Our Congress at Work

[JohnMOhio]

It is my understanding that Congress decided not to get their pay raise this year.

However, they then voted to make it automatic and permanent starting next year AND they increase their annual postage/travel allowence to $90,000 per year. Please note that this is a 200% increase.

I wonder which part of the bail out this falls under.

I also read that a fellow in Florida had the real solution to the economy.



40 million people over the age of 50.

Solution, give each of them a Million Dollars.

Comes with requirements as follows:

1. They must retire. 40 million job openings, employement fixed.
2. They must purchase a new car. Auto industry fixed.
3. They must purchase a new home or pay off mortgage. Housing problem fixed as well as the banking problem.


Sounds like a plan to me.

[0311Shooter]

John, I have been watching and wondering when someone was going to delve into this. Here is what I saw in my local paper on March 15. Naturally it was stuck back in the "How they Voted" section and never mentioned anywhere else.

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Congressional Pay Raise -
The Senate on March 10 upheld, 52 for and 45 against, existing rules by which members of Congress automatically receive a cost-of-living raise each January unless both chambers vote to deny it. ...

Members received a $4,700 raise in January 2009, increasing their salaries to $174,000. A yes vote was to keep congressional pay raises on autopilot.

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My two Republican Senators voted against it, but it passed.

So I think you are incorrect that they didn't get their raises this year. But naturally no one is talking about it, only YOU and I.

So every time I hear one of them ranting and raving about executive bonuses and raises, I want to say "How about YOU, Mr./Mz. Congressperson???

[John Sukey]

They ALWAYS vote against it, but ONLY after it's too late to stop it.

[JohnMOhio]

Now that you mention that Shooter, I do remember reading that very small article. I think it amounted to two paragraphs and like you said, way back in the no where section of the paper.

Just imagine what is going to happen if more of these newspapers go on line and stop paper publishing. This article most likely will be so far back in the kb pack you would have to stumble on it to find it. However, the paper could say that they did report it. I don't recall and editorials about it.

[talucah]

For all that might have forgotten, here is the 27th amendment to the constitution:
Amendment XXVII
No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.
To a simple minded man like me, the law they passed to get around this Amendment violates the letter as well as the spirit. Does anyone know if SCotUS has ever ruled on it?
Bob

[Art]

My bet is the Supremes haven't ruled on it. The court dosen't rule unless there's a case. Someone would have to file a lawsuit over it first.

[2571]

McCain couldn't have run; BHO would have been eligible.

Maybe you've got an idea there.

[M1 Rifleman]

Isn't that an oxymoron - "Congress at Work"?

[JohnMOhio]

M1 Rifleman, I would hope that someone would catch that. If they were working, someone would have read the bailouts previsions including the amendments with all the Pork. Question is, just how do you limit it and keep junk from being hidden inside a bill, find out who is sponsoring it etc.

[John Sukey]

McCain couldn't have run; BHO would have been eligible.

Maybe you've got an idea there.

And Teddy would have been back on in Mass..
Murtha would be history as well a chuck the schmuck, queen pelosi and Byrd.
Probably Dodd as well as ronPaul

As for BHO being elegible, I have yet to see his original birth certificate.