Congressional Pay .vs. Federal Minimum Wage
I thought it might be interesting to see a historical view of congressional house of representative pay increases and increases to the federal minimum wage, starting from when the minimum wage was established in 1938.
Below is a table comparing congressional salaries and the minimum wage. It also includes values in 2005 inflation adjusted dollars, and the ratio between a congress persons yearly salary and that of a minimum wage worker (assuming 40 hours per week, 50 weeks per year)
| Year | Congressional Salary |
2005 Dollars |
Min Wage |
2005 dollars |
Ratio |
| 1938 | $10,000 | $128,715 | $0.25 | $3.22 | 20.0 - 1 |
| 1939 | $10,000 | $131,207 | $0.30 | $3.94 | 16.6 - 1 |
| 1940 | $10,000 | $133,070 | $0.30 | $3.99 | 16.6 - 1 |
| 1941 | $10,000 | $131,753 | $0.30 | $3.95 | 16.6 - 1 |
| 1942 | $10,000 | $125,479 | $0.30 | $3.76 | 16.6 - 1 |
| 1943 | $10,000 | $113,350 | $0.30 | $3.40 | 16.6 - 1 |
| 1944 | $10,000 | $106,834 | $0.30 | $3.21 | 16.6 - 1 |
| 1945 | $10,000 | $105,048 | $0.40 | $4.20 | 12.5 - 1 |
| 1946 | $10,000 | $102,686 | $0.40 | $4.11 | 12.5 - 1 |
| 1947 | $12,500 | $118,302 | $0.40 | $3.79 | 15.6 - 1 |
| 1948 | $12,500 | $103,411 | $0.40 | $3.31 | 15.6 - 1 |
| 1949 | $12,500 | $95,928 | $0.40 | $3.07 | 15.6 - 1 |
| 1950 | $12,500 | $96,897 | $0.75 | $5.81 | 8.3 - 1 |
| 1951 | $12,500 | $95,938 | $0.75 | $5.76 | 8.3 - 1 |
| 1952 | $12,500 | $88,914 | $0.75 | $5.33 | 8.3 - 1 |
| 1953 | $12,500 | $87,000 | $0.75 | $5.22 | 8.3 - 1 |
| 1954 | $12,500 | $86,309 | $0.75 | $5.18 | 8.3 - 1 |
| 1955 | $12,500 | $85,880 | $0.75 | $5.15 | 8.3 - 1 |
| 1956 | $22,500 | $155,205 | $1.00 | $6.90 | 11.2 - 1 |
| 1957 | $22,500 | $152,911 | $1.00 | $6.80 | 11.2 - 1 |
| 1958 | $22,500 | $147,597 | $1.00 | $6.56 | 11.2 - 1 |
| 1959 | $22,500 | $143,717 | $1.00 | $6.39 | 11.2 - 1 |
| 1960 | $22,500 | $142,576 | $1.00 | $6.34 | 11.2 - 1 |
| 1961 | $22,500 | $140,331 | $1.15 | $7.17 | 9.7 - 1 |
| 1962 | $22,500 | $138,942 | $1.15 | $7.10 | 9.7 - 1 |
| 1963 | $22,500 | $137,430 | $1.25 | $7.64 | 9.0 - 1 |
| 1964 | $22,500 | $135,800 | $1.25 | $7.54 | 9.0 - 1 |
| 1965 | $22,500 | $134,058 | $1.25 | $7.45 | 9.0 - 1 |
| 1966 | $30,000 | $175,756 | $1.25 | $7.32 | 12.0 - 1 |
| 1967 | $30,000 | $170,803 | $1.40 | $7.97 | 10.7 - 1 |
| 1968 | $30,000 | $165,989 | $1.60 | $8.85 | 9.3 - 1 |
| 1969 | $30,000 | $159,298 | $1.60 | $8.50 | 9.3 - 1 |
| 1970 | $42,500 | $214,111 | $1.60 | $8.06 | 13.3 - 1 |
| 1971 | $42,500 | $202,182 | $1.60 | $7.61 | 13.3 - 1 |
