Democratic congresswoman proposes pay cut for members of Congress.
Democratic congresswoman proposes pay cut for members of Congress.
Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ) introduced a bill last week to cut pay for members of Congress by $8,700 a year — or five percent — and freeze their automatic cost-of-living increase. With Congress’ approval ratings “spiraling downward,” the cost-of-living pay increase “has become largely unpopular.” “Families across the country are getting by on lower wages…so why shouldn’t senators and representatives have to feel the same pinch?” Kirkpatrick said. The cut would be the first since the Great Depression:
The first-term congresswoman said she’s hopeful, given the enormous fiscal challenges facing the country, the measure can pass. She said she’s already started handing over 5 percent of her pay every month — or $870 — to help chisel away at the national debt. The monthly payment would have been less, but Kirkpatrick is, according to her office, paying extra to make up for the two months of 2010 she missed.
“I’m putting my money where my mouth is. I’m leading by example and I hope my colleagues will join me,” she said. [...]
“The last time Congress took a cut in pay was 77 years ago. I don’t know anyone who has not had a pay cut in 77 years.”
Members of Congress are currently paid $174,000 — leaders earn more — and Kirkpatrick’s office estimates the proposal would save $4.66 million a year. “Though it’s slight compared with the $12.5 trillion debt,” Kirkpatrick argued that it’s hard to justify the automatic pay increases in the current economic situation. So far, 21 lawmakers from both parties have signed on as co-sponsors and the measure is being considered in two House committees.
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Good idea, but it will go nowhere.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:11 pmEven though this is mostly a symbolic gesture, it would be a good public relations move for Congress. Lord knows their public image can use the polishing.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:11 pm.
Too big to fail Congress needs the bonus to “attract” good people…
… YES?
.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:12 pmAgreed. Excellent idea, but the members of Congress, Dem and Rep alike are too wedded to their money and benefits to ever voluntarily do something like this.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:12 pm… read “RETENTION BONUS”.
.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:15 pmGreat idea. But it ain’t going to happen. Repugs would never go for it. They have no problem living of the ‘Government’ tit. But Heaven forbid if the Common Man needs a break. THEN it’s ‘Socialism’.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:15 pmThis is incredibly admirable on her part. Too bad that the Right will think this is one of the most appalling suggestions, ever.
I can already hear the GOP grumbling about paying their fair share…
March 8th, 2010 at 3:15 pmDemocratic congresswoman proposes pay cut for members of Congress.
Excellent idea, Rep Kirkpatrick.
Let the heading-spinning commence…
March 8th, 2010 at 3:15 pmThank you, Ann Kirkpatrick.
I wouldn’t be so quick to write this off as a political ploy (even though she’s representing a swing district in Arizona)…it could actually gain some traction. The GOP undoubtedly wants to appear connected to the concerns of the teabaggers and the teabaggers are no fans of Congress.And Dems are just as eager to paint the GOP as greedy a**holes.
This is win-win.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:18 pmIf I asked my boss for an automatic cost-of-living increase, I wonder what he’d say to that? We cut funding to education like it’s giving children cancer, but these scum-sucking schits get an AUTOMATIC INCREASE EVERY YEAR?
March 8th, 2010 at 3:19 pmBring it to a vote, no strings attached. Up or down.
Is a congress-critter gonna complain that they can’t get by on $165,300? Waah, waah.
Let’s see who’s wedded to the gub’mint tit, as P.D. put it.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:19 pmA commendable first step. Even more impressive would be if all members of Congress would forego their Cadillac health insurance coverage until all their constituents had similar coverage.
I received this in an email recently:
Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution:
“Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States”.
I like the idea.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:19 pmFamilies across the country are getting by on lower wages…so why shouldn’t senators and representatives have to feel the same pinch?” Kirkpatrick said.
If you want to feel the same pinch, send 10% of you home, until the American people have real jobs again.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:20 pmActually most of the Republicans in Congress could afford to pay their own salaries, just to keep screwing the country.
