Congress Stimulates Congressional Economy with 2009 Pay Raises
Finally, something good to report about our awful economy. Although employees across the country are taking salary cuts and wage freezes in order to keep their jobs, one D.C. industry is offering pay raises in the new year.
Yes, the Congressional sector is looking bullish…
Each lawmaker's annual salary is due for a $4,700 cost-of-living increase starting in January, which will amount to a cost to taxpayers of $2.5 million in 2009, infuriating watchdog groups.
Members of Congress make an average of $169,300 a year, with Congressional leaders making slightly more. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., makes $217,400, while the majority and minority leaders in the House and Senate each make $188,100.
The raise will increase the average salary to about $174,000, up 2.8 percent.
Wait, wait, infuriating? I don't get it. First you people want to see wages go up, and then all of a sudden you don't.
Maybe you should just go back to the bread line and think this through more carefully.
RSS
"What's good for the goose is good for the Gander"
Well, what's good for the general public is good for Congress.
Such as "Pay Cuts", no increase in S.S. due to no cost of living increase, yet Congress wants a cost of living increase. Why is their cost of living increase different from mine? The Health Plan should include ALL Federal employees as well..
Nuff said.
1) NO AUTOMATIC PAY RAISES
2) NO ENTITLEMENTS AFTER.
3) YES ON TERM LIMITS.
PLAIN AND SIMPLE. BOTTOM LINE. NO MORE.
This is very troubling and speaks volumes on lack of leadership and fiscal responsibility. How can they award themselves a pay increase when the rest of the country is falling apart?
In the private sector we pay for performance and merit increases are a thing of the past. If our company isn't making money, then we take the moral highground by not paying out salary increases to anybody – starting with ourselves! Congress, you'd better wake up, pull your heads out of your butts and get with the program!!
I think Congress should completely overhaul the way they are paid. I think they should be paid on a semi-hourly system. By that I mean they should only get paid for the time they are actually in Congress, doing the job they were elected for, and not get a yearly salary. Maybe a little extra to maintain their office, but not a yearly salary. Anyone else in this country has to get by with being paid only what they earn, actually working at the job they are hired to do. Maybe then we could get some actual work out of them…
the American public should be marching in the streets. this is an outrage. Talk about balls. they also voted for this to occur each and every year. I don't believe the people know this. Surely there would be a major uprising………
This is hilarious as well as sad that Congress is giving themselves a pay raise when they just finished bailing out the major corporations and as we progress deeper into an economic recession. Hey, we shouldn't criticize them. It takes a lot of work to bullshit everyone into buying into the gov bailout plan. Not just any asshole can do it. What's also mess up is that while Congress is giving themselves a raise which they will likely enjoy in their next term, fed judges aren't going to get any pay raises. Sucks to be in fed court system doesn't it? Well, Happy Holidays!
OK. I'd like to apply, where do I send my resume? I can make stupid comments and take pictures. I mean, they don't really work hard do they?
I love to see "Joe Congress" getting ahead for once.