Do salaries of government reflect US citizens?

[Clementine]

All we owe our public servants is housing and food while they serve us. We should house them the way we do military members. Have large apartment buildings with security and a food allowance.

I suppose if you're trying to attract the homeless and the unemployed that might work. Most congressman have to drastically cutback their work in their business or job. For members of Congress serving on key committee, it often becomes their full time job.

There are many changes needed to be made in how we elect our representatives, campaign finance, and relationship between congress and lobbyists. But cutting the salary of congressmen would do nothing to solve our problems.

These days, a lot of good people are unemployed or even homeless. Hey, if one of them is smart enough to run a good campaign and convince people to vote for them, they might be better than anyone we have now. I'd like to see one of us little guys have a shot at getting elected without all the big, dirty money behind us.

Having experience in playing politics is not a good thing. Someone with intelligence and total disgust for the mess politicians have created over the years is just what we need. All that political experience we've had in there over the decades has gotten us to this low point.

 

[gallantwarrior]

All we owe our public servants is housing and food while they serve us. We should house them the way we do military members. Have large apartment buildings with security and a food allowance.

I suppose if you're trying to attract the homeless and the unemployed that might work. Most congressman have to drastically cutback their work in their business or job. For members of Congress serving on key committee, it often becomes their full time job.

There are many changes needed to be made in how we elect our representatives, campaign finance, and relationship between congress and lobbyists. But cutting the salary of congressmen would do nothing to solve our problems.

These days, a lot of good people are unemployed or even homeless. Hey, if one of them is smart enough to run a good campaign and convince people to vote for them, they might be better than anyone we have now. I'd like to see one of us little guys have a shot at getting elected without all the big, dirty money behind us.

Having experience in playing politics is not a good thing. Someone with intelligence and total disgust for the mess politicians have created over the years is just what we need. All that political experience we've had in there over the decades has gotten us to this low point.

There are a lot of good people who won't go near political office specifically because of the dirty way campaigns are run. Even if your life is lily white and spanky clean, they will make shit up to sell to the Jerry Springer audiences. Face it, the electorate itself is corrupted in a special way, almost to the point of idiocy. Bread and circuses, man, bread and circuses...

 

[LittleNipper]

I suppose if you're trying to attract the homeless and the unemployed that might work. Most congressman have to drastically cutback their work in their business or job. For members of Congress serving on key committee, it often becomes their full time job.

There are many changes needed to be made in how we elect our representatives, campaign finance, and relationship between congress and lobbyists. But cutting the salary of congressmen would do nothing to solve our problems.

These days, a lot of good people are unemployed or even homeless. Hey, if one of them is smart enough to run a good campaign and convince people to vote for them, they might be better than anyone we have now. I'd like to see one of us little guys have a shot at getting elected without all the big, dirty money behind us.

Having experience in playing politics is not a good thing. Someone with intelligence and total disgust for the mess politicians have created over the years is just what we need. All that political experience we've had in there over the decades has gotten us to this low point.

There are a lot of good people who won't go near political office specifically because of the dirty way campaigns are run. Even if your life is lily white and spanky clean, they will make shit up to sell to the Jerry Springer audiences. Face it, the electorate itself is corrupted in a special way, almost to the point of idiocy. Bread and circuses, man, bread and circuses...

What is needed is someone honest with integrity ---- and a public looking for someone other than a celebrity.

 

[Flopper]

These days, a lot of good people are unemployed or even homeless. Hey, if one of them is smart enough to run a good campaign and convince people to vote for them, they might be better than anyone we have now. I'd like to see one of us little guys have a shot at getting elected without all the big, dirty money behind us.

Having experience in playing politics is not a good thing. Someone with intelligence and total disgust for the mess politicians have created over the years is just what we need. All that political experience we've had in there over the decades has gotten us to this low point.