| 1972 | $42,500 | $193,847 | $1.60 | $7.30 | 13.3 - 1 |
| 1973 | $42,500 | $187,654 | $1.60 | $7.06 | 13.3 - 1 |
| 1974 | $42,500 | $176,699 | $2.00 | $8.32 | 10.6 - 1 |
| 1975 | $42,500 | $159,188 | $2.10 | $7.87 | 10.1 - 1 |
| 1976 | $44,600 | $153,120 | $2.30 | $7.46 | 9.7 - 1 |
| 1977 | $44,600 | $144,726 | $2.30 | $7.46 | 9.7 - 1 |
| 1978 | $57,500 | $175,198 | $2.65 | $8.07 | 10.8 - 1 |
| 1979 | $60,662 | $171,777 | $2.90 | $8.21 | 10.4 - 1 |
| 1980 | $60,662 | $154,060 | $3.10 | $7.87 | 9.8 - 1 |
| 1981 | $60,662 | $135,736 | $3.35 | $7.50 | 9.1 - 1 |
| 1982 | $60,662 | $123,061 | $3.35 | $6.80 | 9.1 - 1 |
| 1983 | $69,800 | $133,332 | $3.35 | $6.40 | 10.4 - 1 |
| 1984 | $72,600 | $134,380 | $3.35 | $6.20 | 10.8 - 1 |
| 1985 | $75,100 | $133,277 | $3.35 | $5.95 | 11.2 - 1 |
| 1986 | $75,100 | $128,645 | $3.35 | $5.74 | 11.2 - 1 |
| 1987 | $77,400 | $130,113 | $3.35 | $5.63 | 11.6 - 1 |
| 1988 | $89,500 | $145,226 | $3.35 | $5.44 | 13.5 - 1 |
| 1989 | $89,500 | $139,506 | $3.35 | $5.22 | 13.5 - 1 |
| 1990 | $98,400 | $146,354 | $3.80 | $5.65 | 12.9 - 1 |
| 1991 | $101,900 | $143,794 | $4.25 | $6.00 | 12.0 - 1 |
| 1992 | $129,500 | $175,376 | $4.25 | $5.76 | 15.2 - 1 |
| 1993 | $133,600 | $175,659 | $4.25 | $5.59 | 15.7 - 1 |
| 1994 | $133,600 | $170,542 | $4.25 | $5.43 | 15.2 - 1 |
| 1995 | $133,600 | $166,221 | $4.25 | $5.29 | 15.2 - 1 |
| 1996 | $133,600 | $162,166 | $4.75 | $5.77 | 14.1 - 1 |
| 1997 | $133,600 | $157,443 | $5.15 | $6.07 | 13.0 - 1 |
| 1998 | $136,673 | $158,372 | $5.15 | $5.97 | 13.3 - 1 |
| 1999 | $136,673 | $155,878 | $5.15 | $5.87 | 13.3 - 1 |
| 2000 | $141,300 | $156,919 | $5.15 | $5.72 | 13.7 - 1 |
| 2001 | $141,300 | $153,241 | $5.15 | $5.59 | 13.7 - 1 |
| 2002 | $150,000 | $160,114 | $5.15 | $5.50 | 14.5 - 1 |
| 2003 | $154,700 | $162,531 | $5.15 | $5.41 | 15.0 - 1 |
| 2004 | $158,100 | $162,368 | $5.15 | $5.29 | 15.3 - 1 |
| 2005 | $162,100 | $162,100 | $5.15 | $5.15 | 15.7 - 1 |
What the data reveals:
- The current minimum wage of $5.15, is the lowest minimum wage since 1949 (In 2005 Dollars)
- The highest ever minimum wage was $8.85 /hr in 1968 (2005 dollars)
- In the 20 year period between 1961 and 1981, U.S. workers making minimum wage made an average of $7.76 / hr (2005 dollars). During the past 11 years, since the Republican “Contract with America” began, U.S. workers making the minimum wage made an average of $5.58 / hr (2005 dollars)
- The average congressional salary since 1938 is $143,265, The average since the Republican “Contract with America” began in 1994: $160,657.
