well, in that giving spirit, why not add a few million dollars more to the top of this steaming pile of socialist-inspired dung … err, debt?
For what? Congressional pay raises, of course.
That’s right, people …
While the rest of America deals with pink slips, plummeting portfolios, depressed income levels and an unprecedented accumulation of taxpayer debt, members of Congress gave themselves 2.8% raises this year, totalling $4,700 for each member (base salary of $169,300).
Congressional leadership makes $188,100 (which equals a $5,200 raise), while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi makes $217,000 (she’ll be getting roughly a $6,100 raise).
Here’s what’s worse … the raises are automatic – guaranteed each year no matter what the economic outlook, revenue situation or performance level of the House or Senate.
Unbelievable.
One freshman Democratic lawmaker, Arizona Congressman Harry Mitchell, actually proposed putting a stop to this madness by sponsoring legislation that would require lawmakers to vote on their pay raises each year, rather than pulling a Steve Miller Band on the taxpayers.
So what happened to Mitchell’s bill?
Yeah, it got referred to a subcommittee by Pelosi and never saw the light of day.
For more on this story, check out the coverage on The Hill.
Oh, and we’d encourage you to call or e-mail your Senator and Representative over the weekend and ask them a very simple question.
WTF?
By EyesWideOpen December 19, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Goodbye Gresham……it would have been great fun to see you run for Governor. Between the bailout John Kerry flip-flop and this pay raise….you are done my friend.
By confused December 19, 2008 at 10:27 pm
uhm… the payraise is written into law, it’s automatic (and has been for a long time) unless they specifically vote it down. also, it’s slightly more than half the COLA social security beneficiaries got. poor form? probably. reason to vote someone out of office? hardly.
By liz December 20, 2008 at 10:19 am
Add in the fact that surrendered Social Security cases and terminated accounts are still being paid somewhere and voila` — you have rich pols!!
You see, I surrendered my disability account with Social Security in 1990 and returned to work. Yeah, I was stupid.
And when I got sick again with my lifetime illness, someone else was getting money in my name so I couldn’t. The fall out is enormous. I’ve lost everything I worked for but meanwhile, our politicians who are refusing to let me have a REAL investigation, got rich.
Looks funny
Smells funny
Will be dealt with under the new Administration when I pray the Rule of Law returns……. or January 20 to be clearer.
Want proof? I got it.
By Cooter Brown December 21, 2008 at 11:32 am
Dey is a burn of varmints– low=down, gud fer nuthin’ criminals, dey is. Pitch forks ‘n torches outta be rounded up befer we storm da castle!
By Workin' Tommy C December 22, 2008 at 11:42 am
A pay raise for the gutless–a politician’s favorite Christmas present.