Salaries true? If so, cut them!

[jimnyc]

http://i.imgur.com/Rgq0uFy.jpg

[Elessar]

I once read that the retired salary for the Los Angeles County Sheriff was close
to that of the President's. To get that, they only have to serve 1 year!

No freakin' wonder California went broke!

[pete311]

You think we got crappy people in our political system now? Just wait till you cut salaries. The top talent already doesn't go into politics. Pretty soon we'll have Joe the Plummer as president if you cut benefits too much.

[CSM]

You think we got crappy people in our political system now? Just wait till you cut salaries. The top talent already doesn't go into politics. Pretty soon we'll have Joe the Plummer as president if you cut benefits too much.

I'll take Joe the Plumber over the entire crop of snotbags we currently have in office.

[darin]

You're forgetting VITAL details.

First - 174000 is NOT a lot of money in/around DC. Figure cost of living is probably 30-40% higher there than, say, somewhere in the mid-west. Secondly - do y'all know the work schedules of some of these guys and gals? The President doesn't simply shut down his computer and go home at 4:30p like the rest of us. Thirdly - congressmen do NOT get their full pay for life. They don't. They have a years-of-service and age requirement. Even then, I think it's something like 2% of their salary x years of service; they get it at age probably-60; or younger if they have something like 20 years of service by then.

Fourth - the "average" salary of a Soldier in A'stan? No. Way. 'Average' is a stupid data point because it almost NEVER happens.

The army has deployment calculators - I did one for a Sergeant - E5 and a Captain - 03 from Fort Lewis area. Both are super-common ranks. The sergeant will gross more than $5000 per month (free of federal tax), and the Captain over $8000.

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8893&d=1463130171

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8892&d=1463130163

Lastly - Social Security is based on what is paid-into it. The BEST thing to do is to eliminate it RIGHT NOW. Everyone on it stays on until they die. Nobody else is charged for it. Let ME manage my retirement.

it's GOOD to get frustrated over government waste - we'd save hundreds of millions by simply going to a flat tax and reducing the IRS to about 200 employees. If we cut the NEA. If we stop creating STUPID regulations that cost us money to enforce.

[sundaydriver]

Politicians should be paid as interns. They make the big money when leaving office for the access they've gained and even in office get offered sweetheart business deals.

[Atticus Finch]

Term limits without the legacy cost is the only answer....then a lucrative lifetime posiiton won't be possible....but I do realize putting country over self is an antiquated notion and it would never happen.

[indago]

You're forgetting VITAL details.

First - 174000 is NOT a lot of money in/around DC. Figure cost of living is probably 30-40% higher there than, say, somewhere in the mid-west. Secondly - do y'all know the work schedules of some of these guys and gals? The President doesn't simply shut down his computer and go home at 4:30p like the rest of us. Thirdly - congressmen do NOT get their full pay for life. They don't. They have a years-of-service and age requirement. Even then, I think it's something like 2% of their salary x years of service; they get it at age probably-60; or younger if they have something like 20 years of service by then.

But then, there's this:

"Campaign fundraising is increasingly not just about winning elections, it's a lifestyle subsidy." — Peter Schweizer

"Over time, the Leadership PACs that were created as a way for congressional leaders of both parties to raise money and distribute it to their members have evolved into something different. Today, nearly every congressman and senator has a Leadership PAC, not just the leaders, and they're used to solicit contributions from friends and supporters in order to advance their political agendas, their careers, and in many cases, their lifestyle." — Steve Croft - 60 Minutes


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-CTQ0X47iw

[indago]

Also...

Peter Schweizer wrote for The New York Times 21 October 2013:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Consider this: of the thousands of bills introduced in Congress each year, only roughly 5 percent become law. Why do legislators bother proposing so many bills? What if many of those bills are written not to be passed but to pressure people into forking over cash?

This is exactly what is happening. Politicians have developed a dizzying array of legislative tactics to bring in money.

Take the maneuver known inside the Beltway as the “tollbooth.” Here the speaker of the House or a powerful committee chairperson will create a procedural obstruction or postponement on the eve of an important vote. Campaign contributions are then implicitly solicited. If the tribute offered by those in favor of the bill’s passage is too small (or if the money from opponents is sufficiently high), the bill is delayed and does not proceed down the legislative highway.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

article (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/22/opinion/politicians-extortion-racket.html?adxnnl=1&ref=todayspaper&adxnnlx=1382442884-Is5o2B9ED253rfhkssnENw)

All this "tribute" money that is bandied about could be better used in paying down the National Debt, and not to sweeten the coffers of corrupt congressmen.

[darin]

Term limits without the legacy cost is the only answer....then a lucrative lifetime posiiton won't be possible....but I do realize putting country over self is an antiquated notion and it would never happen.

as I just pointed out - there is no lucrative lifetime position. I don't like term limits because I think we should face the consequence of our foolish re-elections. We (society) - our behaviour is tantamount to full-on support of driving our nation out of existence.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

You think we got crappy people in our political system now? Just wait till you cut salaries. The top talent already doesn't go into politics. Pretty soon we'll have Joe the Plummer as president if you cut benefits too much.

Trillions more in debt, weaker nation, far more divided nation with obama--Joe the Plumber would have been a welcomed relief .
But it just figures, you would not see that at all.-Tyr

[Gunny]

Politicians should be paid as interns. They make the big money when leaving office for the access they've gained and even in office get offered sweetheart business deals.

Oh go spend some time in DC and look at the perks. Free housing. Free trips to and from home states. Free rides. Free laundry. Lobbyists pay for their meals.