Do our politicians deserve their salary?

[davidn3600]

I've been thinking about that assclown Republican that said last week that he's "stuck" making $174,000 a year. And see these guys get all these days off and then realize they dont even read most of the stuff they are voting. Maybe Im missing something, but it seems these guys are overpaid.

More than half of congress are millionaires. How the hell is congress supposed to understand the problems of the middle class when half of them have at least a million dollars?

[ForgoTheConsequence]

1. That's a lot to most people.

But they're not in it for the 174k. The real money is made after congress or from investments you make or benefits you get from scratching backs while you're serving.

[cherokeeprogressive]

2. NNNNnnnnope

[99th_Monkey]

3. Is the Pope a Buddhist?

I think not.

[Fumesucker]

4. The very best politicians money can buy

Well, rent anyway.

[Alkene]

5. No.

Provide a lower middle-class salary, staff, modest expense account and housing. Hardly a sacrifice, assuming what you really want is to serve the public. Sure a lot better life than many of us out here in the real world have.

Want to live the high life? Apply for a different job. Retail should be gearing up for the holidays right about now.

[sakabatou]

6. No

Don't many of them get their money from "outside influence?" Sorry, can't remember the word.

[B Calm]

7. $174,000 + all the thousands under the table that we don't know about,

and this asshole is whining. . .

[tecelote]

8. Of the people, for the corporation.

America has been purchased by big business.

The American dream is now lower wages and higher capital returns.

[Laelth]

9. Yes. In fact, they deserve a lot more.

Personally, I think Senators need about $20 million/year and Representatives need about $10 million/year.

If they got paid decently (and their job is as important as any CEO), they might not have to sell their influence to stay in office (i.e. keep their jobs).

-Laelth

[Laelth]

12. Kick. Care to respond?

Or are you a hit-and-run poster?



-Laelth

[seveneyes]

13. Bribery isn't good either

Someone that needs that much money to remain honest is not honest to start with. Cash for influence should be illegal.

[Laelth]

14. Cash for influence is going to happen whether we like it or not.

The question is whose cash? Cash from the public treasury (in which case they may serve the people) or cash from wealthy oligarchs?



-Laelth

[SomethingFishy]

16. Uh... No.

We need to do away with lobbyists, not give more money to people who work less than 200 days a year and spend their time sitting around complaining about "takers" and "lazy Americans" and the way too high minimum wage.

"If they got paid decently".. Really? They work less than 200 days a year, they get 6 figures a full pension and free health care and you don't consider that decent?

[Laelth]

17. No. That's not decent. Not for what they have to spend.

They each have to maintain a separate residence in D.C., and D.C. is outrageously expensive. There goes the full salary every year. So they get next to nothing to live on and with which to feed their families. If they're not rich already, they have to get money from somewhere just to keep their jobs (because it costs so much to run for office).

I do not envy them, and I would like to create the conditions by which there would be little incentive for them to be corrupt. They are doing the people's business, and that's very important. And they're almost constantly working (even if Congress is supposedly in session only 200 days/year).

Good luck getting rid of lobbyists. I am pretty certain the SCOTUS would tell you to pound sand. Lobbyists have a 1st Amendment right to seek redress of grievances from the government, i.e. to lobby Congress.

-Laelth

[treestar]

10. Depends on the politician

There are going to be some who do and some who don't. That Republican should be voted out, if his constituents care about being represented by someone who has their best interests at heart.

[Lurks Often]

11. Yes and No

Based on the number of hours they work and job performance, they are over paid.

However in the abstract, the pay is adequate. Keep in mind they (the vast majority of them) are paying the expenses for their home and family in their own state, plus the expenses for living in the DC area, hardly an inexpensive place to live, so essentially they are probably paying for 1 1/2 households. I also suspect they have expenses most of us don't have, I'd be interested in what the average Congressperson has to pay for out of their own pocket for job related expenses the average person doesn't.

[RebelOne]

15. Absolutely not. n/t