More Democrats need to grow a pair like Kirkpatrick.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:20 pmOne good way to save money, put all the ex congress critters on half pay.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:20 pmGreat idea, also let’s limit the amount they spend in Washington so they will quit wasting all of their time. Texas has a interesting take: pay legislators $7,200 a year and they only meet 140 days every other year. Every session they pass about 600 bills during the last two weeks because they know they won’t be back in Austin for 2 years.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:22 pmthey should make minimum wage, plus travel expenses.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:22 pmHow about we force them all to live at the watergate hotel and restrict the hell out of their lives while they’re running our country?
March 8th, 2010 at 3:23 pmMore to the point: are there actually more than a dozen or so Congress-types actually reliant on their six figure salary for a living? Sure, not everyone is Alan Grayson or John Kerry…but not everyone is Joe Biden, either. Most legislators make much more than their salary.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:26 pmThats my congresswoman. Way to go
March 8th, 2010 at 3:26 pmab-se-freaking-lutely. straight up or down vote. time to see exactly where our representitives stand.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:27 pm“5 percent of her pay every month — or $870 ”
must be nice, being able to “give back” what most americans make every two weeks.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:28 pm$174,000, hmmmmm . .
So how come STUPEK couldn’t afford to pay his own $600/month rent for all the years he lived at the ‘C’ Street House??
March 8th, 2010 at 3:28 pmMembers of Congress are currently paid $174,000
Incorrect. That’s what the government, funded by taxpayer dollars, pays the Congresscritter. That’s just chump change compared to all the cash & perks they rake in from lobbyists and Corporatistas–that’s where the big bucks are.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:29 pmRep. Ann Kirkpatrick (Democrat-Arizona): “I’m putting my money where my mouth is. I’m leading by example and I hope my colleagues will join me.”
Republicans in Congress: “Sorry…pay cuts are socialist and fascist when we are the ones taking the cut.”
March 8th, 2010 at 3:29 pm535 congress-critters taking an $8,700 pay cut amounts to over $4.6 million – a drop in the bucket on a $13 trillion debt, but just think of the headline:
“Democrats vote for Congressional Pay Cut; Reduce National Debt by $4.6 Million”
Tell me that won’t come across as positive news.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:29 pmI guarantee someone is going to put a hold on the bill in the Senate when it makes it there.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:30 pmIf it makes them squirm it’s worth saying.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:31 pmI keep remembering how Steele claimed a million dollars wasn’t a lot of money. MSM got rid of the little headline soon enough.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:31 pmIt’s a nice gesture, though not entirely original. Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR) has done this for practically his entire career in Congress.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:36 pmIf social security cost of living can be frozen, then so should congress. Easy enough.
same with minimum wage, should be a vote every year and attached to congresses pay
March 8th, 2010 at 3:38 pmit just makes sense, when my boss doesn’t like my performance i don’t get a raise… if the company i work for went trillions of dollars in debt, they would cut wages
March 8th, 2010 at 3:38 pmIf they want to cut the debt, tax corporate campaign contributions at a confiscatory level.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:39 pmNot to mention the fact that a healthy percentage of this country’s families are struggling in one way or another, had to make sacrifices of ALL varieties, and we’re willing to do it in order to keep moving forward and get through this together. It would be interesting to see how Congress reacts to being suggested to do the same thing. My bet is they’ll spin it to where they’ll try to justify why they should get a raise and a bonus.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:44 pmThe real question.
Does Congress even give a shit about their approval ratings?
