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Make House Republicans middle class by paying them only for days they actually work
Even though House Republicans are going to be in session for only 126 days in 2013, they are still demanding their full $174,000 salary.
Despite this being an off off year election, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has announced that the House will only be in session for 126 days in 2013. The schedule is continuation of the two weeks off one week on schedule that the Republicans implemented when they gained the majority after the 2010 election. The Senate works the opposite schedule. The Senate schedule traditionally has been three weeks on and one week off per month. When the two schedules are examined side by side, it is easy to see why it takes so long to get anything done in Washington. The House has turned their schedule into an obstruction tactic. It is hard to make legislative progress when one body is MIA for two thirds of the year.
During the fight over the fiscal cliff House Republicans will talk how it is imperative that the nation slashes spending without raising tax, but the one thing they won’t mention is how they are adding to deficit by insisting on being paid when they aren’t working.
Members of the House are set to be paid $1,380.95 for each day when they are in session in 2013. If they were serious about reducing the deficit, one of the first things that they should do is prorate their pay so that their yearly compensation is based on only the days that they spent in session.
The House salary prorated over 365 days is $476.71. If we pay House members for only the days that they will be in full legislative session in 2013 ($476.71 X 126), their annual salary would drop to $60,065.46. This would net an average savings to the taxpayers of $113,954.13 per member. The total savings on House salaries per year would be over $49.5 million a year. Do this for ten years, and you will shave nearly half a billion dollars off the deficit.
Majority Leader Eric Cantor came prepared with an excuse for why Republicans have decided to pay themselves so much for so few days work. Cantor said, “Time spent in the district between Monday and Friday is essential for meeting with small businesses, employees, seniors, veterans and other local communities during working hours. We will continue to accommodate Members with longer distances to travel home and provide at least one constituent work week each month, with the exception of June.”
The problem is that this is exactly what House Republicans especially aren’t doing with their time. That’s a nice cover, but it is just not true. These members aren’t back home dealing with their constituents needs. Most of their time is spent raising money for their next campaign. Members spend 30%-70% of their time fundraising.
It is very possible that a congressperson will spend one third of their time in session, and the rest of their time fundraising. (The time spent fundraising varies based on the competitiveness of the district.)
Taxpayers are paying House members to go out and beg for dollars from special interests.
If House Republicans are serious about cutting the deficit, they should do their part by offering to be paid only for the days when they are in session.
Let’s see how much House Republicans care about the middle class when they are earning middle class wages.
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42 Responses to Make House Republicans middle class by paying them only for days they actually work
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Anne
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 12:20 pm
If this isn’t an egregious example of “welfare,” then I don’t know what is. It’s outrageous that some of these folks get six-figure salaries, the best health care in this country, along with other benfits, for doing nothing but obstructing legislation designed to help Americans, on the taxpayers’ dime. These same ones are the ones who bleat the loudest about bloated government.
djchefron
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 12:22 pm
Well one way of looking at it, is less time for dumbasses to act like dumbasses.
don
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 12:36 pm
126 days equates to working part time. i would suggest they have their health care benefits taken away as well. a $60k salary and have to pay private insurance companies for their own health care, i bet they would change the way the vote really quickly!
Bear
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 3:14 pm
Just make sure that “salary” includes their gratuities from lobbyists and religious organizations… Then it might just work.
Norman Scott
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 10:56 pm
Well Said…
David R
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 12:57 pm
If this were union teachers or other public employee union workers, house republicans would be outraged and point their fingers and say this is the reason our economy is suffering; people getting paid outrageous salaries for not working! But it’s ok when it’s them.
Elizabeth
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 6:31 pm
For comparison, teachers, in the last district where I was employed, were working 195 days. The school year was 180 days. The other 15 were prep. days, LID days, and a bit to cover overtime. My contract was 205 days. One year, I kept track of my “overtime”. I gave it up when it went over 20 days mid-winter.
gsb
Dec. 2nd, 2012 at 6:07 pm
Elizabeth:
182 days of work, all hollidays off, everyweekend,and all summer. Compare that to a working man that works out in the cold,from7-4 works weekends, and hollidays,and has only two or three weeks off in the summer.
I’d say you had a pretty easy job,even with low pay, figure it per hour, you still come out better then any working person I know. you also have one of the best retirments available,medical better then most, working conditions almost easy.No cold weather,meals fixed,and teachers assit.
quit complaining!!!!
Lynda
Dec. 2nd, 2012 at 4:33 pm
Indeed, that is what is called HYPOCRISY! A real fleecing of the American taxpayer!
Linda
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 1:02 pm
It’s time to rein Congress in…they raise their own salaries whenever they want, guarantee themselves benefits that most WORKING Americans do NOT have and reduce their work time. THEN most of them miss more days over and above the few Congressional session days!
PUT UP OR SHUT UP, Congress Critters.
