Dem Congress Gives Itself A Raise

[red states rule]

Well, the Dems have broken yet another campaign promise. Yesterday, the Dems (and some Republicans) voted for another pay increase



House Lawmakers to Consider Raising Salaries to Nearly $170,000
Thursday, June 28, 2007

WASHINGTON — Despite low approval ratings and hard feelings from last year's elections, Democrats and Republicans in the House are reaching out for an approximately $4,400 pay raise that would increase their salaries to almost $170,000.

The cost-of-living raise endorsed Wednesday evening gets lawmakers back on track for automatic pay raises after a fight between the parties last year and again in January killed the pay increase due this year. That was the first interruption of the annual congressional pay boost in seven years.

The blowup came after Democrats last year fulfilled a campaign promise to deny themselves more pay until Congress raised the minimum wage. Delays in the minimum wage bill cost every lawmaker about $3,100 this year.

On a 244-181 vote Wednesday, Democrats and Republicans alike killed a bid by Reps. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, and Lee Terry, R-Neb., to get a direct vote to block the COLA, which is automatically awarded unless lawmakers vote to block it. The Senate has not indicated when it will deal with a similar measure.

As part of an ethics bill in 1989, Congress gave up its ability to accept pay for speeches and made annual cost-of-living pay increases automatic unless the lawmakers voted otherwise.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,287122,00.html

 

[red states rule]

The lowest rated Congress in history is voting itself a raise.

I wonder how the fools who voted for the Dems are feeling this morning

 

[Care4all]

I don't think anyone in Congress should get a raise! period!

 

[red states rule]

I don't think anyone in Congress should get a raise! period!

We agree on this one

But I do like how San Fran Nan is putting an end to the perks.

 

[Larkinn]

And what campaign promise did they break rsr?

 

[SolarEnergy1]

The lowest rated Congress in history is voting itself a raise.

I wonder how the fools who voted for the Dems are feeling this morning

holy cow, and i thought it was bad when The Yankees signed 45 yr old Roger Clemens for 28 million. I guess Pelosi needed a raise for all the hard work she's doing either that or they are trying to set a new all time low approval rating. I think they are shooting for 1% approval

 

[actsnoblemartin]

I agree with you 100%, and wouldnt all the people in congress get a raise?. I love ya rsr, but youre too partisan.

I don't think anyone in Congress should get a raise! period!

 

[actsnoblemartin]

I agree with you 100%

holy cow, and i thought it was bad when The Yankees signed 45 yr old Roger Clemens for 28 million. I guess Pelosi needed a raise for all the hard work she's doing either that or they are trying to set a new all time low approval rating. I think they are shooting for 1% approval

 

[Larkinn]

The lowest rated Congress in history is voting itself a raise.

Actually thats a lie as well, albeit a very subtle one. However it may seem very semantical, I think it actually matters.

I want politicians to be well paid. Why? I don't want them to take bribes for need of money and I don't want there to be only independently wealthy candidates.

 

[Larkinn]

By the way Musicman...what do you think of the lie by omission in this article? If you even realized it. Rsr fell for it (no surprise there). Did you as well?

 

[Vintij]

Its funny how you said "and some republicans" haha. Well incase you forgot, it was the democrats last year, that blocked what is called the COLA. An automatic pay raise based on cost of living. They blocked it until the minimum wage was increased. Trust me both sides agreed on allowing that automatic raise to go through. Not just democrats.

 

[maineman]

wow. Congress gets a cost of living increase like the majority of workers in America....

and they STILL are paid WAY less than thousand and thousands of second tier executives in American industry.

And democrats have already DENIED themselves a pay raise for THIS year for the first time in seven straight years.

Yeah..this is really cause for alarm.

 

[actsnoblemartin]

are you speaking to me?. i tried to clarify, the number is for both parties.

Its funny how you said "and some republicans" haha. Well incase you forgot, it was the democrats last year, that blocked what is called the COLA. An automatic pay raise based on cost of living. They blocked it until the minimum wage was increased. Trust me both sides agreed on allowing that automatic raise to go through. Not just democrats.

 

[actsnoblemartin]

but maineman, where else can you vote yourself a raise?, i disagree with that, let the american people vote for that.