March 8th, 2010 at 3:47 pmWith the Federal minimum wage at $5.85/hr that works out to $1,014/month for a full time employee. Bless her heart for the effort and may someone point out to them that a %5 paycut to them (something they can live with) is almost what many Americans live on.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:48 pmNow all we MUST do is call or write to our representatives and senators.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:51 pmYes, I would back something like this. Hell they only work a 3 day week and less then 8 hours a day.
maybe we should pay them the wage they deserver.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:52 pmAsking members of Congress to take a pay cut is like asking them to reform campaign contribution laws. It is not going to happen unless the voters force them.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:53 pmGreat idea! But come on, it must be rough for these congress critters to try and survive on $170,000 and up a year, have a great health care plan, a 100% guaranteed government pension, lots of vacation time. Then once they get voted out or retire they can hook up with their lobbyist friends to screw us all even more while making even more money.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:54 pmWith the current atmosphere on Main Street USA, this bill may just have a chance, unless it is killed. I wouldn’t want to be the incumbent who votes against it.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:56 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
42
March 8th, 2010 at 3:59 pmAnd as a person who loves their country I don’t suppose you would mind a little increase in your taxes to pay some bills, right? I mean come on now let’s show our descendants that we have the right stuff…
LizCoro says:
$174,000, hmmmmm . .
So how come STUPEK couldn’t afford to pay his own $600/month rent for all the years he lived at the ‘C’ Street House??
March 8th, 2010 at 4:00 pm———————————————————
Apparently he loved the comradery of religious cult members?
Holding back the urge to reply to teh stoopid in 42…
March 8th, 2010 at 4:02 pmI like this idea!
Cut their benefits too and their retirement package after they leave.
It should be an honor to serve in the US Congress and when your done – you’re done – we, the taxpayer, shouldn’t pay you after that…
March 8th, 2010 at 4:02 pmOT: 37 Senators are now on board for public option.
According to whipcongress.com these 21 dem senators have NOT made the pro public option commitment:
Sen. Daniel Akaka HI
Sen. Max Baucus MT
Sen. Evan Bayh IN
Sen. Mark Begich AK
Sen. Robert Byrd WV
Sen. Thomas Carper DE
Sen. Kent Conrad ND
Sen. Byron Dorgan ND
Sen. Kay Hagan NC
Sen. Tom Harkin IA
Sen. Herb Kohl WI
Sen. Mary Landrieu LA
Sen. Blanche Lincoln AR
Sen. Claire McCaskill MO
Sen. Bill Nelson FL
Sen. Ben Nelson NE
Sen. Mark Pryor AR
Sen. John Rockefeller WV
Sen. Jon Tester MT
Sen. Mark Warner VA
Sen. Jim Webb VA
Callers on progressive radio have stated their senator is on board with public option, but for various reasons can not sign or make a statement.???
from: callcongress.org:
Here is the main number for Congress – the Senate and House – in Washington, DC. 202 225-3121
It has been my experience the only verification needed is a zip code.
March 8th, 2010 at 4:03 pmBeethoven Rules, your first 2 and a half ideas are good. however, we should keep the Department of Education. And if they do not have power to then give them the power to prevent religious right idiots from influencing the selection of textbooks like in Texas.
March 8th, 2010 at 4:03 pmAt 42 I thought the troll actually was experiencing a lucid moment. Then it got to #3. Dismantle DHS and you would save a whole lot more.
March 8th, 2010 at 4:03 pmRaise my taxes! Why is it that everyone wants sacrifices but no one wants to sacrifice?
March 8th, 2010 at 4:03 pmBeethovenSUX
I suggest all ignorant trollmorons like YOU get MANDATED vascectomies so your abject, inbred, stupidity doesnt futher pollute our gene pool
March 8th, 2010 at 4:03 pmGo further and propose stripping pensions and health care. You would definitely see some form of health care passed if members of congress only qualified for the same healthcare as the poorest of their constituants.
March 8th, 2010 at 4:04 pmSenator Herb Kohl. A disgrace to Wisconsin. But then he’s a rich guy.
March 8th, 2010 at 4:05 pmI have been saying this same thing for awhile now, but Ann, do not just cut their salaries, end ALL perks, the American taxpayers should NOT be paying for limos and their drivers, haircuts and entertainment just so these clowns can schmooz their way to another term.
March 8th, 2010 at 4:06 pmLet’s see if we can limit ALL Congressional terms to 2 terms of no more the 8 years just like the president.