- The average congressional salary .vs. minimum wage salary ratio from 1938 to 1993 was 11.9
- Since 1994, and the “Contract with America” the ratio has climbed to 15.7
- In 2005 house members made 15.7 times more than the typical minimum wage earner, the highest ratio since 1944.
Other Interesting Notes:
Congressional pay raises were rare, often 5 years to a decade would pass before a pay increase. Not anymore, since the late 1990’s, pay raises happen almost every year, in a few cases multiple times per year. (I had no way to reflect this on the table).
Minimum wage increases used to be fairly common, they were raised to often to match inflation. Not anymore, during the Reagan years of 1981- 1989 it wasn’t raised once. $3.35 an hour (back when I was making that at Mc.Donalds) in 1981 equaled $7.50 an hour in 2005 inflation adjusted dollars. By the end of the decade, the next generation of High School Kids working at Mc.Donalds still made $3.35 an hour, but that had eroded to a real wage of $5.22 an hour.
The current Minimum wage of $5.15 an hour has been in place for over 8 years now.
Sources:
Westegg.com Inflation Calculator
dangaz — On 5-30-2006 at 3:26 am
$5.15US per hour? is that adult wages?
here in Australia the minimum adult wage is $12.75AU (~$9.66US) per hour. And with the world climate at the moment, I’d rather live here even if the wages were lower than the USA.
Kevin — On 5-30-2006 at 4:52 am
We get minimum about £4.90 ($9). What a nightmare you guys gotta live in!
Loyd — On 5-30-2006 at 7:03 am
What some of you from outside the US may not realize is that almost no one makes minimum wage here. If that’s all you’re making, you’re either a teenager or have some difficulties with the idea of showing up on time and sober and have no skills or work ethic of any kind. No one who matters makes minimum wage.
Steve — On 5-30-2006 at 7:14 am
About the only adults making minimum wage in the USA oae the illegal immigrants
Loyd — On 5-30-2006 at 7:20 am
OH - and I just heard on the somewhat left-of-center NPR that the illegal immigrant average wage, so far as it can be estimated, is $8/hr.
Kuta — On 5-30-2006 at 7:26 am
Don’t be fooled by those who understate the problem. There are many people who are working at or near the minimum wage, particularly in service industries like fast food or retail. $6-7/hour is still poverty level wages in many regions of the United States.
Eric Blade — On 5-30-2006 at 7:52 am
There are tons of people who make minimum wage, or slightly more than that, but it is reduced to far lower than that after they pay their taxes and union dues, for the union jobs.
Mostly low-end union jobs are in that price range, too. Fast food places, at least in Detroit, usually net $9-10/hr, whereas the union shops are actually less.
jalopy47 — On 5-30-2006 at 7:59 am
ahh, the elites speak up.
glad to know all of you are so rich that you cant believe that there are poor people here in the south. guess thats why you liberal retards are so good at winning elections.
in the town i live in there are hardly anyone who makes above minimum wage.
the only option to make above minimum wage is to work at wall mart for pennies more.
I pray for some of you people to try off of what people make where i live, but, thats the problem with you rich liberal people is that you are too busy buying brie cheese for your wine parties where you sit around and bash president bush, to even realize how bad things are in this country. we need a strong leader who will bring god back to america’s side once again and only then will our economy get better.
but for those of you all saying no one makes minimum wage, get a grip and look outside of what your communities standards are and start realizing america is becoming a third world country fast.
