MSN Man, Congress is a dead-end job. You’re surrounded by fat-cat lobbyists making twice as much as you, you hear nothing but complaints from your constituents and you take home a measly $174,000 a year.
It’s enough to get one Congressman, Phil Gingrey of Georgia (pictured), tied up in knots. He complained about it in a closed-door meeting Wednesday, and his comments have spread like wildfire.
Gingrey observed that poorly paid Congressional aides have a future on K Street — a street in Washington D.C. known for the lobbying companies headquartered there.
Aides “may be 33 years old now and not making a lot of money,” Gingrey said, according to two aides whorelayed his comments to The National Review. “But in a few years they can just go to K Street and make $500,000 a year. Meanwhile I’m stuck here making $172,000 a year.”
It just tugs on the heartstrings, doesn’t it? Gingrey was actually off by a couple thousand. Members of Congress have made $174,000 annually since 2009.
The median household income in Gingrey’s home state of Georgia, meanwhile, is $49,736 a year.
Gingrey’s comments were first reported by The National Review, a conservative news publication. His words “incensed some of the GOP aides in the room,” writes Jonathan Strong.
Gingrey made the comments during a discussion about an Obamacare rule requiring congressional staffers to buy their health insurance in the exchange markets. The Office of Personnel Management has said that the government can continue to contribute money to the health care premiums of Congress and their aides, but critics have deplored what they see as special treatment.
In the closed-door session, lawmakers discussed reversing the ruling. Some were uncomfortable doing so. Rep. Joe Barton of Texas said the change would cost him $12,000. “That’s a burden. And it’s a burden on our staff, too,” he said, according to National Review Online.
And that’s when Gingrey spoke out. When National Review asked him later about his comments, he said he couldn’t remember exactly what he said. He said his point was that “it is completely unfair for members of Congress and Hill staffers to get this special treatment that the general public are not getting.”
He added this: “I was engaged in a dialogue with some members of our conference who truly believe that Congress should get special treatment. And some also believe that staff members should get special treatment. I happen not to believe that.”
http://money.msn.com/now/congressman-laments-dollar172000-salary
This is the kind of moron that is ripe for the take. Throw the bum out of office and let him sweat it out like the rest of us. Nothing but a useless piece of tripe. Anybody who complains about a salary such as his while having to do nothing is worthless anyway.
These people are hardly ever there as they only work about half a year.
You bet Mark, and ya know what else when they say they are working it is like one big party, I mean look at that mc caine playing on line poker when he was supposed to be paying attention – like any of them pukes ever pay attention.
When I was homeschooling my grandson I was surprised to learn how limited Congress was after it was founded. The law read they had to meet at least once a year. Once a year? Gee wouldn’t that be wonderful. I don’t know what they were paid but it couldn’t have been much. You see they were all working men some were farmers some were doctors and probably a few business men. Congress was not their main line of work.
Their duties were few:
Congress certain broad enumerated powers. Among these are the power to lay and collect taxes and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; to borrow money on the credit of the United States, to regulate interstate, foreign, and Indian commerce; (5) To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures; and to create courts inferior to the Supreme Court among many others. The section also gives to Congress the power to “make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States.”
That is it. Anything outside of that is null and void.
Healthcare?
Social Security?
Gun control?
Mandatory vaccines?
Federal Reserve?
Bail outs to Banks?
Federal Grants?
Amnesty for illegal aliens?
Empire building?
Granting rights to Corporations to engage in criminal behavior?
Allowances for a privilege class?
Laws against practicing ones religion?
to point out a few.
Something got way out of hand and it is obvious that power does corrupt. It is difficult to find anything that has not been corrupted from the top down.
Well said, Susan. Amen to that. It would be nice if they only came together once a year and if they stayed the hell out of my life and financial affairs. Wishful thinking. But if the people willed it, it can happen again. The people just need to exercise their power and what a great, free country it would be if that were ever to happen. I would thank God every day if I saw that day.
Tar and feathers. nuff-said
charged with TREASON,tried convicted and HUNG
is all that needs to be said
Steve
When you’re making almost $200,000 a year and still bitching, you are doing something wrong. And then he pretends to say that Congress should be getting the same care as the people? Maybe his intentions are true, but he ain’t gettin’ any sympathy from me or anyone else. Especially when there are people living in tent cities and unable to find a job in 2 years and when you have illegals being let in left and right. Find a way to do your job right or get the hell out and to hell with the lobbyists. Grow a backbone, you fool! Lobbyists are nothing but a bunch of Fascists and Communists group of people and are therefore unconstitutional. Tell them to go stick where the sun don’t shine.
He forgot to add that House members get over 1.5 MILLION a year in addition to their salary.
That money is tax-free, since it is for ‘expenses.’
They can hire their wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, Uncle Joe, their drug dealer, etc. pay them a cushy salary for doing nothing.
The poor dear!