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:
I would have said “their lawyers!”
You might try DOING something to earn what your overpaid for NOW!
If anything they should get a decrease in pay. If they want to live in their big mansions, why should we pay for them. Most of the time when I see Congress on TV they have more people sleeping then they have people listening.
BULL SH–
NO, NO, NO. NO RAISES UNTIL SOCIAL SECURITY GETS THEIRS, AND IT BETTER BE MORE THAN 2%.
They know salary before elections if can’t live on it don’t run for office.
Let them go stay at the YMCA
If they do a good job and work at least 9/10 of the time they should then give them a few more dollars. That is what happens out here in the real world. Sometimes you get no raise and lose all your holiday and vacation and sick pay. They are living examples of what we don’t need right now, greedy, do nothing, gripping, know it all politicians. Think it is time for some big changes on all sides.
I like Chavez but he knew what he was going to get paid when he took the position.
Congress is not doing it’s job therefore they DO NOT deserve a raise in fact they need to stop getting any pay until they start doing it..
No they do not they have not there job