all the more reason to give dc an enema.

It must be nice to be your own union boss.

Who the hell are YOU, subby to question your betters??

Honestly, this isn't really out of line with periodic past pay raises. But it's amazing that they'd be so tone-deaf as to pull this nonsense now, of all times.

Judging by their performance since they took over the House and the Senate, don't you feel they deserve it?

Not to worry, since it's a democratic controlled congress we'll soon have farkers show up to let us know why this is ok.

Are they farking serious?

These are the people feigning outrage about the auto-farkers taking private jets, but feel giving themselves a raise while many Americans are losing jobs and homes is a GOOD thing?

The arrogant pricks need a GD reality check. I hope they get picketed and protested every day until they agree to REDUCE their salaries.

Oh fer chrissakes.

This after a story on police officers in Cali going w/o a raise to save like 80 jobs.

At least Obama froze WH wages. No wonder Congress' approval ratings are so low.

Yeah, this is just a poor decision. I know it's procedure, but now of all times?

I do favor the Democrats over the other choices, but Pelosiy-Reid need to go.

Nobody is getting raises right now, these assfaces should take that into account.

old news and I was pissed a month ago as well.

$93,000 in additional petty cash?

How much petty cash did they have before?

What do you expect, they probably didn't even read the amount of the pay raise before they approved it, anyways good for them. Not too long ago this "Imma get mine, you better get yours" mentality was cheered on. I don't see why a world wide depression would detour such a proven method for economic success.

Voters should be the one's to decide if they get pay raises.

Exodus2001:
I do favor the Democrats over the other choices, but Pelosiy-Reid need to go.

Seconded.

Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.
Most Americans don't have homes that cost that much.

/Oh, I'm a democrat. I'm supposed to be cheerleading for my party, right conservatives?

soy_bomb: Judging by their performance since they took over the House and the Senate, don't you feel they deserve it?

NO. If anyone deserves more money (if you agree that things have moved in a better direction in the last month and a half), it'd be Obama. Congress has done jack shiat.

I think we need to compute how much things like them spending a couple hours congratulating the Steelers on winning the Superbowl actually cost us.

They gave themselves a raise last month.
They now make $174,000 a year for their 3 day work week.

Isn't a big Conservative talking point against CEO salary caps "If you don't pay them well, they'll go elsewhere", even when the CEO is doing a poor job. "Company would have lost $100 billion instead of $60 billion if he wasn't there!"

Can't you argue that we need to pay congressman well and that even if they're not doing the best job, it would be worse without them?

Wait, isn't this the required spending hike they had to do because the republicans won't give up their extra staff despite losing all those seats? So now they have a bunch of new congress-people who also need staff, so they have to spend more, because they have extra people.

/looking for the article

I don't see what the problem is here.
Have these people not provem themselves?
All of them managed to survive the rough election session.
Their people loved them so much they game them the necessary
encouragment to continue doing fine work.
The members of the Senate and
House are the finest minds we could find that wanted the work.
Even in out outrage they are always thinking of us, the constituent.
Supporting them with a minor increase in compensation?
Easy to see the fairness here.
Doubt not their ability to fix the problems on their tables.
Only fear of progress and improvement
under such high-quality and
competent leadeship as we have in Congress will
hinder America's progress through this terrible recession and
economic slowdown.
Be not irate at these fine servants for
adjusting their wages.
Gracious we need to be to face the
struggle to come and unite behind them all as Americans.

For are we all not joined
under a common flag and
common creed having thrown off the shackles of
king and tyrant alike?
Every one of us must sacrifice for the good of us all.
Maybe of more undrestood that we wouldn't be where we are today.

Thank you.

Even better

tricycleracer 2009-03-05 11:03:41 AM
Can't you argue that we need to pay congressman well and that even if they're not doing the best job, it would be worse without them?

No. If congressmen are doing their best job, they get re-elected, not a pay raise. If they're not doing their best job, the voters find someone who will.

You voted them in, so stop whining.

I thought pay increases were passed the Congress prior to the one where the raise goes into effect? Also that chart doesn't account for inflation. Lets see one in 1998 dollars.

Lord_Baull: tricycleracer 2009-03-05 11:03:41 AM
Can't you argue that we need to pay congressman well and that even if they're not doing the best job, it would be worse without them?

No. If congressmen are doing their best job, they get re-elected, not a pay raise. If they're not doing their best job, the voters find someone who will.

If you don't pay well, you won't get the best talent.

I'm just parroting Conservative talking points.

Broktun: $93,000 in additional petty cash?

How much petty cash did they have before?

And why is this amount called petty ?

If the members of our Congress were paid really really well, then maybe they would be less inclined to accept "gifts". I think they should all be payed a ridiculous amount of money.

With that said, Pelosi is one of the worst things to have ever happened to this country, and she doesn't deserve to earn more than the two cents she haphazardly tosses into any debate.