John
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 1:02 pm
great ideay, but Good luck finding any politician to try to implement this…
adrian
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 1:35 pm
do they earn so much that working less then part time makes them middle class?
Eyes of TX
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 1:55 pm
This is a damn shame! No matter WHAT ur politics, we shld all be outraged about this! These ppl Hv just decided they’ll do whatever the heck they wanna and y’all can’t do nothing’s about it….sickening!!! Evil Eric Cantor is the absolute worst…but he has a lot of competition
THERESA POWERS
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 2:51 pm
We need to find a way to make this happen. Make it law.
Kathryn
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 3:08 pm
Well, a full time employee, who has been with his company long enough to get four weeks of vacation works 240 days a year (minus sick days and paid holidays – for the record Easter is Not a paid holiday.) So we should maybe base the math of their pay off that.
Doing the math this way gives each House member a daily wage of $725 (and mind you this assumes they are working 8 hour days) so if they only work 126 days of a Full time employee’s schedule the would still make $91,350 gross annually – which is quite a lot of money; I only make $17,472 gross. Now lets make them pay all the same payroll taxes we do (State, Federal, Social Security, and Medicare; let’s also make them pay for their insurance benefits, take away their pensions, and make them pay into a 401k if they want a retirement plan.)
I’ve never believed that it was fair that they can raise their own pay, work fewer hours, and generally make a carrier out of being in office. Our founding fathers would be appalled to see the state of affairs that our government is in now.
The GOP is always talking about how smaller government is better…well, lets start by showing them what it’s like to be paid for the work you do.
Kathryn
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 3:17 pm
I just reworked my math because I wasn’t counting vacation days and sick days (and I really should have been.) So their Annual gross income would be $84,420 which is about $670 a day in a normal working class year of 260 days.
Bear
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 3:11 pm
I like the idea of the article, but the fact is that most politicians get most of their money from business/corporate lobbyists and religious organizations, so cutting their government check wouldn’t affect them much at all.
To fix the problem, we must get rid of business and religious influence for our government that is supposed to be for the people (not the business), and ALL the people (not just the ones who believe just like one religious group).
D. Lowrey
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 7:33 pm
As we saw during this past election season…the religious wrong was able to play the game without paying for the honor of doing so. They want to play the game…they need to put their skin into the game.
luciboo
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 3:54 pm
Talk about ways to cut spending. Make them work for minimun wage for days worked and cut in half insurance and pension payments. Also they have to work 30 years and be 70 to be entitled to a pension. Would save us a boatload of money and actually be fair.
Elizabeth
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 6:35 pm
That would get the minimum wage raised right promptly.
mark
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 4:02 pm
so how is this any different than democrats?
Alex
Dec. 2nd, 2012 at 11:13 am
Really, are you that dumb?
Anne
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 4:09 pm
Those who said they wanted to make President Obama a one-term president and are holding up important legislation like they have for the past 4 years are Republicans. That’s why they are being referred to specifically in this article. All of the House members have 6 figure salaries and the same benefits, but folks who do nothing but introduce legislation that inevitably goes nowhere due to unpopularity and block initiatives meant to improve life for all of us don’t deserve their perks.
Goss
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 4:12 pm
Give each congressperson a govt. stipend that they can use for election funding. They can only use this money so they wouldn’t need to fundraise. And 1 month each cycle to run for reelection.
Elizabeth
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 6:37 pm
I would sure love to see that! Can you imagine, only one or two months of the campaign? That would be great.
luciboo
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 5:20 pm
Mark I don’t know about every comment but I’m talking about the Dems as well. The whole system is a joke and we should start right here a movement to change it.
Karen Wilson-Buterbaugh
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 6:10 pm
I completely agree… they should only be paid for days they work… that they show up for. And I’m so sick of this taxpayer waste. Fire ‘em all!!
VALERIE MARTIN
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 6:31 pm
YEA!! Maybe we could pay them less than minimum wage and make them work for tips! O! and no medical insurance unless they work ‘full time’ and still have to pay for spouse/family members!!
No pension either fellas!! Work until you’re 65, or 67 if you wanna raise the eligibility age for SS!!!
luciboo
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 7:16 pm
I believe also that they get to collect two pensions. If they serve in their state legislatures they get a pension as well as the federal one. That rule should absolutely be changed. ONLY ONE PENSION. It is hard to believe how than can throw the rest of us under the bus “Let’s cut every thing but give ourselves a raise.” Enough is enough. Groundswell for change!
Thomas Paine-in-the-Arse
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 7:32 pm
If the American People would stand up to these
slackers and the corporate raiders they really
represent We could turn this country around. If Mitch Mc Connels real priority with all the problems this country is facing was to make Obama a one-termer, then he deserves to be run out of the
senate on a rail and never be allowed to serve in any public capacity at any level ever again.
If the American people stuck together and used
civil disobedience and boycott to blacklist these
politicians and the corporate parasites who are their real constituents; we could take this country
back.