Cut the defense budget and the DHS budget!
Create a user tax for every single stock transaction made on Wall Street
Raise the S.S. salary cap from the first $90,000.00 to the first $750,000.00
Tax corporate campaign donations
Create an annual lobbyist fee/license.
Tax political ads paid for by corporations and other organizations
March 8th, 2010 at 4:08 pmI’d say 20% would be more than symbolic. This includes staffers and their budgets which are completely bloated.
And force all Govn’t employees to fly coach…some orgs still allow business class. It’s outrageous.
March 8th, 2010 at 4:08 pmmike from Arlington says:
The bigwigs from agencies never fly coach. Members of Congress can piggy back rides with the military and that is for free.
March 8th, 2010 at 4:12 pmArizona is a mess. Closing Red ROcks State Park? What the hell is wrong with these people?
March 8th, 2010 at 4:13 pmWatermelon
Definitly IS Flag. Yuma is pretty democratic too
March 8th, 2010 at 4:16 pmHey what is the name of the joint in Flag that has all those dead animal heads on the wall?
March 8th, 2010 at 4:19 pmRepublicans would rather cut social security than their pay.
How about they get what I get now that I am unemployeed for the first time in 40 years.
March 8th, 2010 at 4:20 pmdbadass
Not sure. I have lived here for about 13 years but it doesnt sound like the kind of place I would frequent
March 8th, 2010 at 4:22 pmShit, We could have had a beer a few weeks ago…
March 8th, 2010 at 4:23 pmHurray for Ann!
She’s my own Representative, with her office in my own hometown.
She makes me proud I voted for her.
March 8th, 2010 at 4:26 pmHow about some of the staffing budget? How about the sweet sweet pension deal?
Maybe congresspeople can take a lesson from Ron Paul on this.
http://www.house.gov/paul/press/press97/prjan30.htm
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/tx14_paul/MRESurplus.shtml
March 8th, 2010 at 4:29 pmWell, you want Congress to work like a corporation.
In that case, my answer to companies is that the salary of the top guy should be indexed to the salary of the average worker.
March 8th, 2010 at 4:31 pmDon’t take a pay cut. Just index Congressional pay to the median salary in the US. 3 or 4 times the median seems fair to me.
March 8th, 2010 at 4:40 pmMapleStreet says:
Well, you want Congress to work like a corporation.
It would be more appropriate to say Congress is run like a whore house.
March 8th, 2010 at 4:40 pmTake a salary cut and Charlie Rangel will have to charge more for kick backs. …
March 8th, 2010 at 4:46 pmMr Duke
Go FCUK yourself troll and everyone who just wants to puke at the massive stupidity you shovel on to this site will CHEER.
March 8th, 2010 at 4:48 pm@71
March 8th, 2010 at 4:53 pmDon’t worry about him, Eugene..He’s just repeating what his master Limpboob said earlier today!
linzloo
Of course. That is all the brainwashed moron EVER does. He is far too stupid to do anything else
March 8th, 2010 at 4:59 pmI was thinking about this the other day. We’re struggling while they have high paying jobs, get tons of days off and have really no accountability at all.
Needs to be done and be significantly harsher, in my opinion.
March 8th, 2010 at 5:05 pmmargarine says:
It is up to Harry Reid to keep the Senate in session. He could force everyone to come early and stay late as well as sessions on Saturdays and Sundays. I am not sure about the House but I would assume it is the same. It would be a good way to get the Republicans to stop filibustering since they would not be able to go back home to campaign.
March 8th, 2010 at 5:13 pmFinally a Congressperson with common sense and a brain.
March 8th, 2010 at 5:48 pmBeethoven Rules says:
I would also suggest that Congress:
1. Roll their retirement and all government retirement plans into Social Security.
2. Cut all Congressional staffs by 10%
3. Eliminate the Departments of Energy and Education.
Sounds like a Plan to me!
March 8th, 2010 at 5:51 pmKenneth
Two things YOU will NEVER have.
