The solution to the current situation is actually quite simple. Congress currently is compensated at a much higher level than the people they represent. I propose that they should be compensated at the lowest level that they think the people they represent can live with. If they receive any other compensation other than investing their federal compensation it should be a federal offense with a minimum 5 year prison sentence.
This means that they should be paid the federal minimum wage. By their definition it is above the poverty level so it should be no problem.
Of course no health care until everyone in the country has healthcare.
The fat retirement packages with cost of living increases becomes Social Security based on their contributions and I am sure they will be happy with Medicare, 'donut' hole and all.
In short if they want to represent us they should be us.
If we cannot have what they have then they should be happy with what they give us.
I think Congress would be very different with this simple change.
I personally blame an election system that forces citizens to vote for who they "think can win" instead of voting for who they think has the best ideas.
ReplyDeleteAlso, keep in mind that the partisan bickering is a result of these people trying to get re-elected. If they thought they could get re-elected by cooperating, they certainly would do so. That's an uncomfortable snapshot into the soul of the America that they represent - perhaps they represent us more than we realize, if not our hopes, then certainly our fears.
Here here Bill!! :)It has never ceased to repulse me how the fat cats in congress with deep personal pockets make the rules that folks with barely two nickles to rub together must live by. Elect your local waitress, teacher, bus driver, graphic designer or dude who just got laid off to Congress. Free health care, no taxes for the poor, lower taxes for the middle income, higher taxes for the rich(if they don't get eaten first,Yum) Ahhh... Nirvana at last. :)
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