We’ve heard the word sacrifice come up quite often in recent weeks; usually in the same context; how much the “rich” (whichever loosely defined income group they decide “rich” are) needs to give back as a privilege for making money.
What shouldn’t surprise you, however, is that Congress has no intention of taking the lead and giving anything up. At a time when many Americans are starting to live paycheck to paycheck, and state governments are figuring out new and exciting ways to tax every little thing that people do, think about, or enjoy, Congress is about to get a nice little raise in the form of a $4,700 “Cost of Living” increase.
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 don’t deserve one additional dime of taxpayer money in 2009,” said Tom Schatz, president of the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste.
“While thousands of Americans are facing layoffs and downsizing, Congress should be mortified to accept a raise,” he said in a written statement.
Members of Congress make an average of $169,300 a year, with Congressional leaders making slightly more. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Cailf., 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.
Pelosi’s and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s offices did not respond to FOXNews.com’s requests for comment.
So as the government hands out tons of free money to bank after bank, automakers, and manufacturers of arrows for childrens’ bows and not figuring out for one minute how we can afford these massive “fix your crappy business” fees, we now have to watch congress people collect an additional $4,700 for doing, well, whatever the hell it is they do.
Apparently, at a time when consumer prices are low, inflation is non-existent, and gas prices are through the floor, we now have to accept that poor Representatives and Senators just can’t function on a mere $170,000 a year, despite the fact that much of their daily lives is already subsidized by taxpayers anyway!
In the end, what does Congress give up as they preach to everyone about how gluttonous they are and what they need to sacrifice? It would appear that the answer is absolutely nothing.
But you already knew that.