Bazule — On 5-30-2006 at 8:04 am
Jalopy is the shining example of someone in the south, or “red state area”, who has being fucked in the ass by the conservative republican “elites” and their policies, yet blames it on the liberals. You see this OVER and OVER and OVER again, it boggles the mind, it just goes to show what a great job the right-wing fascists like Limbaugh and Hanity have done to totally brainwash poor guys like this, they have conned them to the point that they’ll keep voting for Republicans, and AGAINST their own self interests. Jalopy look at the record, it speaks for itself. Who the hell do you think has been voting for their own pay raises, and yet keeps the min wage at historic levels? Who votes for huge takes breaks for the top 1% in this country, yet gives the working poor pennnys? Who sends 18 year old kids from the rural south to their death in a BS war based on lies in Iraq? Wake the fuck up man.
Loyd — On 5-30-2006 at 8:45 am
Bazule - take your pills.
Jalopy47 - MOVE to where the economic growth is. If your family has been in the same place for 300 years and there’s nothing there but mud and rocks and poverty, you should leave instead of blaming the gubment for your problems.
Kevin — On 5-30-2006 at 9:02 am
Capitilism eh….?
Recently Washed Masses — On 5-30-2006 at 11:42 am
Because, as we all know,the collection activities required in moving from one city to another, cost no money and take no time. This is good, because the people who are working in these towns spend all their time working just to keep their head above the water. I can easily imagine what you might say, Loyd, if a bunch of people from such places moved into your community looking for work.
Real problems seldom have simple answers, so if you find can solve a complex social problem with a one sentence reply, chances are you’ve failed to understand the issue.
Trey — On 5-30-2006 at 4:59 pm
Oh man, let’s not act like moving is something no one can do if they’re poor. Isn’t it time to stop making excuses for those on the lowest rung? There are plenty of examples of people lifting themselves out of such holes and doing well for themselves. It’s time we stop ignoring all those examples.
Recently Washed Masses — On 5-31-2006 at 12:58 am
Who’s ignoring people working hard and moving ahead? Not me. My point was that one doesn’t just up and move as easily as one says “up and move.” You’ve set up a straw man from my post and it isn’t worth our time to discuss.
You know what my point was and by choosing to argue with something I didnt say, you’ve acknowledged the legitimacy of my point. Thank you.
Kevin — On 5-31-2006 at 10:59 am
You guys are funny
Leonard — On 5-31-2006 at 11:19 am
Um, I work for less than min. wage as a waiter at two jobs. I’m two semesters away from a marketing degree and my last job in CA before I moved here to SD was as a Regulatory Analyst for a telcom making good money. Here in SD though, since I live in a tourist city, you make much more as a bartender or waiter than you would on min. wage. Only thing is your hourly is like $4.00 an hour. So I think it’s unfair to say you have no skills or your an alcoholic and that’s why you make min. wage. I am in neither of those group.
I actually work for the State (today is my last day!) but I’ll make way more as a server. Let me tell you, being behind a desk for the past 10 yrs. and now doing this work, it kicked my ass. It’s hard work and I guarantee there are a lot of people reading this right now from the comfort of their offices who could not do it. I’m surprised I am. 
peace
GOOFYBLOG » Blog Archive » Historic Household Income .vs. Home Prices — On 6-5-2006 at 1:31 am
[…] After last weeks analysis of minimum wages .vs. congressional wages, I thought it might be interesting to take a look at a similar economic topic, especially one that’s on the minds of a lot of other X-Generation folks out there like myself. […]
Bob — On 6-5-2006 at 1:55 am
What most right-wing nuts (even the educated ones) forget is that money is a finite resource. If it weren’t, it wouldn’t have any value. Since it is finite it means that there will always be people that are poor no matter how hard they work. Everyone can’t be middle-class and up.
