D- Jim Moran "Congress is Underpaid @ $174,000/yr

[Wrathbringer]

“I think the American people should know the members of Congress are underpaid,” Moran, D-Va., told CQ Roll Call. “I understand that it’s widely felt they under perform, but the fact is that this is the board of directors for the largest economic entity in the world.”

http://onpolitics.usatoday.com/2014/04/04/jim-moran-congress-underpaid/

Leave it to a democrap. What a joke.

[AnticorRifling]

Drop their pay to 55k a year so they can appreciate the impact of their economic decisions.

[Tgo01]

What a moran.

[waywardgs]

There's a reason the best and the brightest aren't working for the government. They wanna get paid, and privater sector pays.

[Back]

Leave it to a democrap. What a joke.

Like republicans won't vote for it? Grow up.

[Taernath]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HgM0FOHhmTU/Un-jSYQy1kI/AAAAAAAAP_A/Dldsp4-3ncI/s1600/moran.jpg

[waywardgs]

Drop their pay to 55k a year so they can appreciate the impact of their economic decisions.

Sure, go ahead and cut their pay. See who wants that job. Do you really want either a bunch of joe the plumbers or power-hungry trust fund folks running the show? You want government to perform better? Compete with the top paying jobs of the private sector and offer similar salaries. You'll attract a higher caliber government employee. There's a limited pool of these people, and they sure as hell aren't going to work for the government at a fraction of what someone else will pay them.

[Warriorbird]

Jim Moran's one of my least favorite Democrats. Cutting their pay would make them even more subservient though.

[Keller]

They should get paid $85k/yr and get a lump-sum payment of $1M when they retire from politics.

[Tisket]

They should get paid $85k/yr and get a lump-sum payment of $1M when they retire from politics.

Pay them less and they'll just steal and pander more than they already do.

[waywardgs]

Politicians currently spend the majority of their time kissing contributor ass and raising money so they can keep their jobs. It's a fucked system.

[Candor]

I pay for performance. If Congress performs, maybe I'll consider a raise in salary. Maybe.

If the current clods want to leave, no one is forcing them to stay. It is called "Public Service" for a reason.

[Tisket]

I pay for performance. If Congress performs, maybe I'll consider a raise in salary. Maybe.

If the current clods want to leave, no one is forcing them to stay. It is called "Public Service" for a reason.

Do you hear heavy dramatic music in your head every time you post?

I thought so.

[Candor]

Do you hear heavy dramatic music in your head every time you post?

I thought so.

Yeah but I don't recognize the them. It's not the theme from Dragnet, although that would fit...

[Candor]

Yeah but I don't recognize the them. It's not the theme from Dragnet, although that would fit...

Ah, here it is...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca6Es9Q9fT0

[waywardgs]

Ah, here it is...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca6Es9Q9fT0

Ah yes, the post-sister-kiss awards ceremony.

[Jarvan]

Sure, go ahead and cut their pay. See who wants that job. Do you really want either a bunch of joe the plumbers or power-hungry trust fund folks running the show? You want government to perform better? Compete with the top paying jobs of the private sector and offer similar salaries. You'll attract a higher caliber government employee. There's a limited pool of these people, and they sure as hell aren't going to work for the government at a fraction of what someone else will pay them.

Paying someone more money /= better workers. Do you really want to pay a Senator 10 million a year? Besides, if you didn't know already, almost no Congressman or Senator actually writes the bills. That's what they have staff for. The staff are usually some of the best and brightest... in law or politics. Because they want to become a Politician themselves someday.

NO ONE should go into politics for money. Ever, Period. Besides, their salary isn't the only money they get, and you know it.

[waywardgs]

Paying someone more money /= better workers. Do you really want to pay a Senator 10 million a year? Besides, if you didn't know already, almost no Congressman or Senator actually writes the bills. That's what they have staff for. The staff are usually some of the best and brightest... in law or politics. Because they want to become a Politician themselves someday.

NO ONE should go into politics for money. Ever, Period. Besides, their salary isn't the only money they get, and you know it.


Make it tied to performance somehow.

And the bit about how people shouldn't go into politics for money... what are they going into politics for, some kind of angelic higher purpose? To serve their country? Because they have deeply held beliefs? Gimme a break. This isn't 3rd grade. I don't believe that for one second about ANY politician. They go because they're the type of person attracted to power and influence.

