House gives itself a raise

[Judi Lynn]

Source: CNN/AP

House gives itself a raise
POSTED: 10:48 p.m. EDT, June 27, 2007

WASHINGTON (AP) -- House lawmakers Wednesday voted to accept an approximately $4,400 pay raise that will increase their salaries to almost $170,000.

The cost-of-living raise gets lawmakers back on track for automatic pay raises after a fight between Democrats and Republicans last year and again in January killed the pay hike due this year. That was the first interruption of the annual congressional pay hike in seven years.

The blowup came after Democrats last year fulfilled a campaign promise to deny themselves a pay hike until Congress raised the minimum wage. Delays in the minimum wage bill cost every lawmaker about $3,100 this year.

On a 244-181 vote Wednesday, Democrats and Republicans alike killed a bid by Reps. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, and Lee Terry, R-Nebraska, to get a direct vote to block the annual increase, which is automatically awarded unless lawmakers vote to block it. The Senate has not indicated when it will deal with a similar measure.




Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/27/congress.raise.ap/index.html

[rpannier]

1. Gee another raise

Yet many of these same people would deny a modest raise to other people.

[Ian David]

2. They figured they'd wait until their approval rating was at its lowest ebb?

I have an idea.

What about permanently tying Congressional pay to the Minimum Wage?

So that both are always raised by the same percentage!

[pokercat999]

30. How about a maximum wage, tied to the minimum?

[sunwyn]

3. I am so tired of this sh*t. I have one of those 7 buck an hour jobs that

our lovely government says Americans won't do. I haven't had a raise in 4 yrs. No health and a mouth of bad teeth that the last doc I saw said were infected, and unless removed, would kill me. No insurance, not enough to live on, and these people are giving themselves raises. I give up.

[Le Taz Hot]

7. I tried to PM you

but you can't receive them yet. As one who has gone through it, I highly recommend rinsing with diluted hydrogen peroxide 2-3 times a day. I know it doesn't fix the problem but it will keep the infection under control until you're in a position to do something more permanent.

[sunwyn]

10. Thank you for your concern. I will start right away.

[MichiganVote]

4. Just another example of our corrupt Washington government.

[ShortnFiery]

5. I suggest, for the lion's share of the gutless wonders, VOTE for their Democratic Challenger in 2008

:thumbsup: Vote Out Incumbents Democracy! http://voidnow.org

Of any damn time when it's NOT appropriate for The House to vote itself a raise, it's NOW! :grr:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

19. I voted Green in 2006...

Hoyer didn't have a rethug contender; and the Green candidate seemed like the kind of guy who wouldn't cave to House thugs.

[Just-plain-Kathy]

6. I don't think the House and Senate should take their Aug. break.

Everyone gasped when we heard that the Iraqi government was taking a vacation while their country is at war. Why is our government allowed to kickback and sit poolside while we have soldiers fighting?

[guitar man]

8. fuck them

I have had to EARN every raise I have ever gotten. :grr:


How about this? NO IMPEACHMENT, NO RAISE!!! :mad:

[Q3JR4]

9. Does the house

think it deserves a raise?

What have they done for we the people....?

[JerseygirlCT]

11. That was stupid. nt

[SoxFan]

12. Here's the roll call

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll580.xml

My congresswoman did the right thing. Good work, Carol!

[Patchuli]

15. Thanks!

I think I'm going to write my congressman a little note for his 'yea.' :rant:

[cyberpj]

16. Pelosi, Conyes and Murtha vote YEA - while Sensenbrenner votes Nay? What? nt

[Cd1234567891]

17. No more pay increases for Congress until the War is OVER!

Thanks for the roll-call link. My Congressman voted his own raise, again. Heck, my whole State voted themselves raises, regardless of party. (IMO) it is fiscal irresponsibility to increase Congress' pay at a time when the US Government is spending billions and billions of dollars on war, and has a stratospheric budget deficit.

The battle may not be over. The Senate also has to act. Further, on 6/29/07, U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell introduced legislation that would block the automatic pay raise (bill number not yet assigned).