The Long Goodbye » Blog Archive » The bitterness, the folly and the pain — On 6-15-2006 at 11:04 pm
[…] Congressional Pay .vs. Federal Minimum Wage - The current minimum wage of $5.15, is the lowest minimum wage since 1949 (In 2005 Dollars) - The highest ever minimum wage was $8.85 /hr in 1968 (2005 dollars) -In the 20 year period between 1961 and 1981, U.S. workers making minimum wage made an average of $7.76 / hr (2005 dollars). During the past 11 years, since the Republican “Contract with America” began, U.S. workers making the minimum wage made an average of $5.58 / hr (2005 dollars) […]
Howard Scott Pearlman — On 6-22-2006 at 7:19 am
RUSS FEINGOLD a senator from Wisconsin gives back his pay raises.
Should Russ Feingold Run For President ?
We Think He Should ?
If you need to know more about Russ Feingold just click below ………..
CLICK on The Above Picture To Join Us
David F. Prenatt, Jr. — On 7-8-2006 at 8:47 pm
An expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit would be a much more efficient and equitable way of helping the working poor than raising the minimum wage.
Loser — On 7-9-2006 at 5:49 am
Hey - SOMEONE has to dig the ditches….
jeff{krimmel} » Big Oil Generates Big Profits — On 7-28-2006 at 11:25 am
[…] Enough about the oil companies for now. I knew that the last time the minimum wage was raised was in September 1997. But I didn’t know what the history of congressional pay looked like. I went hunting around the web, and sure enough, I was able to find some information. The first thing I came across was this post from GOOFYBLOG, titled “Congressional Pay .vs. Federal Minimum Wage”. It pretty much had exactly the information I wanted. […]
native californian alien — On 8-31-2006 at 12:10 am
universities all over the country have researched what would be a fair minimum wage if it had kept up with the cost of living over the past couple decades since reagan deregulated lenders (one of many miserable and fascist things he did) and without an ounce of exaggeration; the federal minimum wage would be over $23 per hour, and in many localized areas, such as coastal california (particularly the bay area), over $50 per hour- and that is just to have kept up with the cost of living! You young folks just have no idea how bad it has gotten; when i was a kid back in the sixties, you could buy a house in santa cruz, california on a minimum wage income- fact, not fiction. To quote Adam Smith in his famous economics book: “the wealth of nations”– “the oppressors use deceit” (by the way…deceit is another word for a lie). Oppression begins with the policies from on high(federal), and trickles on down to be carried out by our local employers; who feel a need to exploit labor merely to survive. My advice? become empowered; remember that labor is the single most precious and valuable resource in existence; always has been, always will be. Every day folks are out there cutting down your trees for lumber, catching your fish, farming your fields, mining your silver, your gold, drilling your oil, and on and on and on– After all it is your country isn’t it? If not it’s at least your planet too. Or perhaps we should all preserve it for the miserable self-deceived pathetic pitiable elitists and their kids? These truly poor folks know nothing of reverence for God, only man, those poor, poor, wretched, blind and naked people–but God still loves them, and so must we. Remember how Jesus got angry? So must we. They profess Christianity and American patriotism then do the opposite… no, no, no. For just as it is the obligation of any decent parent to discipline their children and teach them right from wrong; so it is our responsibility to teach these folks the truth; for truth is like light, it drives out the darkness (lies), with all it’s hellish demons. Thank God for the light! Love ya.
Kevin B — On 9-18-2006 at 11:42 am
Hey Bob, You think that if some people work hard they will always be poor? Tha is nuts. What do you define as working hard? Do you mean hard work as in lifting heavy things? Because my definition of working hard includes bettering yourself by making yourself a more desirable worker. That means education etc. WORK HARD PEOPLE AND YOU CAN DO IT!!! Don’t listen to people who say it’s hopless. It’s only hopless for them. More people born poor end up wealthy in the U.S. than in any other country, including Australia and all of europe.