March 8th, 2010 at 5:51 pmKenneth
Of COURSE it sounds good to you. Because you are JUST. THAT. STUPID.
March 8th, 2010 at 5:52 pmWhy don’t we just cut the whole congress to begin with, the country is still fuc up with them anyways.
March 8th, 2010 at 6:01 pmbraveheart08 says:
Why don’t we just cut the whole congress to begin with, the country is still fuc up with them anyways.
NO! Just get rid of the Socialists, Communists and Progressives in November and that will take care of it.
March 8th, 2010 at 6:03 pmBraveMORON
Why dont you STFU until you have something that ISNT moronic to say? As an answer to your inane and incredibly STUPID question did you ever hear of a little thing called the CONSTITUTION?
March 8th, 2010 at 6:04 pmCant you say anything else besides bravemoron or stfu up your a pathetic individual and just stay in your house and die.
March 8th, 2010 at 6:05 pmYeah I heard of the Constitution and the congress doesn’t believe in nor does our so called president.
March 8th, 2010 at 6:07 pmKenneth
God you are so stupid, pathetic, and brainwashed. There is never an ounce of sense, logic, insight, facts or reality in your ignorant posts. Just a series of talking points and buzzwords. My GOD you are stupid. Why dont we just get rid of the stupidest most pathetic and brainwashed morons in the country. People like YOU. You are so stupid you will never be anything but a burden on decent human beings anyway
March 8th, 2010 at 6:07 pmIf you are such humanitarians, why don’t you do it for free?
March 8th, 2010 at 6:09 pmBraveMORON
STFU is better than you deserve. Do you even THINK before you post things so mind bogglingly stupid? Are you even CAPABLE of thinking? You really dont expect anyone to take such idiocy seriously do you? Please tell me you arent so stupid you thought that idiocy like that which amounts to you vomiting on the board should actually be treated as something that deserved discussion.
March 8th, 2010 at 6:10 pmBraveMORON
So I guess now you just spewing ignorant lies and blatant ignorance should also be treated as IF it made sense or was somehow connected to reality or was something OTHER than the SHIT you have between your ears leaking out
Since you are so STUPID why dont you STFU?
March 8th, 2010 at 6:12 pmMy comments aren’t rude as yours so it shows how much a nig ger you are.
March 8th, 2010 at 6:13 pmIm just stating my opinion so you are the nig ger
March 8th, 2010 at 6:14 pmBraveMORON
So you are not only so stupid it is an embarassment to our entire species you are a liar and a racist. My GOD you are so pathetic. End your misery put a bullet through your ignorant trollskull. You have nothing to live for. You are stupider than a pet rock. You are so pathetic no one is EVER going to like or respect you. Just end your pitiful misery and kill yousrelf. The world will be better off with one less racist moron
March 8th, 2010 at 6:17 pmthat’s my congresswoman –
it’s a good move – imagine the party line vote headlines. Will show how ‘fiscally conservative’ the GOP is.. not likely to put their money where their mouth is.
March 8th, 2010 at 6:18 pmyeah of course you have to call me a racist because that shows how weak of human you are and that is the only thing you can come up with is calling me a racist.
March 8th, 2010 at 6:19 pmBraveMORON
I know you are stupid. Everyone who has ever even HEARD about you knows you are stupid but please try not to be SO stupid you are just incoherent. You used a racist slur to insult me. Weak as that was. You ARE a racist. Anyone who can READ knows you are racist. Go FCUK yourself moron
March 8th, 2010 at 6:21 pmgo cry then you maggot
March 8th, 2010 at 6:22 pmBraveMORON
Cry about WHAT? I dont have any sympathy for you. Slapping the stupid out of you amuses me. I WOULD say making you look like a fool but you ARE such a fool you do that all by yourself. I DO love to laugh at morons as stupid as you but why would I cry? I am laughing so hard at you my wife is having a hard time sleeping
March 8th, 2010 at 6:24 pmYour calling me a racist, so you must be crying.
