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:
This is too much! They already get paid way more than what they deserve!
Congress shows up about 1/4 of the year and DOES NO WORK WHEN THEY ARE THERE I would categorize most of them as corrupt lying criminals who have not done one honest day s work so far this year Pay them minimum wage which is all they deserve AND new legislation after 4 years if you are not doing any work YOU ARE OUT and even if you are working term limits of 8 years PERIOD Time to weed out the criminals and old fossils in DC
No raise. You need a big pay cut. You should have to live like the rest of us,pay check to pay check. Your not royalty.
B******t no more raises until you loafers do something.
old people on ss need raise more than congress does
Manage without like you make us do
No raise
No
Oh Jason, go off and earn your own money and don’t expect the American people to continue to support you. You chose to leave.
They need a cut in pay until they do their job, then maybe!