Scott O. — On 10-26-2006 at 10:15 am
I think you all are missing the point…Congress will give themselves a raise but can’t give anyone the people who really need the help a raise beacuse they will always stick a “rider” attachment to it. Like they do to every other good bill that comes through congress. And, if everybody is making more than min. wage anyway…like some of you think….then it should not matter if they raise the min. wage, Right. Then why don’t they just do it & raise the min. wage & make themselves look good. Probably it does matter to companies who have big lobbests like WAL-MART. Think about it.
Pat — On 11-16-2006 at 8:10 pm
Thanks for posting these figures. I have been looking for just this information. I would suggest to Congress that their salary be kept to a fixed ratio to the federal minimum wage; a minimum wage that is based on the CPI (Consumer Price Index) and accounts for inflation. That way with every Congressional pay raise there is a minimum wage raise. A side-effect of the continued resistance of rising minimum wages would be a self-regulating Congressional pay.
GOOFYBLOG » Blog Archive » Minimum Wage… 9 years later… — On 12-14-2006 at 5:00 pm
[…] I wrote an analysis about the disparity between congressional pay hikes (which are almost annual these days) .vs. the minimum wage non-hikes last summer. […]
David Marquardt — On 1-15-2007 at 10:33 am
Interesting table. I’d love to see some additional comparisons when you factor in all the other rediculous “retirement” benefits that congress after just a few years of “service”.
David
Mike H — On 1-24-2007 at 8:56 pm
I own a restaurant and employ about 70 people. Most of them this is their first job and they average 18 years of age. Anyone in this country who is worth their weight in french fries can make more than minimum wage. Call me if u r any good. I’ll pay you $10/hour or more if you are worth a damn. I should not, however, have to pay high school kids and tweekers more than minimum wage so they can quit in the first three months before they even know what the heck they are doing. There are less than 300,000 ADULTS in this country making minimum wage. some Kid does not need a raise just so he can buy attachments to his IPOD with his almost completely discrecionary income. PEACE OUT
restless — On 1-25-2007 at 3:43 am
You know, I gotta comment on your bitter attitude toward your employees. What’s up with that? Do your customers know how you feel about the people you employ? Sure they do. Why? Because your employees know how you feel about them and that filters down to their service to your customers. I know that most small business people are petty dictators and there are reasons for that, but there’s a reason that Starbucks doesn’t pay min wage and offers heallth benefits to their barristas: it filters down to the service they give customers. In other words: give a little, get a little or more than a little. Btw, how many ipods do your kids own?
Mike H — On 1-25-2007 at 8:30 am
my kid doesn’t own an ipod, and ALL of my long term employees make good wages. but a restaurant can only pay people a certain amount. Hamburgers don’t cost $15 each. Basically, the average cost of a lunch dictates about what the average wage in a restaurant can be. I care very much about my employees actually, and want them all to succeed. Working in a restaurant does not spell long term success most of the time. I was an employee for 16 years and while i was very poor going to college I kept my debt at zero and delayed gratification while my friends went on vacations and into debt. Most of them still work as hourly employees unfortunately and are in poor financial health. Educating our society and raising our children to have work ethics and financial conservatism will lead to most people not caring what the minimum wage is because they will not have to. Most of my employees are not “tweekers” but too many come in the door, i give them a chance (not always at minimum wage) and about 70% of the time they cost me more than they add to the value of my business and then they are gone because “this work is too hard”. Been working in this business since i was 14 making $2.85/hour and am a normal guy of normal strength, never been too hard for me. I was raised very poor and my parents were on welfare often. Anyone can get out of the mire if they really are willing to get themselves out. Thanks for the dialogue Restless.