Second, with the lowest approval rating of all time, why do they deserve a raise now.

Perhaps, youre right, I dont know anything about the last seven years, but dont they only work 200 days a year?

I look forward to your response

wow. Congress gets a cost of living increase like the majority of workers in America....

and they STILL are paid WAY less than thousand and thousands of second tier executives in American industry.

And democrats have already DENIED themselves a pay raise for THIS year for the first time in seven straight years.

Yeah..this is really cause for alarm.

 

[Vintij]

are you speaking to me?. i tried to clarify, the number is for both parties.

No, I was refering to RSR's original thread. Sorry for the discrepancy

 

[maineman]

but maineman, where else can you vote yourself a raise?, i disagree with that, let the american people vote for that.

Second, with the lowest approval rating of all time, why do they deserve a raise now.

Perhaps, youre right, I dont know anything about the last seven years, but dont they only work 200 days a year?

I look forward to your response

nearly every american worker gets a cost of living adjustment to their wage. Congress passed a law some time ago which gave THEMSELVES that same CPI indexed cost of living adjustment. This past year, the democrats did NOT accept that adjustment because they had vowed not to until they have raised the federal minimum wage.....which they now have done.

with all the really scary shit happening in the world...with the Taliban holding a public graduation ceremony for 300 suicide bombers in broad daylight in a country we ought to be completely controlling and dominating but can't because we are doing a miserable job keeping the peace in Iraq.... do we really need to spend any more time about an automatic cost of living adjustment that raises the wages of congressmen and senators to a level that most junior VP's in American industry would laugh at?

 

[actsnoblemartin]

No, I think youre right. you have made a good case, that it would actually be discriminatory to not give them cost of living increases but everyone else does. Besides, not all ceo's act great, and they can walk out with 400 million dollars. Thanks for the feedback , and youre right, on the important scale, this is a negative 5000000000

nearly every american worker gets a cost of living adjustment to their wage. Congress passed a law some time ago which gave THEMSELVES that same CPI indexed cost of living adjustment. This past year, the democrats did NOT accept that adjustment because they had vowed not to until they have raised the federal minimum wage.....which they now have done.

with all the really scary shit happening in the world...with the Taliban holding a public graduation ceremony for 300 suicide bombers in broad daylight in a country we ought to be completely controlling and dominating but can't because we are doing a miserable job keeping the peace in Iraq.... do we really need to spend any more time about an automatic cost of living adjustment that raises the wages of congressmen and senators to a level that most junior VP's in American industry would laugh at?

 

[Vintij]

nearly every american worker gets a cost of living adjustment to their wage. Congress passed a law some time ago which gave THEMSELVES that same CPI indexed cost of living adjustment. This past year, the democrats did NOT accept that adjustment because they had vowed not to until they have raised the federal minimum wage.....which they now have done.

with all the really scary shit happening in the world...with the Taliban holding a public graduation ceremony for 300 suicide bombers in broad daylight in a country we ought to be completely controlling and dominating but can't because we are doing a miserable job keeping the peace in Iraq.... do we really need to spend any more time about an automatic cost of living adjustment that raises the wages of congressmen and senators to a level that most junior VP's in American industry would laugh at?

I dont believe there is a significant amount of attention paid to the increase in wages, but I think that I understand the frustration coming from some people in that it seems like years since congress has really done ANYTHING monumentally progressive for our domestic policy. Moreover, alot of people (like me)dont really get cost of living increases, and Im actually doing something, rather than attacking my opposition and killing bill after bill. On route to winning the purely symbolic political clout known as the "white house".

 

[actsnoblemartin]

do all working americans deserve cost of living increases?

why or why not?

and i share the frustration of government, they suck.

I dont believe there is a significant amount of attention paid to the increase in wages, but I think that I understand the frustration coming from some people in that it seems like years since congress has really done ANYTHING monumentally progressive for our domestic policy. Moreover, alot of people (like me)dont really get cost of living increases, and Im actually doing something, rather than attacking my opposition and killing bill after bill. On route to winning the purely symbolic political clout known as the "white house".

 

[red states rule]

And what campaign promise did they break rsr?

To reduce the perks and cut the pork from government