Jason Chaffetz thinks federal lawmakers need a massive monthly stipend added to their $174,000 annual salary in order to cover housing. Unsurprisingly, he’s making this call just days before he exits Congress.
The timing is no accident. Politicians tend to speak with more honesty when they’re lame ducks — and they honestly believe that they deserve more money.
Part of the desire for more cash is ego, but part of it makes a bit of sense. Being a member of Congress is expensive, considering that members are expected to live in the state the represent while they work in Washington D.C. This requires either two mortgages or a rental or two just to work. It’s not uncommon to hear about many representatives sleeping in their offices to avoid the added expense their job requires.
But that doesn’t alleviate the fact that Americans are in no mood to hear them ask for more money when they already make so much — particularly while their approval ratings are so low and so many Americans are trying desperately to find good paying work.
Jason Chaffetz is on the way out, though, so he doesn’t mind the optics.
See how much more money he thinks his fellow lawmakers need on the next page:
Congress hasn’t worked in years, they need a pay cut, people who elected them have been cheated long enough!
If you do little to nothing you deserved a pink slip and not a pay envelope.
Will Rogers said we have the best politicians that money can buy.
I want a refund
b******t
They need to be on Obamacare and have to pay for it and you would really understand American people. You don’t even work all year! Pathetic
NO Raise
Nope, hope nope! Let em.stay at the “Y” hobknob with the real world!.
Bull!
if anything they need a cut in salary
They can have low cost meals in the Capital Restaurant. They get Catered no cost meals during meetings. They schedule meetings at their Country Club in the the U.S. Virgin Islands during winter months at no cost. They get free Travel when they go overseas for so called meetings with Foreign Government Officials. Most of them are already multimillionaires, they do not deserve a Congressional Raise!
So you are like the rest of the politicians totally out of touch . Do you know how many families live on $2500.00 a month or less? And you want for the crooked politicians who make $174,000.00 or so a year a stipend for housing? I always liked you but not anymore.