restless — On 1-25-2007 at 10:01 am
Thanks, and I appreciate the added info. I do believe, as you have proved in your own life and in your business, that if an individual is very disciplined and persistent, he or she can eventually succeed and do well. And the earlier you start, the earlier you have a chance of that success. But there’s more to what you say than just hard work. I’ve been reading Martin Seligman’s Authentic Happiness, a treatise on what truly leads to individual happiness. Seligman discovered that making use of one’s core “virtues” (i.e., strengths — for more info on your own core strengths, take Seligman’s free test, the VIA Core Strengths Test, at www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/) in one’s job and outside life makes for more lasting happiness than the so-called “pleasures” (e.g., listening to music, watching tv, playing a video game, making love, going on a vacation). This dovetails with Mike Csikszentmihalyi’s theory of “flow,” which is defined as the time when you are doing something and are so at one with it that you lose track of time, that you never want it to end. Both of these concepts apply to the world of work, to one’s “calling.” I can tell by what you’ve said that you are answering your calling and have from a young age. This is the best way to live, isn’t it? The people you give a chance to and under-perform for you can’t be happy just barely getting by. And if you are treating them as fairly as your response indicates, then it’s obvious they are mistaking passing pleasure for long-term happiness and that any wage you paid them would not make them better at what you hired them to do.
Rev. Lyle M. Miller, Sr — On 2-10-2007 at 6:52 am
I just came to your blog by accident as I have been interested in the salaries and other perks that our elected officials and staff in Washington, DC have at the expense of the taxpayers. Out of reason are the salaries of all, including the President and V.P. along with members of Congress, especially when we consider that they do not contribute to Social Security and have big pensions guaranteed all the while that they claim to be interested in the welfare of the general public. I would like to suggest a campaign to pass a Constitutional Ammendment to require all of them to pay into Social Security and also to contribute to a 401K Retirement Plan and cut them off of the current retirement guarantees of thousands and thousands of dollars a year. This would go a long way to solving the Social Security problem. Lastly, I would like to see something enacted one way or another to require these folks who have had all the perks to have to live for a couple of years on a Social Security Benefit based on their Contributions for a coupld of years, even while they are serving in Congress or the Whitehouse. This might go a long way to getting them to spend more time working towards the betterment of society than sitting around the halls of Congress fighting over a lot of stuff that doesn’t amount to a hill of beans for the common folk in America.
Rev. Lyle M. Miller, Sr — On 2-13-2007 at 9:19 am
I read these bloggs and to date haven’t found one that is on track for making corrections in our system. If members of Congress had to pay Social Security Taxes along with all the other staff members and the President, things might change drastically. A national patition calling for such action would be in order. Finally, require members of Congress, the President and all staff members to contribute to their own 401K and bring and end to the outlandish pensions those folks are given. Unless they begin to feel the pinch like the rest of us ordinary folk in this country, little will be done to make any changed that is significant.
restless — On 2-14-2007 at 1:15 am
Do you think that Social Security payments are too low? Is that why you want Presidential and Congressional salaries lowered and their pensions removed? They do have a bad habit of giving themselves salary increases and perks while turning a semi-deaf ear to the rests of us, but a Constitutional Amendment? If a flag-burning Amendment can’t get passed, I doubt a sarlary Amendment will.
Rev. Lyle M. Miller, Sr — On 2-14-2007 at 7:00 am
No, I don’t think that Social Security payments are too low. My reasoning for the suggested action is that for too long members of Congress have had life their own way. For example in 2007 members of Congress enjoy a salary of $168,000.00 per year and this ultimately translates in to a retirement package of almost the same amount annually after something like six years in office. Any of the rest of us are required to work at a place of employment for some 20, 30, or 40 years before we can retire. The annual pay for the President recently went from $200,000.00 per year to $400,000.00 per year with added perks such as a tax exempt expense fund to say nothing of all the free travel on Airforce One. No, my purpose in suggesting a lowering of their salaries and other fringe benefits is take the first step in requiring them to live a little more like the human beings they are supposed to be representing. Out government has gotten so far out of touch with the realities of life it is pitiful.
Rev. Lyle M. Miller, Sr — On 2-19-2007 at 12:33 pm
I hate to say it, but it seems to me than few folk if, if any are interested in having members of Congress, the President, Vice President, and all of their staff have to toe the line like the rest of us ordinary citizens. We need to remind folks that those elected officials work for us and unless we stand up and take notice that we are not going to let them live high any longer we will be in the same place years from now.