There are a lot of good people who won't go near political office specifically because of the dirty way campaigns are run. Even if your life is lily white and spanky clean, they will make shit up to sell to the Jerry Springer audiences. Face it, the electorate itself is corrupted in a special way, almost to the point of idiocy. Bread and circuses, man, bread and circuses...

What is needed is someone honest with integrity ---- and a public looking for someone other than a celebrity.

We don't have a crystal ball to show us who will serve with honesty and integrity. However, I don't think honesty and integrity is the problem. The people in congress are deeply divided as to how to solve the nations problems. Anyone can propose solutions but it takes someone with real political savvy to negotiate a deal with the opposition then sell it to their own party. Without people like this, congress will continue to wallow in ideology, and accomplish nothing.

 

[Gadawg73]

I did not say we should pay our leaders less or more. I said, "Paying our leaders less is not going to draw more talented people into government...." The problem is not who's in congress. If it were, we would have solved the nation's major problems years ago. The problem is the way government and particular congress operates. We send new people to Washington and they don't have a clue how to solve the problems. Worst yet, even if they did, the pressure from the leadership, dealing with the bureaucracy and the congressional seniority system insures the status quo.

And sending Joe the plumber to Congress will only make things worse

Aside from the monetary corruption, it has everything to do with who we send to Congress. Sending Joe the Plumber to Congress would likely be a lot better than what we have going right now. Are you suggesting that we keep sending lawyers and bankers and corporate idiots and the like into Congress.....because that's worked great for us so far? No. The definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing and expecting different results......and that's what's been happening for years. People complain all the time, yet they keep electing the same assholes back into Congress or they elect people who have a ton of money, have political connections to thoroughly corrupt individuals, and/or are part of the Wall Street crowd. Well guess what...they've had their turn trying to run things and all they've....conservatives and liberals alike....done is wreck the country, financially and socially. It has nothing to do with how Congress operates......Congress is dependent on people to run it; if it's fucked up, that's because of the people in it.

Perhaps we should select public "servants" using a lottery system, as suggested by Kurt Vonnegut in "Harrison Bergeron"?

We could do worse and always have.

 

[gwennie]

I suppose if you're trying to attract the homeless and the unemployed that might work. Most congressman have to drastically cutback their work in their business or job. For members of Congress serving on key committee, it often becomes their full time job.

There are many changes needed to be made in how we elect our representatives, campaign finance, and relationship between congress and lobbyists. But cutting the salary of congressmen would do nothing to solve our problems.

These days, a lot of good people are unemployed or even homeless. Hey, if one of them is smart enough to run a good campaign and convince people to vote for them, they might be better than anyone we have now. I'd like to see one of us little guys have a shot at getting elected without all the big, dirty money behind us.

Having experience in playing politics is not a good thing. Someone with intelligence and total disgust for the mess politicians have created over the years is just what we need. All that political experience we've had in there over the decades has gotten us to this low point.

There are a lot of good people who won't go near political office specifically because of the dirty way campaigns are run. Even if your life is lily white and spanky clean, they will make shit up to sell to the Jerry Springer audiences. Face it, the electorate itself is corrupted in a special way, almost to the point of idiocy. Bread and circuses, man, bread and circuses...

Agree. But because this is the way it plays out that only tells us how corrupt our political system is.......yet we not only put up with it, but also encourage it by giving attention to the outrageous claims some of these politicians make.

 

[gwennie]

There are a lot of good people who won't go near political office specifically because of the dirty way campaigns are run. Even if your life is lily white and spanky clean, they will make shit up to sell to the Jerry Springer audiences. Face it, the electorate itself is corrupted in a special way, almost to the point of idiocy. Bread and circuses, man, bread and circuses...

What is needed is someone honest with integrity ---- and a public looking for someone other than a celebrity.