Please email your House representative and Senators to let them know your concerns about the inappropriate timing of their pay increases.

[Lochloosa]

18. Welcome to DU Cd1234567891

:toast:

[classysassy]

13. Those hard working boys and girls

"have you no shame?",you are aware that the sheep,will keeping sending you crooks back to Washington,so you continue to fleece the flock.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ramapo]

20. Maybe my Rep will donate to fund my insurance bill

Just got the premium for next year. Going up more than 25% or just about $4,400 a year to $19,500 for family coverage.

I have to laugh when I think back to the absurd plans floated earlier this year to give tax breaks to offset premiums. I think it amounted to a few thousand.

[taught_me_patience]

21. This is only 2.6%

Well below the inflation rate. I fail to understand what the big deal is :shrug:

[JudyM]

22. They're making close to $170,000. I don't think they need the raise.

There are so many better things to do with that money.

[taught_me_patience]

24. They do make a lot of money

but in some areas of the country, 170k doesn't go very far. I'm talking about the raise %. They are getting a raise that is in line with the average american worker, so I think the raise is fair. Whether their overall compensation is fair (considering the job performance), is another question entirely.

[fujiyama]

25. Well below the inflation rate...

Good excuse. They've been giving themselves annual "Cost of Living Adjustements" for the past several years now, with the exception of a few months ago. The raise in the minimum wage they passed a few months ago was paltry.

The Dems in this case are putting themselves up as a bunch of hypocrites - spineless weasels that merely took advantage of the TRULY awful job the republicans were doing. I suppose the only good thing I can say about the House Dems is they haven't been protecting pedophiles.

[Solon]

27. Yet...

You were missing a word in that last sentence. :)

[fujiyama]

28. LOL

Hey you can't blame me for trying to be optimistic!

[Cd1234567891]

31. No pay increases until the War is Over

The big deal is:

-MOST people do NOT get an annual COL increase.

-For example, those people earning minimum wage did not get any increase at all for the last 10.5 years. Congress' salaries have reportedly gone up $31,600 since the last minimum-wage increase.

-Congress historically rarely got an increase (typically every 10 years or so). Since they passed the automatic pay increase act in 1989, they have increased their pay almost every year. In only 6 of those years have they not had a pay increase, and it looks like they are going to make up for the fact they did not have a pay increase last year by taking an even greater pay increase this year. For example, between 1990 - 2003, congressional pay increased $56,300, from $98,400 to $154,700. You can add it up any way you want to -- the numbers for years 1789-2007 are available at: www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/97-1011.pdf.

-Congress' salaries are way higher than other professionals. For example, the median annual salary for doctors/MDs is $120,000. And keep in mind a Congressional salary of $170,000, is EXCLUSIVE of a LONG list of perks BESIDES their generous health insurance, juicy retirement benefits, which most citizens don't have. According to a business professional poll, over 73% believe Congressional salaries are excessive. http://www.kiplinger.com/businessresource/poll/index.

-In actual fact, they don't work very hard. For example, in 2006, "Congress was only in session for 103 days, slightly more than two days a week on average." From Outrage..., by Dick Morris and Eileen McGann.

-The salary increase arguably violates the 27th Amendment (which contemplates there can be no more pay increases than every two years). However, the salaries of the US Justices are tied to the same 1989 automatic pay increase law, and they found a way to rule around its unconstitutionality (if i want to be really cynical).

-It may be the only job in the country where workers can set their own salary without regard to performance, profit, or economic climate. It is just irresponsible to heap a further pay increase on top of the already skyrocketing debt, in a time of war.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[toopers]

32. When was the last time you gave yourself a raise?

Assuming you are not self employed.

[Solly Mack]

23. What a relief! The thought of Congress critters going without was

tearing my up inside.

[mitchum]

26. Well, at least something "remained on the table"

[PBass]

29. Tone-deaf... Clueless... It's hard not to feel cynical about this PR blunder (NT)

[queerart]

33. It's Sad As This was Pushed By BOTH PARTIES.......

[Honeycombe8]

34. This gets me boiling mad! nt