Dear Conservative,
Members of Congress actually think they deserve a pay raise.
…
Ok, stop laughing. This is serious. Members of Congress really believe that their $174,000 salary isn’t enough to survive in Washington, D.C.
Representative Jim Moran (D-VA) may be retiring at the end of this session, however before he rides off into the sunset, he plans to introduce a bill to give Congress a pay raise.
“I think the American people should know that the members of Congress are underpaid,” Moran explains, “I understand that it's widely felt that they underperform, but the fact is that this is the board of directors for the largest economic entity in the world."
Let’s flesh out Rep. Moran’s argument a little bit. He is arguing that Congressmen are so underpaid that their standard of living has actually decreased.
First, I want to call attention to the fact that half of all Congressmen and Senators are millionaires. At least 268 of the 534 Representatives and Senators in Congress are worth over a million dollars. The Median net-worth for Republicans and Democrats is also about $1 million. But people like Rep. Moran don’t want you to know that. While Moran might be one of the poorest members of Congress, he represents the exception, not the norm. In fact, Rep. Jim Moran actually voted for the Back to Work Budget, which if enacted would have increased the taxes on millionaires to almost 50% of their income!
The hypocrisy of it is that those on the Left cry that millionaires in this country aren’t taxed enough. But when it comes to them, these Congressmen believe that they deserve to be paid more!
It’s almost hard to stomach just how hypocritical our elected officials are…
So, we’ve proven that Congress, as a body, is comprised of more millionaires than many would like to admit. However, regardless of net worth, Rep. Moran still believes that $174,000 isn’t enough to live in Washington, D.C.
Well, that might not be enough to live the way he wants to live… but plenty of people survive in the nation’s capital on much smaller salaries. In fact, between 2008 and 2012, the median household income was $64,267. The fact of the matter is that Congress has grown accustomed to a certain type of lifestyle that, quite frankly, it cannot afford. And since Congressional salaries were frozen in 2010, they – like the rest of us – have seen the purchasing power of the dollar decrease every day.
In many parts of the country today, gasoline prices are up close to 100% since Barack Obama took office. Food is almost 33% more expensive now than it was when Obama was inaugurated. Despite the Left’s promises, the Affordable Care Act is actually increasing families’ healthcare costs by over $2,500 years. We were told healthcare would be “affordable.”
At every turn, Congress has worked with the President to institute policies that hurt the American people. Now that Members of Congress are starting to feel the effects as well, they feel that they deserve a raise.
The funny thing about raises is you need to earn them. Congress hasn’t earned a raise and until the American people are back on the road to prosperity, Congress shouldn’t get another dime from the taxpayers!
When this country was founded, being elected to Congress was not supposed to be a full time job. When the Continental Congress first met in 1774, it was made up of lawyers, teachers, blacksmiths, printers, and preachers who all held full time jobs in their respected professions. When the U.S. Congress convened for the first time in 1789, it was also considered a part time job. After serving their country, Representatives and Senators would return home for months at a time in order to make a living.
Today, the summer recess in Congress is an excuse to go on vacation. When this country was founded, it was essential in order to allow Congressmen to have a successful harvest.
We have allowed what began as “service to the country” to turn into a full-time job.
Yes, the rank-and-file Congressmen make $174,000/year. But there are so many other perks and benefits, not to mention the bribes and kickbacks.
Jim Moran may believe that Congress isn’t paid enough, but he has used his position to his advantage every chance he got.
On September 16, 2008, Rep. Moran received a briefing from the Treasury Secretary warning of the impending financial crisis. The very next day, Moran allegedly made 90 stock trades, dumping his shares before they were devalued.
This is just one instance of what happens every day in Washington D.C.: Legislators using their influence to gain money and prestige. Rep. Jim Moran is just one of the many examples of Congressional hypocrisy out there.
Congress was never supposed to be a full time job. It was supposed to be an institution where patriotic Americans could serve their country in the legislature. Somewhere along the line, however, the body was transformed into a full-time venture. As a result, legislators began to spend more time in the Capital and less time with their constituents.
Congressmen and women make $174,000 a year. They laughingly believe that they deserve a raise.
While millions of Americans are struggling to make ends meet, your legislators want you to pay for their raises.
This is unacceptable and it must be stopped! If Congress wants a raise, it needs to earn it by helping the middle class, not just themselves!
Sincerely,
Joe Otto
Conservative Daily
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