We don't have a crystal ball to show us who will serve with honesty and integrity. However, I don't think honesty and integrity is the problem. The people in congress are deeply divided as to how to solve the nations problems. Anyone can propose solutions but it takes someone with real political savvy to negotiate a deal with the opposition then sell it to their own party. Without people like this, congress will continue to wallow in ideology, and accomplish nothing.

Honesty and integrity IS the problem......if it wasn't, the politicians wouldn't be trying to fuck over each other and their constituents so that they can stay in power. Granted, there is a lot of conflict iin how each party wants the country run, but if any of them were acting like adults instead of toddlers we'd have solved these problems long ago. Then again, you also have to have someone in the white house that acts like a mature adult teaching others how to have mature negotiations rather than someone who is a narcissistic gangbanging prick that encourages nothing but division. We don't need another "politically savvy" politician......we NEED mature adults who know how to negotiate fairly, create and stick to budgets, improve the healthcare/medicare/SS system, engage in meaningful welfare reform, reform the tax code, and insure a healthy middle class....among other things.

 

[Gadawg73]

Amazing those of us that want welfare reform the only answer is "corporations get welfare" nonsense.
Because they have no other argument.
And I love the "only about 1% commit fraud" BS.
That bogus figure comes from how many folks are prosecuted and convicted.
Like the girl we know that went to high school with my daughter. She has a baby at age 19 so what do we do? We give her free food, free health care, a free place to live because she is "poor". She has no car so she gets transportation assistance and free day care. Has no car? Really? Her uncle lets her drive one of his cars and that is "legal" as she owns none, her grandmother watches her baby some while she attends a beauty school for free and uses the tax paid for baby sitter when she goes out and parties on the weekends. She could have lived with any # of her family but why do that when the taxpayer funds her own crib? Same with food and health care as her family owns a local pharmacy and convenience stores.
And under our laws she is "the poor"
We have turned into a nation of village idiots.

 

[Gadawg73]

Look what they did to Herman Cain. They slaughtered him
And praised Bill Clinton for doing the same thing and condemned anyone that wanted to hold him accountable.
Clinton was guilty of sexual harassment under Federal law at the least.
BUT OH WAIT, HE IS A DEMOCRAT. That is OK.
Free pass. He "cares".

 

[gallantwarrior]

These days, a lot of good people are unemployed or even homeless. Hey, if one of them is smart enough to run a good campaign and convince people to vote for them, they might be better than anyone we have now. I'd like to see one of us little guys have a shot at getting elected without all the big, dirty money behind us.

Having experience in playing politics is not a good thing. Someone with intelligence and total disgust for the mess politicians have created over the years is just what we need. All that political experience we've had in there over the decades has gotten us to this low point.

There are a lot of good people who won't go near political office specifically because of the dirty way campaigns are run. Even if your life is lily white and spanky clean, they will make shit up to sell to the Jerry Springer audiences. Face it, the electorate itself is corrupted in a special way, almost to the point of idiocy. Bread and circuses, man, bread and circuses...

Agree. But because this is the way it plays out that only tells us how corrupt our political system is.......yet we not only put up with it, but also encourage it by giving attention to the outrageous claims some of these politicians make.

There are many of us who recognize our system for the cesspit it is, and many who are no more than voices in the wilderness, too. Just watch and listen any time a pundit or commentator the liberals view as "right" bring up any point in opposition to the status quo. The hew and cry is outrageous...kind of like any time a black comes out as conservative. The left has its rallying cries and they have the voice of the LSM. And if they cannot silence us by their derailing, name-calling, and rants, they shout over us.

 

[gallantwarrior]

Amazing those of us that want welfare reform the only answer is "corporations get welfare" nonsense.
Because they have no other argument.
And I love the "only about 1% commit fraud" BS.
That bogus figure comes from how many folks are prosecuted and convicted.
Like the girl we know that went to high school with my daughter. She has a baby at age 19 so what do we do? We give her free food, free health care, a free place to live because she is "poor". She has no car so she gets transportation assistance and free day care. Has no car? Really? Her uncle lets her drive one of his cars and that is "legal" as she owns none, her grandmother watches her baby some while she attends a beauty school for free and uses the tax paid for baby sitter when she goes out and parties on the weekends. She could have lived with any # of her family but why do that when the taxpayer funds her own crib? Same with food and health care as her family owns a local pharmacy and convenience stores.
And under our laws she is "the poor"
We have turned into a nation of village idiots.