Jack Coleman — On 4-14-2007 at 5:59 pm
Did you know that our government sponsors and trains dictators to take over countries and wreak havoc, then later accuses them of crimes and hangs them or in other ways eliminates them? Did you know that the GOV (that is, the ultra rich and their henchmen) are stealing our Soc Security by keeping the world in a constant turmoil so they can justify waging war, and therefore justify defense spending which makes them and their buddies money while driving up the deficit. Its not blacks against whites, its not the international terrorists, its not aids or drugs or other stuff the ultra-rich-owned media wants us to focus on. It’s the terrorists in Washington who run our country. How they pay themselves is an indicator of their concern for us. All Americans need to realize these things (read Noam Chomshky’s book, “Hegemony or Survival”) and begin organizing for third party candidates for the next election. We need to plan an international day of protest against the US Government (an international labor strike against all US-owned businesses?), we need to let them know that we know. There is no Democratic or Republican party, there’s only the ultra-rich, ultra-greedy people who manipulate the world, literally, for their own benefit. And they continually rip us and the rest of the world a new one. Start caring, start telling.
ChrisWeigant.com » Blog Archive » A Challenge To Pelosi And Reid On Minimum Wage — On 4-30-2007 at 8:14 pm
[…] For the last 17 years, Congress has received a yearly automatic raise, except when their collective altruism arises to deny themselves extra money. This has actually happened (at least five times), mostly during the early years of the Republican takeover (’94, ‘95, ‘96, ‘97, and ‘99). I can’t vouch for its accuracy, but here is an interesting table of congressional salaries versus the minimum wage that goes back to 1938. […]
Matt — On 10-7-2007 at 9:25 pm
Why does it anger people to know that there are rich people getting richer? Yes Congress needs to trim the fat everywhere. However, minimum wage is kept low because of union agreements/inflation. The value of the dollar is weakening as is. You people complain about the price of everything and want more money to pay for it, please realize that one side goes up the other surely will too. Then you will be right back where you were to start.
Why does it go up? Because it would cost business more to pay their employees = higher prices so that they can maintain their profit margin = less you can afford and then you want another raise to buy more junk (cyclic!). On top of that more tax money accumulated. How do you think the “government” pays for everything? Why do you think they are reckless with the national budget? Because it is not there money, it’s yours. There is an attempt to lower this effect of unchecked inflation, yet it is the wrong approach.
As far as taxes go, the rich get a bigger break because they pay more. Top 1% pay 39% of the taxes in the country. 49% of the nation pays NO taxes; they get money every year from the other 51%. Health care, lawsuits, government spending, etc… All contributes to the fact that you will never see and end to the means. Look into the Fair tax system for some alternatives to national budge woes. Look into your representative’s track record for how he/she stands on issues that matter to your banking account. SS/ Medicare/ Medicaid, etc…. all of these plans cost us money. You want to save for retirement? Do it privately, the only thing the government has done well is pave roads. If you are relying on the government you are a sheep following the wrong shepherd. The private sector has brought everything that is of value to this country. Yet it is punished the most (taxes, etc.).
larrymt — On 2-12-2008 at 8:02 pm
Finally there is some sense in what I am reading and I do appreciate all of your blogs. I think that you are right on tract. We need to control congressional wages along with perks, put them on Social Security and invest in their oun 401k programs. What we need now is for everyone out there to write it up for an email posting and then mail it to all your friends and neighbors and out there there must be someone who would be willing to start the right process. A groundswelling movement of monumental proportions is what it is going to take. I’m going to do it yet tonight. Let’s all do it and see how far it goes and maybe we can vote on their wages after all don’t we hire them?
2007 federal income tax forms and instuctions — On 4-24-2008 at 12:20 am
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