March 8th, 2010 at 6:26 pmBraveMORON
Congratulations. That may possibly be the STUPIDEST thing ever written in the English language. No I am pointing out what a racist moron you are and laughing at you at the same time. Whatever screechmonkey gave you THAT talking point did you no favors. You look stupid enough already without delving into THAT kind of mindless drivel
March 8th, 2010 at 6:28 pmSo that is why a brainwashed moron like YOU used a racist slur to insult me. You had the NEW talking point Rush programmed you with about being called a racist and you wanted to move the discussion to where you could use it. Doesnt it ever bother you how stupid and pathetic you are?
March 8th, 2010 at 6:30 pmgo cry then you maggot
—
March 8th, 2010 at 6:32 pmgo smear blue shit on your face and sharpen some sticks there pretender…
I wonder how many republicans are pissed at Kirkpatrick now?
March 8th, 2010 at 6:42 pmRemember when George Bush said about the U.S. Constitution, “It’s just a goddamn piece of paper”? He hated the Constitution because it got in his way of all his lawbreaking.
March 8th, 2010 at 6:44 pm#42 Actually if you really think about it, the dept. of education does not educate a single student. Unfortunately those who live with the concept that government is the answer to every problem or conceived problem will never be able to see the huge amount of waste and duplication of product that lies within such a huge government bureau. I maintain that the state can deliver a better education product without the interference of the federal government. One size does not fit all when it comes to education and more money is not the answer. Let each state determine the type of education they desire and how much they determine is necessary for their education. If our country is going to survive, it has got to start reducing the cost of government and in my opinion the dept. of education is a great way to start. Now eugenedebs in 5..4…3…2..
March 8th, 2010 at 7:09 pmBeethovenSUX
I maintain you are a brainwashed MORON regurgitating what you were TOLD to think and we have heard it a thousand times before. You have always been stupid. Now you are just boring. STFU
March 8th, 2010 at 7:13 pmI like this womans idea let see how many in washington have the guts to give back the money.
March 8th, 2010 at 7:22 pmHard working Union member have taken many cuts, so it seems only fair to cut the Do Nothings in DC. GOP dominated congress was the laziest bunch of carpers, now they have their heels dug in trying to stop Progress.
March 8th, 2010 at 7:32 pmbraveheart08 says:
Im just stating my opinion so you are the nig ger
I’m not racist! I put a space between nig and ger…so I cannot possibly be talking about the racial slur!
March 8th, 2010 at 7:37 pmOMG!! She’s the representative from my district! Can I vote for her twice?
March 8th, 2010 at 8:00 pm57. Watermelon seller says:
Not sure about the boundaries, but it includes Prescott, a good 70 road miles from Flagstaff. (”Crow” miles it might only be 40 — 45.)
March 8th, 2010 at 8:07 pmProbable response: “But we NEED big salaries in order to attract the BEST people!!”
March 8th, 2010 at 9:03 pmJust as hilarious as when big business uses this line about CEOs.
Both the Congresscritters and the American voters desperately need to be reminded of one very critical and important fact:
THE CONGRESS IS SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING FOR US — NOT US FOR THEM.
March 8th, 2010 at 10:15 pmHow about this?
If you are a member of a political party then your taxpayer-funded salary is $0 and 100% of your pay will be provided by the party.
March 8th, 2010 at 10:46 pmThis is a horrible idea. The Congresscritters who see this salary as a lot of money are Congresscritters most apt to be common Americans. This idea will make it harder for them to be our Congresscritters.
The most egregious congresscritters, the ones we really don’t want down there, the one’s that are really down there representing the rich, the corporations, the monied, won’t see this amount of money as all that much. Those are the congresscitters common Americans can do without.
This idea will make it easier for the rich to own congress even more, not harder for them to.
March 8th, 2010 at 10:55 pmprius04,
They could just join a party and the party will pay their salary.
If they are really common Americans, then they can draw a taxpayer-funded salary.
