Take Away Congress Pay and Perks If Debt Ceiling Isn't Raised

[macwriter]

Default on Congress If They Default on the Rest of Us

http://www.lawyerpolitician.com/ceiling

Now that the GOP has gone from promising total financial default by not raising the debt ceiling to “partial” default by picking and choosing what checks are written, they may have forgotten that the President’s Treasury Department gets to decide what bills get paid and which ones are put on ice. And since we are technically in default right now, there is not a moment to lose to suggest to the President and Secretary Geitner which bills we can start to ignore. Hint: Let’s begin with the more than $30,000,000 PER DAY it takes just to keep the doors of Capitol Hill open and in session.

You’re probably thinking that’s not possible to spend that much money on a Congress that is less popular than root canal and cockroaches according to a recent poll. However, you’d be wrong. It’s entirely possible when you consider the salary and “perks” they receive for being in session an estimated 126 days a year. Here are the raw numbers:

• The “You Look Marvelous” Appropriation – Ever wonder why senators looks so well coiffed as they pound the podium and rail at wasteful spending? That’s because as late as 2010 they had access to something called the “Senate Hair Care Revolving Fund” for their hair care needs, which has been funded by almost $300,000 in taxpayer dollars.

<snip>

They go on to list 5 other ridiculous approprations that enrich no one else but Congress. They end with this advice:

So Mr. President and Mr. Treasury Secretary, the ball is your court. As you continue to write checks to meet our obligations, make sure that our seniors and service members get their checks. Pay the people who trusted that we meet our financial obligations, but put Congress at the bottom of your list. If we’re going to default on anyone, default on them, because they certainly seem to be determined to default on the rest of us.

[msongs]

1. take back their recent raise AND cancel their medical/retirement nt

[Kablooie]

2. And they should put on hold any money going to Republican House districts.

If a House member votes to stop payments, the first thing to cut should be any pork payments going to their districts.
Let their constituents learn what their representatives are doing to them.

[bdublu]

3. cuz the left

Had NOTHING to do with the problems we're facing right now, right? Come out of the cave once in a while. BOTH sides are the problem.

[Kablooie]

4. Uh oh. I must be trip, trap, tripping over your bridge.

[Arneoker]

5. Take away their pay? You mean what to many of them is just an allowance?

Nahh! Put their private fortunes, and if possible, their future incomes, at stake!

[ancianita]

6. Who actually prints the paychecks of all of Congress? Do you know?

And who could authorize those checks be stopped? Maybe it's the Office of Personnel Management, but I doubt the public knows who to even pressure to authorize a stopping of congress' paychecks.

[Filibuster Harry]

7. Why would you continue to pay those members of congress who vote no on the debt ceiling?

I mean if they don't want the debt ceiling to increase to pay those debts that have already been racked up
then why should their pay continue?? Doesn't make sense to me. By the way can a spending cut discussion begin with cutting the "senate hair care revolving fund". They get enough perks. Take this away and demand that they work 5 days a week -- or maybe we should have part time congressmen. I am sure there are those unemployed who would love to work 2 days a week in congress -- i would.