“All Power Corrupts. Absolute Power Corrupts
Absolutley.” -Thomas Jefferson
By Thomas Paine-in-the-arse
Christopher
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 10:15 pm
Here in MA we actually do see our members of Congress pretty often, and no, not just at fundraisers. Keep in mind also that maybe half a dozen members live within commuting distance of DC so most essentially need two residences.
Jerry L Cook
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 10:26 pm
Yes it’s a shame that they will get paid for working part-time. Let’s not forget that in approximately less that two years from now, “We The People of These United States”, can vote their lazy do nothing asses out of office for good.
arlene
Dec. 1st, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Until the Congress is paid what the average Americans they are elected to serve receive in pay, it is impossible for our legislators to empathize with the middle class. As long as our Congress represents the wealthiest Americans, a minority of the people, we can hardly call ourselves a Democratic Republic!
Quite simply until we restrict the money in politics, we will never have a representative government in the United States.
Why must the people who make up the majority continue to have no representation?
It amounts to taxation without representation for the middle class.
While Wall Street and the wealthy complain they need to have stability, I often wonder why they think American middle class families would not want the same stable future assured they do not have to pay higher taxes on their incomes than those with greater wealth?
Maria Meacham
Dec. 2nd, 2012 at 12:10 am
This is the same congress that in 2003 gave the servicemen deployment pay cut for $180.00 per month, and has refused to re-instated it.
When the deployed soldiers are sent overseas for 12 months, THEY WORK 24/7! in those outposts in the war zone, eating rations and sometimes not having even drinking water, risking life and limb. Being away from their families, suffering injuries and constant dangers.
Yet this very congress, continues to ignore the most basic needs of the deployed 1%, and vote themselves less work and more pay.
They are most self serving blood suckers and only interested in their re-election. Because of that, we need to change the system, so they can only serve one term and get the incentive to do what they intended to do as their promise.
The representatives have become the arm of the corporations who get into the pocket of the government and steal our monies. Then, we pay them to do it!
If the soldiers have to endure a pay cut even when they pay is nominal, the congress must also endure a pay and benefits cut!
Miriam McLachlan
Dec. 2nd, 2012 at 3:01 am
…so where’s the petition?
Gary Vaughn
Dec. 2nd, 2012 at 6:39 am
They lie so much. Mitch and Rand have never been to my town,and Mitch has been in politics since the mid 70′s. Rand came to a town 32 miles away, but he was campaigning for Mitt.
clarence swinney
Dec. 2nd, 2012 at 10:35 am
$250,00 up is the ploy of opponents of President Obama’s tax cut change.
No one goes Top Down to $250,000. Interesting picture. He removes the tax cut on incomes such
as $4000 Million—3000 Million-2000 Million-1000 Million, etc. 1% got a cut of $518,635 over ten years . 1% Income “average” $1,400,000. $51,863 per year is no big deal to them.
Dee Turner
Dec. 2nd, 2012 at 6:39 pm
I prefer Warren Buffet’s suggestion: anytime the deficit is great than 3%, all of Congress becomes ineligible to be reelected. All of this is impossible, however–because Congress will never legislate anything against themselves.
As a practical suggestion, then, I think we need a kind of congressional czar who can make such decisions to augment their schedule, reducing time off. Making them ineligible to campaign again really should be up to voters to vote them out (and we need experience congressional member, which is why term limits are bad). Reducing their pay will only make fewer people interested in running, and we greatly need an infusion of new, younger, more diverse people with new ideas and more energy.
But making them work a full session for the pay they receive? Priceless. I nominate Dylan Ratigan for congressional oversight czar!–and also for Treasury Secretary after Geithner leaves. He can do both–making Congress work full-time is not at all a full-time gig.
Inez
Dec. 2nd, 2012 at 10:54 pm
When one runs for national elective office aren’t they required to file their tax statements? If so, how many have increased their wealth while in office? A salary of $176,000.00 I”m sure was fattened by inside knowledge of IPOs or upcoming stock deals, When they run for reelections are their tax forms required. Seems we have many millionaire in office, without secondary employments.
Bill
Dec. 3rd, 2012 at 11:36 am
Oh, I’m sure democrats had nothing to do with this pay plan. And I’m sure all these comments must be from saints. It’s not just republicans you freakin idiots, it’s the entire lot of them.
Gail Daly
Dec. 3rd, 2012 at 3:38 pm
$84,000yr…….365-102(weekends)=261 days $174000/261=666.67 per day X 126 days = $84,000 Sounds about right except they should be barred from capitalizing from their position & receive benefits comparable to the rest of us….like healthcare & SS.
about a minute ago · Like
Magdalena
Dec. 5th, 2012 at 12:45 am
I suggest that we start a petition to bring this issue out in the open. Social Media is very powerful and I wager that it would go viral. I’m willing to start the petition and post it on facebook and twitter. Who’s with me?