Run this ship like a company. Tie the jobs to performance, the pay to performance, and you'll get all the balanced budgets you can shake a stick at. No more of this bullshit where senators can sit in their fucking chairs until someone scrapes their rotting corpse off the leather because they've locked it down with gerrymandered districts and sweetheart back-office contributor deals.

[Back]

Make the US government a for profit corporation. Hire all Americans and give them shares. All shareholders vote for the top positions.

[Sorcasaurus]

Make the US government a for profit corporation. Hire all Americans and give them shares. All shareholders vote for the top positions.

The United States of America, Inc. does have a certain ring to it...

[waywardgs]

The thing is, money is already IN politics. Just not in an honest way.

[Wrathbringer]

When you get that $174,000/yr FOR LIFE even if you serve one term, I'd say people are already going into politics for the money.

Edit: meant to quote Jarvan here. Edit 2: Apparently it's not for life. My mistake. Apparently you have to serve 5 years to receive a pension.

[Jarvan]

Make it tied to performance somehow.

And the bit about how people shouldn't go into politics for money... what are they going into politics for, some kind of angelic higher purpose? To serve their country? Because they have deeply held beliefs? Gimme a break. This isn't 3rd grade. I don't believe that for one second about ANY politician. They go because they're the type of person attracted to power and influence.

Run this ship like a company. Tie the jobs to performance, the pay to performance, and you'll get all the balanced budgets you can shake a stick at. No more of this bullshit where senators can sit in their fucking chairs until someone scrapes their rotting corpse off the leather because they've locked it down with gerrymandered districts and sweetheart back-office contributor deals.

Who's measure of performance tho. If Republicans are in complete control for 4 years and are passing tons of things you hate, wouldn't you think they should get paid less?


When you get that $174,000/yr FOR LIFE even if you serve one term, I'd say people are already going into politics for the money.

Edit: meant to quote Jarvan here. Edit 2: Apparently it's not for life. My mistake.

Never said they are not, but paying them even more won't help the problem.

[waywardgs]

When you get that $174,000/yr FOR LIFE even if you serve one term, I'd say people are already going into politics for the money.

Edit: meant to quote Jarvan here.

This isn't entirely true...

"It is not true that Congressmen "continue to draw their same pay, until they die." The size of their pensions is determined by a number of factors (primarily length of service, but also factors such as when they joined Congress, their age at retirement, their salary, and the pension options they chose when they enrolled in the retirement system) and by law cannot exceed 80% of their salary at the time of their retirement."
Read more at http://www.snopes.com/politics/socialsecurity/pensions.asp#6W6dQDVoyIWAb93P.99

[Candor]

This isn't entirely true...

"It is not true that Congressmen "continue to draw their same pay, until they die." The size of their pensions is determined by a number of factors (primarily length of service, but also factors such as when they joined Congress, their age at retirement, their salary, and the pension options they chose when they enrolled in the retirement system) and by law cannot exceed 80% of their salary at the time of their retirement."
Read more at http://www.snopes.com/politics/socialsecurity/pensions.asp#6W6dQDVoyIWAb93P.99

Well to be picky, if the Congressman is in the CSRS system, his unused sick leave will be credited to his length in service, and this can result in the pension being more than 80%. This admittedly would apply to very few people due to the length in federal service required for the situation.

[Wrathbringer]

This isn't entirely true...

"It is not true that Congressmen "continue to draw their same pay, until they die." The size of their pensions is determined by a number of factors (primarily length of service, but also factors such as when they joined Congress, their age at retirement, their salary, and the pension options they chose when they enrolled in the retirement system) and by law cannot exceed 80% of their salary at the time of their retirement."
Read more at http://www.snopes.com/politics/socialsecurity/pensions.asp#6W6dQDVoyIWAb93P.99

Yep, already fixed it. Thanks.

[Tgo01]

Politicians currently spend the majority of their time kissing contributor ass and raising money so they can keep their jobs.

And silly me keeps my job by being good at it :(

[Parkbandit]

Drop their pay to 55k a year so they can appreciate the impact of their economic decisions.

Exactly.

And the $174,000 doesn't include the "perks" like kickbacks, bribes, sweet deals, etc.. they so happily enjoy.

Fuck them.

Fuck the whole lot of them.