March 8th, 2010 at 11:03 pmEugenedebs, I did find a place that has highchairs so you and I can have dinner. Be sure that you change your diaper before hand.
March 8th, 2010 at 11:16 pmdbadass says:
Raise my taxes! Why is it that everyone wants sacrifices but no one wants to sacrifice?
Db’s tax rate 80%. Kenneth’s tax rate 10%. Seems fair to me!
March 8th, 2010 at 11:19 pmBeethovenSux
God you are stupid and pitiful. I guess to someone as braindamaged as you that was supposed to be funny? Time for you to get serious about asking your trailertrash whore of a mother which of her brothers was your real daddy when she spawned you from her polluted womb. See when you married your sister I am sure you assumed she was just your half sister but she may be your WHOLE sister and that much concentrated STUPID in one trailer just might rip a whole in the fabric of the space time continuum. Or you could just put a bullet through your useless trollskull and take care of the problem that way. The world would MUCH rather you do that.
March 9th, 2010 at 12:19 amKenneth
True to the selfish brainless moron he has always been. His answer is for everyone ELSE to chip in more so Kenneth can dodge HIS societal obligations. What seems fair to me is db gets a small tax hike and Kenneth gets a chainsaw enema
March 9th, 2010 at 12:21 amEugenedebs, you really represent the progressives so well. Void of any intelligent thought. You say the same to every one you disagree with. You might want to try for some new material someday. Your getting trite at best.
March 9th, 2010 at 12:29 amBeethovenSux
I represent only myself. You are too stupid and pitiful to deserve anything original. How often have YOU used that change your diapers idiocy. I am sure it sounded good when Rush said it. My GOD you are just pathetic. Kill yourself. Really. You will never be anything but stupid and pathetic. When you find yourself casting around for people to annoy just to satisfy that pathetic petulant punk inside you its time to give up and kill yourself. Perhaps next go round you will actually get a brain. I love the way people like you are so stupid you do NOTHING but recycle idiocy then snivel that others dont come up with shiny new rebutals to your same old same old idiocy day after day. Go FCUK yourself
March 9th, 2010 at 12:36 amGary
She is my rep. The first district includes Flagstaff, Prescott, Winslow and quite a bit SOUTH of Prescott. It is one of the nations largest districts in area
March 9th, 2010 at 12:37 amTaking away their healthcare insurance would accomplish about the same thing, and might be a spur to getting universal legislation done.
March 9th, 2010 at 6:59 amOf course, when conservatives talk about rights, they mean “white-guy rights.”
Republicans and their ilk love to prattle on about rights. But it’s only the rights that are important to white males–mostly the right to badmouth people and the “right” to brandish guns.
In winger utopia, white-guy aşk şiirleri rights will be inviolable. But there will be no privacy, especially in sexual matters. Gays will be çiçek constantly watched; women will be forced to have babies; and people will be allowed to criticize only Democrat Presidents.
March 9th, 2010 at 7:34 amAs with all things, liberals are wrong on this subject.
Base pay for a congressman should be $500,000, plus an additional $500,000 bonus if they hit their target on the budget.
They should also receive a housing allowance of about $120,000/year, NetJet hours proportional to the location of their district (about $1,200,000/year average) and a change in campaign financing.
America needs to have people who can do a job, so we should be able to pay for the right talent.
March 9th, 2010 at 7:58 amThis is a horrible idea. The Congresscritters who see this salary as a lot of money are Congresscritters most apt to be common Americans. This idea will make it harder for them to be our Congresscritters.
The most egregious congresscritters, the ones we really don’t want down there, the one’s that are really down there representing the rich, the corporations, the monied, won’t see this amount of money as all that much. Those are the congresscitters common Americans can do without.
