Dems Unveil Bill To Block Congressional Pay If Debt Ceiling Isn’t Raised

[kpete]

Source: Talking Points Memo

Dems Unveil Bill To Block Congressional Pay If Debt Ceiling Isn’t Raised

SAHIL KAPUR 10:34 AM EDT, WEDNESDAY JUNE 12, 2013


Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) introduced legislation Wednesday to withhold pay for members of Congress if the government fails to raise the debt ceiling in time.

Modeled on the GOP's "no budget, no pay" legislation, the funds would be placed into an escrow account and paid to members in full once the debt limit is increased.

Announcing their legislation in the Capitol, Boxer and McDermott took turns excoriating Republicans for threatening not to raise the debt ceiling unless Democrats offer ideological concessions such as spending cuts in return.

"Republicans seem to want to hurt America first, by leaving our people unpaid and going ahead and paying China first," Boxer said, referring to GOP legislation to prioritize payments to creditors and Social Security recipients first if the debt limit is broached. "What country to these guys represent anyway?"

Read more: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/dem-lawmakers-unveil-bill-to-block-congressional-pay?ref=fpb

[idwiyo]

1. How about cut all payments to Congress and Senate until such time when deficit is gone.

And I don't mean to withhold their wages. I mean no damn wages at all until there is no deficit.

[jeff47]

9. That would be a bad idea.

It's actually good for macroeconomics to run a small deficit.

It's bad to have a large, unsustainable deficit. Eventually.

[Ed Suspicious]

10. Deficits aren't the enemy. Austerity is the enemy.

As Keynes, by extension Krugman, would have us know;deficit spending during down time is a tool to provide stability until the next economic upswing.

[Cirque du So-What]

11. ^ What you said ^

Fuck austerity - especially the dismal 'science' behind Reinhart & Rogoff's execrable report.

[yeoman6987]

26. How about cut all payments to Congress and Senate until such time when deficit is gone.

I agree. Too bad it will never happen. Congress makes a lot of money for doing nothing and working a few weeks at a time and ready for another recess.

[SamKnause]

2. Paychecks

The majority would not be fazed if they did not receive their paychecks.

They have made millions 'working' for we the people.

They will just kick their insider trading up a notch to make up the difference.

[salib]

24. It is worse than that

As is obvious by looking at who supports this it is only those we actually support who would be hurt by this. Repugs and other bought and paid for politicians are either so well off that they so not care and only want more from those who bought them or simply want what they will get when they retire from congress from those who have already promised to pay them off

[Earth_First]

3. lol @ 'escrow accounts'

Ask the employees who are forced to take unpaid furlough days about how the feel about escrowing the paychecks of Congress...

[sinkingfeeling]

4. And who will vote for that?

[Sunlei]

5. yes, this I support.None of the leadership should be paid untill they finish,catch-up their work.

Their extra health benefits should be cut aswell. Most of them are medicare /ss age OR are very wealthy and can afford to pay their own healthcare costs.

Let them use their medicade and social security benefits, the same 2 'benefits' a typical elder American has to use.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

6. Congress People still get paid from other activities.

I don't think it'll hurt them one bit.

[Live and Learn]

13. +1 It won't hurt the majority of them. nt

[Iliyah]

7. Furloughs too.

No health insurance coverage as well, no perks, et al.,

[valerief]

8. Same should go for all retired members of Congress, medical benes, too.

Of course, the many with the big buckos can always loan living expenses to the newbies who don't yet have the big buckos.

Most people do not become members of Congress serve the hoi polloi. They do it for the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

[watoos]

12. It will be a token vote to see if the democrats are united.

Republicons are sure to filibuster it. Even if by some miracle the Bill passed the Senate, we still have the crazies in the House.

[Fire Walk With Me]

14. Wow, congress doing something of which I approve? Nice change. n/t

[AnneD]

15. We sure as hell...

have not been getting our money's worth for over 20 years....

[AndyA]

16. I'd suggest going a bit more broad...

For instance, withhold pay for members of Congress until the American people earn a living wage; unemployment drops to a reasonable number; an agreement is reached to deal with the deficit long term without sacrificing SS, Medicare, and other services people depend on to survive.

Bet those things would get dealt with quickly and effectively then!

[Doctor_J]

17. So they'll have to live on donations from the NRA and Exxon/Mobil and PHARMA

oh, the humanity

[truthisfreedom]

18. do, not to

Hate to be all grammatical, but it's important.

[Munificence]

19. This debt ceiling thing

is a double edge sword.

Double edge because there was a projection for the deficit to go down to $800 billion vs being $1.2 trillion due to this kicking in. If the limited is raised then we will not see the reduction in the deficit and will probably see the $1.2 trillion mark on the deficit.

[BlueStreak]

20. Just grandstanding. A law passed in one session cannot affect the pay during that session.

[Clouseau2]

21. Unlikely to be constitutional

27th amendment:

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.

Putting their money in an escrow account is clearly "varying the compensation."

Now, if they want to pass a law saying the NEXT Congress gets paid nothing if the government raises the debt ceiling, that would most likely survive a constitutional challenge. Good luck with that one!

[Cha]

22. K&R

thanks kpete

[BlueToTheBone]

23. I don't think they should get back pay if they don't do

their job. They should have to forfeit.

[Javaman]

25. Kabuki theater. nt