Nancy Pelosi said, “I don’t think
we should do it; I think we should respect the work we do,” Pelosi told
reporters in the Capitol. “I think it’s necessary for us to have the dignity of
the job that we have rewarded.” It makes you wonder if congress has ever given
back what they have greedily taken saying it is deserved.
In 1855 their salaries increased to
$3,000 annually. Then in 1865 they gave themselves a 66% increase to $5,000
annually. Then 6 years later they boosted their salaries another 50% to $7,500
per year. The American People became so outraged by the greed that congressmen
were showing, that congress was forced to take a 33% pay cut, which lasted 34
years. In the last 25 years Congress has seen 18 salary increases totaling 277%
while the American Workers have only
seen wage increases in 25 years totaling a mere 166%.
The two biggest pay increases were
in the last 20 years were in 1990 (27.13% increase) and 1991 (26.33% increase)
thanks to Speaker of the House Tom Foley and Senate Majority
Leader George Mitchell; the military average for the same two years, 3.05%
for each year; this is almost 900% higher pay raise then the men and women who
die to defend our country. So according to Mrs. Pelosi and many of her colleague
they require their pay to climb at a rate 40% faster then us the American citizens
because of their dignity.
To save their “dignity” congress
should take a 40% pay cut. Their pay raises should be connected to the military's
and raised at the same rate which is almost identical to us, the American citizens.
They would still be making $104,400 (not counting other benefits); which is still
double the median US
income of $51,100. This should be enough dignity for Mrs. Pelosi and her gaggle
both Democrat and Republican; they should be in congress to serve the people
and our country not become rich. This is what elitism looks like and what our
founding fathers tried to eliminate from our government.