Now we reap what we have sown. As a society, we have institutionalized rewards for poor choices and irresponsibility. We have "de-stigmatized" behavior that once brought shame and infamy on the individual and their family. Additionally, our society has embarked on a full-scale attack directed against those who strive to excel and achieve more than the expected average. We have demonized those values which have always acted as a guide to making the right choices (for society as a whole).

 

[Gadawg73]

We offer incentives for poor to stay "poor".
And punish the producers.

 

[Flopper]

What is needed is someone honest with integrity ---- and a public looking for someone other than a celebrity.

We don't have a crystal ball to show us who will serve with honesty and integrity. However, I don't think honesty and integrity is the problem. The people in congress are deeply divided as to how to solve the nations problems. Anyone can propose solutions but it takes someone with real political savvy to negotiate a deal with the opposition then sell it to their own party. Without people like this, congress will continue to wallow in ideology, and accomplish nothing.

Honesty and integrity IS the problem......if it wasn't, the politicians wouldn't be trying to fuck over each other and their constituents so that they can stay in power. Granted, there is a lot of conflict iin how each party wants the country run, but if any of them were acting like adults instead of toddlers we'd have solved these problems long ago. Then again, you also have to have someone in the white house that acts like a mature adult teaching others how to have mature negotiations rather than someone who is a narcissistic gangbanging prick that encourages nothing but division. We don't need another "politically savvy" politician......we NEED mature adults who know how to negotiate fairly, create and stick to budgets, improve the healthcare/medicare/SS system, engage in meaningful welfare reform, reform the tax code, and insure a healthy middle class....among other things.

If you're going to accomplish anything in Congress, you going to have to compromise. You're going to have to support legislation you promised to oppose in order to get other legislation passed you have also promised to delivery. You're gonna have to get in bed with lobbyists in order to garner their support. Often you're going to have to bend to the will of the party even when it goes against what you believe. Unfortunately, honesty and integrity does not get legislation passed and passing legislation is the reason we have a congress.

If you work in a pig pen you're going to get dirty.

 

[Koios]

•Congress members (Representatives and Senators): $174,000
•Senate and House Majority/Minority Leaders: $193,400
•Cabinet members: $199,700
•Speaker of the House: $223,500
•Vice President: $230,700
•President: $400,000

The bottom line is that I feel that our government is totally out of touch with average citizens. The salaries above do not in the least expose all the ADDITIONAL perks these individuals acquire as a result of their power & prestige. They have the best of free healthcare and transportation and protection and luncheons/dinners and insider reports, and pensions. Is it any wonder that they are unable to balance a budget or spend wisely. They even vote for their own raises. They have become an embarrassment to the term capitalism, with their air of royal superiority over the "peasantry." Government of the people has evolved into government in spite of the people. All of these individuals owe their election to the hard work of volunteers and sponging off the general public for donations to their cause (or might we say election). Perhaps the only solution is a general revolt, but I fear that would only establish a far more evil regime. However, this insult to the American public simply cannot continue. Do we need a second American Revolution or another Civil War? What other choice is there --- we have had both Democrats and Republicans in office. Neither has voted in a wage decrease (they feel they are far too important).

No shit. Can you imagine that inept GWB getting POTUS upped from 200 K to 400 K with the help of them fiscal conservatives in Congress?