This idea will make it easier for the rich to own congress even more, not harder for them to. — Prius04
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With all due respect, the rich already own Congress for the most part. Do you really not know how much money it takes to run a successful Congressional campaign these days? True, some of them may have come from humble beginnings — but they almost certainly weren’t humble any more when they began running for Congress. Hate to burst your bubble, but the plain and simple fact is that the days in which a “common American” could run for Congress and win without the support of corporate interests (or at least wealthy and influential contacts) are over and probably have been for at least a decade or more.
The fact that Congress is full of people who already have money actually strengthens rather than weakens the argument in favor of a pay cut. Granted, the Congressional salary may not seem like much to people who have a lot of money of their own — but if they want to earn more, then they should stay in the private sector and out of government. Even though many of our Founding Fathers were wealthy and influential themselves, it seems fairly clear that they intended service in Congress (with emphasis on the word service!) to be an honor and a privilege, not a means of becoming richer — and I certainly don’t think they intended it to become a lifetime or even long-term career. The Congressional salary alone for even a freshman Congresscritter is already three times the national yearly median income — and that’s before you take all the perks into consideration, such as all the meals which they eat at the expense of political lobbyists. Trent Lott, after leaving Congress, joked that he hadn’t paid for his own lunch in over 30 years — and he hadn’t paid for his own gas or cab fare, either, since he had a taxpayer-funded care and driver at his disposal. This is probably part of the reason why so many Congresscritters no longer seem interested in serving the needs of the people…we’ve enabled them to become too insulated and lifted too far above the everyday concerns of common Americans.
March 9th, 2010 at 8:16 amto bravadoheart08,
I have never responded to any of your posts before not have I called you names up to now. However, I did flag you this time for abuse (racist slur).
BTW, “your” is a possessive pronoun in English. I think you mean “you’re” below, which is pronounced generally the same as “your” but which is the contracted form of “you are.”
I noticed that your fellow troll-in-harms, Beethoven rules, misused/misspelled this, too, in one of his messages (#121) to Debs: “Your(SIC) getting trite at best”
I am always amused by the way you trolls claim to be so intelligent yet are incapable of spelling basic English at a level a “stupid progressive” like myself mastered in elementary school.
braveheart08 says (to Eugene Debs):
March 9th, 2010 at 9:48 amYour(SIC) calling me a racist, so you must be crying.
End all of the perks that members of Congress get also. The perks alone cost taxpayers millions that the members of Congress should pay for themselves.
March 9th, 2010 at 11:30 amYou…Hitler and Progressive Eugenics.
March 9th, 2010 at 11:38 amThe smartest people in the world get paid millions per year. That is how much we need to pay to get smart people in congress. Anyone who who make a good congress person would never run because of the pay cut. I vote we pay congress a LOT more. It would also make lobbyists less influential.
March 9th, 2010 at 2:41 pmHow about merit pay of the sort being proposed for teachers?
March 9th, 2010 at 4:40 pmPeg legislator income at, say, twice median household income for the nation. If median income goes up, Congress gets a raise. If it goes down, Congress gets a pay cut. Then watch Jim Bunning try to hold up unemployment benefits.
How about congress obeying the law they just passed (Pay as you Go) or repeal the law just signed, then Bunning wouldn’t have a leg to stand on when he asks them to obey the law?
March 9th, 2010 at 6:42 pm“No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.”
That is the text of the 27th amendment. Congress should abide by it.
March 9th, 2010 at 11:10 pmArmandWWWWWWAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Sponsered by the Marching MORON society
God you are stupid. That was a parody of the post I was responding too. I understand you are just flat too stupid to GET parody. That would take higher brain function and you will NEVER have the ability to perform that feat.
March 10th, 2010 at 2:55 amjwest
As with all things conservatives are ignorant and brainwashed reflexivly taking the side of the powerful because they are not only VERY stupid they are cowards. Sucking up is in their genes
March 10th, 2010 at 2:57 amParody my ass, you constantly post that Racist, Nazi, Progressive Eugenics crap here every day.
You’re a racist moron and I’m calling you on it.
You’re an idiot if you think people don’t see and take note of your racism on this site.
LMFAO
March 10th, 2010 at 1:03 pm