As long as the damage a government does to its country is slightly less than the damage a revolution would cause, they get to stay in power.

/Getting mighty close to that line folks...

Nothing the greedy aholes in Washington do surprises me anymore. Political Party is irrelevant. The open rape and abuse of the average american continues. One day, I hope, before I die, there will be a revolution. We will storm the castle gates and cut their heads off.

Hey, it's 'stimulus spending' so it's ok. Plus, they can just print more when the money runs out. Right?

tricycleracer: Lord_Baull: tricycleracer 2009-03-05 11:03:41 AM
Can't you argue that we need to pay congressman well and that even if they're not doing the best job, it would be worse without them?

No. If congressmen are doing their best job, they get re-elected, not a pay raise. If they're not doing their best job, the voters find someone who will.

If you don't pay well, you won't get the best talent.

I'm just parroting Conservative talking points.

Well, they joined for less and then racked up their salaries once there. I don't think attracting the best worked that way.

Wait a minute...

What happened to "We're not taking pay raises this year."

I remember Pelosi telling the Dems that.

/Hey, wha happn'd!?

Remember plebes, us people at the top always deserve a raise.

tricycleracer: They gave themselves a raise last month.
They now make $174,000 a year for their 3 day work week.

Isn't a big Conservative talking point against CEO salary caps "If you don't pay them well, they'll go elsewhere", even when the CEO is doing a poor job. "Company would have lost $100 billion instead of $60 billion if he wasn't there!"

Can't you argue that we need to pay congressman well and that even if they're not doing the best job, it would be worse without them?

How could it be worse?

If your a Democrat, these are the people that let Bush do whatever he wants even after they got a majority.

If you're a Republican, they are creating social programs you disagree with.

Libertarians hate them because they are infringing on rights and wasting taxpayer money, and Socialists think they are not doing enough socially.

They make no one happy.

I honestly thought they would suspend pay raises this year as a show of solidarity and sacrifice over the economic situation. I should have known better.

You'd think one of the parties would figure out they should let the other party be the one to raise their salary. Then the other party could copy them.

Bondidude: Wait a minute...

What happened to "We're not taking pay raises this year."

I remember Pelosi telling the Dems that.

/Hey, wha happn'd!?

She lied. Because she an evil, heartless biatch.

Congressional pay should be linked with the average pay of Americans after taxes.

tricycleracer 2009-03-05 11:07:07 AM
If you don't pay well, you won't get the best talent.

I'm just parroting Conservative talking points.

Considering Congress is composed of doctors, lawyers, pest control technicians and politician's wives, your analogy doesn't hold water. If we were electing Summa Cum Laude graduates with Political Science degrees, I might agree with you more.

Spanky_McFarksalot: Not to worry, since it's a democratic controlled congress we'll soon have farkers show up to let us know why this is ok.

3_Butt_Cheeks: Are they farking serious?

These are the people feigning outrage about the auto-farkers taking private jets, but feel giving themselves a raise while many Americans are losing jobs and homes is a GOOD thing?

The arrogant pricks need a GD reality check. I hope they get picketed and protested every day until they agree to REDUCE their salaries.

Those.

nugz4lunch: If the members of our Congress were paid really really well, then maybe they would be less inclined to accept "gifts". I think they should all be payed a ridiculous amount of money.

If I get a raise, I'm still gonna steal office supplies.

Don't think of it as a raise. Think of it as a stimulus.

krelborne: Don't think of it as a raise. Think of it as a stimulus.

LOL

Lt. Cheese Weasel: Nothing the greedy aholes in Washington do surprises me anymore. Political Party is irrelevant. The open rape and abuse of the average american continues. One day, I hope, before I die, there will be a revolution. We will storm the castle gates and cut their heads off.

Don't count on it asshole. You get the government you deserve now go back to blaming Al-Qaeda for all your countries ills.

who keeps voting this coont in?

Sgt. Pepper: If I get a raise, I'm still gonna steal office supplies.

Even if you were suddenly making ten times what you are now? Remember, I used the word "ridiculous".

nugz4lunch: If the members of our Congress were paid really really well, then maybe they would be less inclined to accept "gifts". I think they should all be payed a ridiculous amount of money.

I'm sure Ted Haggard's wife thought, "if I have more sex/children with him, he'll be less inclined to recieve prostrate massages from a guy in the park bathroom."

atlanta_ufo: tricycleracer: Lord_Baull: tricycleracer 2009-03-05 11:03:41 AM
Can't you argue that we need to pay congressman well and that even if they're not doing the best job, it would be worse without them?

No. If congressmen are doing their best job, they get re-elected, not a pay raise. If they're not doing their best job, the voters find someone who will.

If you don't pay well, you won't get the best talent.

I'm just parroting Conservative talking points.

Well, they joined for less and then racked up their salaries once there. I don't think attracting the best worked that way.

If you're just parroting the point. Then HOW DO you get the best talent?