 

[Gadawg73]

•Congress members (Representatives and Senators): $174,000
•Senate and House Majority/Minority Leaders: $193,400
•Cabinet members: $199,700
•Speaker of the House: $223,500
•Vice President: $230,700
•President: $400,000

The bottom line is that I feel that our government is totally out of touch with average citizens. The salaries above do not in the least expose all the ADDITIONAL perks these individuals acquire as a result of their power & prestige. They have the best of free healthcare and transportation and protection and luncheons/dinners and insider reports, and pensions. Is it any wonder that they are unable to balance a budget or spend wisely. They even vote for their own raises. They have become an embarrassment to the term capitalism, with their air of royal superiority over the "peasantry." Government of the people has evolved into government in spite of the people. All of these individuals owe their election to the hard work of volunteers and sponging off the general public for donations to their cause (or might we say election). Perhaps the only solution is a general revolt, but I fear that would only establish a far more evil regime. However, this insult to the American public simply cannot continue. Do we need a second American Revolution or another Civil War? What other choice is there --- we have had both Democrats and Republicans in office. Neither has voted in a wage decrease (they feel they are far too important).

No shit. Can you imagine that inept GWB getting POTUS upped from 200 K to 400 K with the help of them fiscal conservatives in Congress?

President of the United States and leader of the free world making only 400K.
Far underpaid.

 

[LittleNipper]

EDITORIAL CARTOON: Les Miserables - Your Houston News: Opinion
yourhoustonnews.com Tomball Potpourri Opinion .
EDITORIAL CARTOON: Les Miserables
StoryCommentsImage (1)

 

[LittleNipper]

2013Les Miserables'

http://www.cagle.com/2013/01/les-miserables/

 

[rightwinger]

Look what they did to Herman Cain. They slaughtered him
And praised Bill Clinton for doing the same thing and condemned anyone that wanted to hold him accountable.
Clinton was guilty of sexual harassment under Federal law at the least.
BUT OH WAIT, HE IS A DEMOCRAT. That is OK.
Free pass. He "cares".

Who exactly was it that slaughtered Herman Cain?

Clinton was impeached for a fucking blow job. What more did you want?

 

[Gadawg73]

Look what they did to Herman Cain. They slaughtered him
And praised Bill Clinton for doing the same thing and condemned anyone that wanted to hold him accountable.
Clinton was guilty of sexual harassment under Federal law at the least.
BUT OH WAIT, HE IS A DEMOCRAT. That is OK.
Free pass. He "cares".

Who exactly was it that slaughtered Herman Cain?

Clinton was impeached for a fucking blow job. What more did you want?

Media.
Clinton was never impeached from office. He was acquitted by the Senate.

 

[Koios]

•Congress members (Representatives and Senators): $174,000
•Senate and House Majority/Minority Leaders: $193,400
•Cabinet members: $199,700
•Speaker of the House: $223,500
•Vice President: $230,700
•President: $400,000

The bottom line is that I feel that our government is totally out of touch with average citizens. The salaries above do not in the least expose all the ADDITIONAL perks these individuals acquire as a result of their power & prestige. They have the best of free healthcare and transportation and protection and luncheons/dinners and insider reports, and pensions. Is it any wonder that they are unable to balance a budget or spend wisely. They even vote for their own raises. They have become an embarrassment to the term capitalism, with their air of royal superiority over the "peasantry." Government of the people has evolved into government in spite of the people. All of these individuals owe their election to the hard work of volunteers and sponging off the general public for donations to their cause (or might we say election). Perhaps the only solution is a general revolt, but I fear that would only establish a far more evil regime. However, this insult to the American public simply cannot continue. Do we need a second American Revolution or another Civil War? What other choice is there --- we have had both Democrats and Republicans in office. Neither has voted in a wage decrease (they feel they are far too important).

No shit. Can you imagine that inept GWB getting POTUS upped from 200 K to 400 K with the help of them fiscal conservatives in Congress?

President of the United States and leader of the free world making only 400K.
Far underpaid.

Agreed. Compared to the CEO of a major corporation, it's a pittance.