If your boss gave you a 20% job approval rating, would you get a raise? If the people that hired you thought you were only doing a good job 1/5 of the time, would you make more money?
While most of us would be fired after such a dismal performance, Congress actually thinks they deserve a raise.
They even have it worked out where they get a 2% pay raise every year, unless they vote otherwise. So despite their record low approval numbers, they successfully increased their salaries $3,300 to $168,500.
I am not sure of his motivations, but I want to publically commend a Democratic representative. Thank you Rep. Jim Matheson for being a voice of reason.
He worked to force the House to vote directly on their pay raise, but it was defeated. Here is the specific bill: HR 4494.
In addition to that, we have Republican Representatives fighting any real effort at spending control … by members of their own party.
Appropriations members have already vowed to fight any move to strip spending from the bill. “I’m not going to take their crap,” Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.) said last week. The Illinois appropriator said he included several projects for his district and would fight to keep them all.
“They think they’ve gotten a little steam building, and we’re going to have to shoot them down,” LaHood said. He ripped RSC members this year on the House floor for successfully stripping $507 million in construction projects from a military spending bill.
The majority of those fighting government spending are conservative Republicans. But I will say this, if a Democrat like Matheson ran against a Republican like LaHood I may very well pull the lever for Matheson, as long as he was not a complete loon on other issues.
Republicans have got to learn that they are not immune for a backlash of conservative voters. We are not entirely stupid. Throwing us a feigned attempt at a Constitutional amendment not all of us wanted, is not enough to make up for the myriad of mistakes you have made since Republicans gained control of Congress and the White House.
The Democrats could make huge inroads if they wised up and ran more people like Matheson, who, while he has his problems in my conservative opinion, is a lot better than a RINO claiming to be with me during the election, but spending as bad or worse than a liberal Democrat.
Fortunately for the Republicans, unfortunately for the American people, too often our choices in politics are between horrible and worse. Hopefully, this can’t last too much longer.
Well, I almost disagree with you on every point you raised. It would be easier for me to say where we agree so I will do that.
I am all for a balance budget amendment. i would go so far as a TaBOR, taxpayer bill of rights, where the federal government cannot spend more than they bring in and if they bring in more than inflation plus growth, the public would get their money back.
I have no problem nixing the Dept. of Homeland Security. I thought it was stupid in the first place.
We should reduce troop presence significantly, once Iraq and Afghanistan are able to maintain order themselves. I don't think that is question – that will happen.
I am all for leaving gay marriage, abortion, etc. to the states.
I can go for more border patrol and tougher laws against coyotes.
On everything else, I would probably fight (politically speaking) tooth-and-nail against it. So there's my thoughts on your thoughts. ;)
Stop the tax cuts for the rich and the corporations.
Agreed. But keep the tax cuts that give back an equal percentage to all who pay taxes.
There should be a 1 dollar tax on each gallon of gasoline.
Consumption taxes are a good idea, but only in the context of eliminating the income tax altogether, and relying on sales tax to fund the government. But staples, which might include gasoline, should NOT be taxed.
To solve the fuel problems, we need government incentives and dis-incentives. Plain as that. And bring back the EV1. :D And go nuclear.
The Iraq war is a huge drain on our economy.
Agreed. Let's get out as soon as possible, but leaving a stable govt behind. If that is not possible in the next few years, let it collapse, but give anyone who wants to get out assylum elsewhere first.
My top 3 issues to be addressed are
– Pro-life, save the baby humans, overturn RVW, get better legislation (Federal Amendment to secure their right to life)
– Federal Budget – get it balanced
– FMA – save marriage for our posterity (leaving it to the states does not work)